Ramona Mohd. Tahir
Department of  Music Education
Faculty of Education
Universiti Teknolgi MARA
Shah Alam,
Selangor

Date: 25 October 2001
Time: 5.00-5.30
 
 
 

Despite the rich musical traditions and popularity of music in all Islamic cultures, there is widespread belief by Muslims that music is forbidden in Islam and should be avoided by them.  A debate concerning the position of music in Islam has, in fact, existed for centuries, and centers upon the question of  whether music is permissible (halal) or forbidden (haram).  The purpose of this paper was to investigate the position of music in Islam and the extent to which the controversy regarding music in Islam has effected music education in Malaysia, with the hope that  increased awareness of the relevant issues will contribute to a better situation for music in Malaysian schools as well as the development of  quality music.
A two-fold strategy was employed for the purpose of investigating the study's research questions.  First, a review of literature was conducted to clarify the concept of music and musical experience in Islam.  The major elements and issues relevant to understanding the position of music in Islam were discussed according to six themes.  Second, two interview sessions were arranged with twelve individuals both directly an indirectly involved with music education in Malaysia to obtain their opinions and insights concerning music in Islam and music education in Malaysia.  Based on these  findings, proposed principles and guidelines for music education in Malaysia consonant with Islamic  principles were presented.