Dar al-Ifta` al-Misriyyah emphasized that musical recitations of the Qur`an and singing it are prohibited in Islamic law. In its latest fatwa, Dar al-Ifta` demonstrated that the Qur`an is the word of God, Lord of the worlds revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as a guidance to the people to show them right from wrong. God did not reveal the Qur`an to be sung but commanded Muslims to comprehend its meanings and contemplate the exhortations, etiquettes, and rulings it includes. The fatwa further maintained that listening to the Qur`an as one would listen to a song turns it into an object of amusement which would distract from its purpose of offering guidance and counsel.

Dar al-Ifta` stressed that musical recitations of the Qur’an is not the Qur`an that God revealed to His Messenger. Rather, we should worship God by reciting it in the manner we inherited from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him). The followers of the previously revealed Heavenly religions corrupted and falsified God’s books which He revealed to guide them.

If we sanction musical recitations and singing of the Qur`an, we would commit their same mistake and corrupt and falsify the Qur`an, forfeiting religion and ruining Muslims. Dar al-Ifta` substantiated its position with the hadith narrated by Ibn Jarij through ‘Ata` through Ibn Abbas who said, “The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) had a mu`adhin (the person who makes the call to prayer) who intoned the adhan.

The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) told him, ‘The adhan is easy and smooth. If your adhan is not easy and smooth, then do not make it” [recorded in the Sunan of Al-Darqutuni]. If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade this in the adhan, a fortiori the Qur`an. Scholars have opined that musical recitations and singing the Qur`an are prohibited.