Posting again professor Jowitt’s long ago relative point for this update:
UPDATED: Via Gateway Pundit:
- Taliban Beheads 17 Civilians For Attending Dance Party
Barack Obama’s peace partners, the Taliban, beheaded 17 civilians for dancing and singing including two women.
AFP reported:
Insurgents beheaded 17 civilians in a Taliban-controlled area of southern Afghanistan, apparently because they attended a dance party that flouted the extreme brand of Islam embraced by the militants, officials said Monday.
The killings, in a district where U.S. Marines have battled the Taliban for years, were a reminder of how much power the insurgent group still wields in the south — particularly as international forces draw down and hand areas over to Afghan forces.
The victims were part of a large group that had gathered late Sunday in Helmand province’s Musa Qala district for a celebration involving music and dancing, said district government chief Neyamatullah Khan. He said the Taliban slaughtered them to show their disapproval of the event.
All of the bodies were decapitated but it was not clear if they had been shot first, said provincial government spokesman Daoud Ahmadi.
Under Taliban laws all music is banned except certain types of religious songs and pro-Taliban ‘chants’.
From Libertarian Republican:
[….]
Madonna, Rihanna or Youssou Ndour, all non-Muslim lyrics have been declared Satanic.
“We, the mujahideen of Gao, Timbuktu and Kidal from now on refuse the broadcasting of all western music on radios on Islamic land,” said Oussama Ould Abdel Kader, a spokesman for the Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO)
“We have already spoken to people who own the radio stations. We no longer want Satan’s music. Instead there must be verses of the Qur’an. Western music is Satanic music.”
Editor’s comment – Remember growing up in the 1980s? Kurt Loder and MTV News and Rolling Stone magazine blasted the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC), and rightly so, for wanting to ban explicity rock music. The PMRC called some of the heavy metal music “Satanic.” Of course, the PMRC were Christian Right Americans. But its been decades since Christians pushed for rock music bans. Now, it’s Muslims. And lo and behold, there’s no coverage at any music or entertainment media. Must not fit the template.
What does Islam say about music and musical instruments… I bet you never knew, via Jihad Watch:
Hadith Qudsi 19:5: “The Prophet said that Allah commanded him to destroy all the musical instruments, idols, crosses and all the trappings of ignorance.” (The Hadith Qudsi, or holy Hadith, are those in which Muhammad transmits the words of Allah, although those words are not in the Qur’an.)
Muhammad also said:
(1) “Allah Mighty and Majestic sent me as a guidance and mercy to believers and commanded me to do away with musical instruments, flutes, strings, crucifixes, and the affair of the pre-Islamic period of ignorance.”
(2) “On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will pour molten lead into the ears of whoever sits listening to a songstress.”
(3) “Song makes hypocrisy grow in the heart as water does herbage.”
(4) “This community will experience the swallowing up of some people by the earth, metamorphosis of some into animals, and being rained upon with stones.” Someone asked, “When will this be, O Messenger of Allah?” and he said, “When songstresses and musical instruments appear and wine is held to be lawful.”
(5) “There will be peoples of my Community who will hold fornication, silk, wine, and musical instruments to be lawful ….” — ‘Umdat al-Salik r40.0
Music and instruments are key to church worship and glorifying God. God, in fact, loves instruments, and this is why Islam hates it… hint: a false God:
Vocal Praise to God
The primary purpose of this analysis is to separate references to vocal praise from those mentioning musical accompaniment. This first category contains all the references of worship to God, which contained only vocals. If instruments of music were actually used in the following passages, there is no reference to it in the context:
Exodus 15:1-18; Numbers 21:17; Deuteronomy 31:19-32:44; Judges 5:1-12; II Samuel 22:1; II Samuel 22:50; I Kings 4:32; I Chronicles 6:31-33; I Chronicles 9:33; II Chronicles 23:18; II Chronicles 35:15; II Chronicles 35:25; Ezra 2:41, 65, 70; Ezra 7:7, 24; 20:24; Nehemiah 7:1, 44, 67, 73; Nehemiah 10:28, 39; Nehemiah 11:22-23; Nehemiah 13:5, 10; Job 35:10; Isaiah 5:1; Isaiah 12:2, 5; Isaiah 24:14, 16; Isaiah 26:1; Isaiah 35:10; Isaiah 42:10-11; Isaiah 44:23; Isaiah 48:20; Isaiah 49:13; Isaiah 51:3, 11; Isaiah 52:8-9; Jeremiah 20:13; Jeremiah 31:7; Jeremiah 31:12; Jeremiah 33:11; Ezekiel 40:44; Amos 8:3, 10; Jonah 2:9; Zephaniah 3:14, 17; Zechariah 2:10; Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26; Acts 16:25; Romans 15:9; I Corinthians 14:15; I Corinthians 14:26; Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; Hebrews 2:12; James 5:13
Although many of the Psalms note accompaniment of musical instruments, many reference singing with no mention of instruments. These references are provided below:
Psalm 7:17; 9:2, 11; 13:6; 18:1, 49; 21:13; 27:6; 28:7; 30:1, 4, 12; 32:7; 34:1; 35:1; 40:3; 42:8; 51:14; 59:16; 61:8; 65:13; 66:2-4; 69:12, 30; 77:6; 89:1; 95:1,2; 96:1, 2; 100:2; 101:1; 104:12, 33; 105:2; 118:14; 119:54; 126:2; 135:3; 138:1, 5; 145:7; 146:2
Instrumental Praise to God
It cannot be denied that instruments of music have been rightfully used to praise the Creator, neither should it be. If God saw fit to authorize mechanical instruments of music, then His wisdom should not be questioned. Likewise, His judgment must not be questioned if He later changed His mind, “for we walk by faith, not by sight” (II Corinthians 5:7).
