Advice to pilgrims who annoy their neighbours with smoking and music

Undoubtedly annoying the Muslims is one of the things that are well-known to be prohibited according to Islam, as Allah, may He be glorified, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And those who annoy believing men and women undeservedly, bear on themselves the crime of slander and plain sin”

[al-Ahzaab 33:58]. 

Therefore annoying people by smoking or playing music on the radio or recorder causes greater annoyance and incurs greater sin, because music is haraam and smoking is also a haraam action which is harmful to one’s religious commitment, worldly interests and health. 

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And of mankind is he who purchases idle talk (i.e., music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and takes it (the Path of Allah, the Verses of the Quran) by way of mockery. For such there will be a humiliating torment (in the Hell-fire)”

[Luqmaan 31:6].

The majority of scholars said that what is meant by “idle talk” here is singing and musical instruments. 

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“They ask you (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) what is lawful for them (as food). Say: ‘Lawful unto you are At-Tayyibat (all kind of Halal (lawful, good) foods…)’”

[al-Maa’idah 5:4].

And He says, describing His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him):

“he allows them as lawful At-Tayyibaat ((i.e. all good and lawful) as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.), and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khabaa’ith (i.e. all evil and unlawful as regards things, deeds, beliefs, persons, foods, etc.)”

[al-A‘raaf 7:157].

Allah, may He be glorified, explains that He has not made permissible for His slaves anything but at-tayyibaat (that which is good, wholesome and lawful), and that His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) only permits to his ummah at-tayyibaat, which is things that are beneficial and do not cause harm. Smoking comes under the heading of things that are harmful and evil. Those who know about it, doctors and others, are unanimously agreed that it is harmful to one’s health and damages one’s well-being, as well as having a foul odour. 

May Allah help us all to understand His religion and be steadfast in following it, and may He grant us refuge from the tricks of the Shaytaan. End quote. 

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him).