Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim.
I am a musician by hobby and love music very much. I can listen to almost all types of music exist, whether I like or not is another issue. I listen to classsicals, instrumentals, traditionals, to the modern nu-metal, heavy metal, alternative, rock and not forgetting nasheed. As long as the music somewhat makes me feel relax, or the lyrics meant lot or I just like the band or singer.
Personally, I mingle lot with people who like halaqahs, like Islamic study circles, like talks and like surfing Islamic websites and reading Islamic books. (Don't get me wrong, I do mix around with others as well) There were few times when nasheed musics were tuned, I asked around who sings the song. Normally the reply will be "How come you don't know? This song is....sang by.... " and my typical reply will be "I don't like nasheed except Raihan." And the conversation will carry on "Why? You should listen to nasheed, it reminds us about God.....Bla Bla Bla..."
Alright, I have my own reasons not liking nasheed, eventhough I am capable listening to it. First of all, maybe I was not exposed to Nasheed much. Not much of my friends who like nasheed shares their songs with me. Back then when I was a teenager, amoungst my friend who love nasheed are usually surau people, kinda exclusive to themselves, like a wall present between you and me. I like Raihan because firstly they emerged around 1997 and that time they were so top till they manage to sell at least 500 000 copies of their album. The closest rival on the number of album sold was KRU with Krumania.
I am a musician by hobby and love music very much. I can listen to almost all types of music exist, whether I like or not is another issue. I listen to classsicals, instrumentals, traditionals, to the modern nu-metal, heavy metal, alternative, rock and not forgetting nasheed. As long as the music somewhat makes me feel relax, or the lyrics meant lot or I just like the band or singer.
Personally, I mingle lot with people who like halaqahs, like Islamic study circles, like talks and like surfing Islamic websites and reading Islamic books. (Don't get me wrong, I do mix around with others as well) There were few times when nasheed musics were tuned, I asked around who sings the song. Normally the reply will be "How come you don't know? This song is....sang by.... " and my typical reply will be "I don't like nasheed except Raihan." And the conversation will carry on "Why? You should listen to nasheed, it reminds us about God.....Bla Bla Bla..."
Alright, I have my own reasons not liking nasheed, eventhough I am capable listening to it. First of all, maybe I was not exposed to Nasheed much. Not much of my friends who like nasheed shares their songs with me. Back then when I was a teenager, amoungst my friend who love nasheed are usually surau people, kinda exclusive to themselves, like a wall present between you and me. I like Raihan because firstly they emerged around 1997 and that time they were so top till they manage to sell at least 500 000 copies of their album. The closest rival on the number of album sold was KRU with Krumania.
Puji-Pujian, first album by Raihan which stole my heart.I am a die hard fan of KRU, logically I should hate Raihan for being as their largest competitor to KRU in album selling back then. However, they manage to proof me they worth a fan like me. They are good, their songs are unique, their tune and tempo fits the lyrics, when a song should be in a happy mood they manage to make it happy and vice versa. The concept of the song fits the lyrics and music. That is what I call unique, that is what I like most about Raihan.
Not like songs when we suppose to promote the angelic behaviour (Sifat Mahmudah) amongst us but make the song sounds so scary and the lyrics somewhat tell us that it is impossible to obtain it. This is so wrong. Songs that promotes people to do good things should be happy, cheerful, full of smiling faces, and easy to listen. Conversely, songs that talks about bad deeds, about hell, about punishments, about satanic behaviour (Sifat Mazmumah) should be scary, full of fire, darkness, suffers in the videos and so on. Nasheed should not glorify women and jiwang so much. There was a period when almost all of the Malaysian Nasheed group sings at least a song about women and jiwang. I was like, what happened to nasheed?
Secondly, what is wrong with not listening to nasheed? As far as I'm concern, there are alot of songs which promotes cherishing life, about preserving nature, about peace and so on. All these are persistent with the messages that Islam brings upon us. Even these messages might even brought forward by heavy metal bands, surprisingly.
One famous example is:
"So close no matter how far,
couldn't be much more from the heart,
forever trusting who we are,
and nothing else matters"
(Nothing Else Matters by Metallica).
Isn't that song contains the soul of someone who should have a belief that God is so close no matter how far we want to runaway from Him? We should always be proud to be a Muslim, to carry the title Islam in us despite of what the media portray how bad Islam is. Forever trusting who we are, and nothing else matters.
Another example from Metallica is:
"All the wants you waste
All the things you've chased
And it all crushes down
And you break your crown
And you point your finger but there's no one around
Just want one thing
just to play the king
but the castle crumbled and you've left with just a name
Where's your crown? King Nothing."
Isn't the song teaches us to be moderate and not greedy in living in this materialistic world of us now day? It talks about how people are so greedy that when they want something, they want it now and they don't care how. Doesn't it talks about how fragile and temporary these materials are and will not last long? Are we going to wait until the hereafter to realise it?
Metallica, the best band ever!I haven't touched about songs by Michael Jackson, XPDC, Ramli Sarip, Sweet Charity, Wings, ... (And the list goes on and on and on...) Therefore, must I like nasheed songs when other songs convey the message across clearly? So, must a person who claims himself as a dai'e, who likes about Islam likes nasheed? And I haven't touched about hypocrites, acting in front as a good person but behind us he is the complete opposite. I haven't talked about those who used to be in nasheed bands and left to try their luck in reality shows to be an instant star.
Don't get me wrong. I can listen to nasheeds. I support nasheeds which make the task of memorising verses from Quran as well as Hadith easier. I support nasheeds which the lyrics and musics touch my heart. If people recommend me a song, I will surely listen to and might love it as well. My point is do not limit the choices of songs to listen to. You will miss half of the fun!
Lastly, I am comfortable listening to these kind of songs. Life is ours, we lead it our way and nothing else matters.
Wallahuaalam
Ibn MuSa
Dunkirk 2009
Don't get me wrong. I can listen to nasheeds. I support nasheeds which make the task of memorising verses from Quran as well as Hadith easier. I support nasheeds which the lyrics and musics touch my heart. If people recommend me a song, I will surely listen to and might love it as well. My point is do not limit the choices of songs to listen to. You will miss half of the fun!
Lastly, I am comfortable listening to these kind of songs. Life is ours, we lead it our way and nothing else matters.
Wallahuaalam
Ibn MuSa
Dunkirk 2009
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