The famous commentator, Ḥakīm-ul-Ummat, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الْـمَنَّان writes in the commentary of this blessed Ḥadīš, ‘That is, there are also women travelling with us whose hearts are weak like fragile bottles. They are easily influenced by melodious voices, and singing could incline them towards sin, therefore stop singing.’ (Mirāt-ul-Manājīḥ, vol. 6, pp. 443)
So we learn that the hearts of women are like fragile glass. They should not listen to melodious poetry by non-Maḥram men with beautiful voices. Melody has a type of magic. Men and women can easily be excited by listening to each others’ melodies.
This is why Sag-e-Madīnaĥ عُـفِیَ عَـنۡـهُ has suggested that Islamic sisters should avoid listening to Na’ats recited by non-Maḥram men. They should not even listen to male Na’at-reciters on cassettes. They should also avoid copying tunes of male Na’at reciters because this could incline their hearts towards those male reciters. It does not take long for the devil to cause trouble. (Non-Maḥram) Men and women should avoid anything that makes them have thoughts of each other and gives the devil an opportunity to mislead them.
Question: Can Islamic sisters listen to Na’ats recited by deceased men?
Answer: There is no harm in listening to recorded Na’ats and copying the tunes of deceased men because there does not seem to be a risk of ‘excitement’ here. For example, the late Nigrān of Dawat-e-Islami’s Markazī Majlis-e-Shūrā, Bulbul-e-Rauḍa-e-Rasūl, Ḥājī Muhammad Mushtāq ‘Aṭṭārī عَـلَيْهِ رَحْـمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ الۡـقَـوِی had a very melodious