Exodus 15:20-21; I Samuel 10:5; II Samuel 6:5, 15, 21; I Kings 10:12; II Kings 12:13; I Chronicles 13:8; I Chronicles 15:16-29; I Chronicles 16:5-9, 23, 42; I Chronicles 23:5; I Chronicles 25:1-7; II Chronicles 5:12-13; II Chronicles 7:6; II Chronicles 9:11; II Chronicles 15:14; II Chronicles 20:19-28; II Chronicles 29:25-30; II Chronicles 30:21; II Chronicles 34:12; Ezra 3:10; Nehemiah 12:8-47; Isaiah 5:12; Isaiah 30:29; Isaiah 38:20; Amos 5:23; Amos 6:5; Habakkuk 3:19; Revelation 5:8-9; Revelation 14:2-3; Revelation 15:2-3
Many of the Psalms have ancient subscripts, mentioning how they were to be sung, or played. Many of these titles include references to instruments, such as “string instruments”, “flutes”, and “harps”. Others mention mechanical instruments specifically in the Psalm itself. Psalms with references to musical accompaniment include:
Psalm 4:1; 5:1; 6:1; 8:1; 12:1; 33:2, 3; 43:4; 47:5-7; 49:4; 54:1; 55:1; 57:7-9; 61:1; 67:1,4; 68:4, 25, 32; 71:22-23; 76:1; 81:1-3; 84:1; 87:7; 92:3; 98:1, 4-6; 108:1-3; 137:2-4; 144:9; 147:1, 7; 149:1, 3, 5; 150:3-4
Merriment and Bereavement
Whether it be a marriage feast (Jeremiah 7:34) or a funeral (II Samuel 1:17-27; Matthew 9:23), music is often referenced as an expression of intense joy or sorrow. In each of these passages, the context is not religious. Often the context is social, like a marriage feast. These passages were separated from others, because they do not directly relate to the form of musical praise to God, although they provide intriguing knowledge to the place of music in the culture of the ancients.
Genesis 31:27; Exodus 32:18; Judges 11:34; I Samuel 16:16-23; I Samuel 18:6-10; I Samuel 19:9; I Samuel 21:11; II Samuel 1:18; I Kings 1:40; Job 21:12; Job 29:13; Job 30:9; Job 30:31; Psalm 75:9; Proverbs 25:20; Proverbs 29:6; Ecclesiastes 2:8; Ecclesiastes 7:5; Song of Solomon 2:12; Isaiah 14:7, 11; Isaiah 16:10, 11; Isaiah 23:15, 16; Isaiah 24:8, 9; Isaiah 26:19; Isaiah 30:32; Isaiah 35:2, 6; Isaiah 54:1; Isaiah 55:12; Jeremiah 7:34; Jeremiah 16:9; Jeremiah 25:10; Jeremiah 30:19; Jeremiah 51:48; Lamentations 5:14; Daniel 3:5-15; Daniel 6:18; Hosea 2:15; Matthew 9:23; Matthew 11:17; Luke 7:32; Luke 15:25; Revelation 18:22-23
The Message of Horns
Trumpets and horns were used in musical praise; however, they were often used in relation to sounding a battle communication. The blast of a trumpet was used to signal everything from the anointing of a new king (II Samuel 15:10) to the call to battle (Judges 3:27), and from welcoming a holy feast day (Leviticus 23:24) to instructing the host of Israel to begin marching (Numbers 10:2-10). In the absence of megaphones, the sound of trumpets could travel long distances, conveying important messages to large numbers of people. These references are separated, because they deal with the sounds of communication – not the melody of worship.
Leviticus 23:24, 25:9; Numbers 10:2-10; Numbers 29:1; Numbers 31:6; Joshua 6:4-20; Judges 3:27; Judges 6:34; Judges 7:8-22; I Samuel 13:3; II Samuel 2:28; II Samuel 15:10; II Samuel 18:16; II Samuel 20:1, 22; I Kings 1:34; I Kings 1:39-45; II Kings 9:13; II Kings 11:14; II Chronicles 13:12, 14; II Chronicles 23:13; Nehemiah 4:18, 20; Job 39:24; Job 39:25; Isaiah 18:3; Isaiah 58:1; Isaiah 65:14; Jeremiah 4:5, 19, 21; Jeremiah 6:1, 17; Jeremiah 51:27; Ezekiel 7:14; Ezekiel 26:13; Ezekiel 33:3-6; Hosea 5:8; Hosea 8:1; Joel 2:1, 15; Amos 2:2; Amos 3:6; Zephaniah 1:16; Matthew 6:2; I Corinthians 13:1; I Corinthians 14:7-8
The Trumps of God
Trumpets and horns are often associated with God’s royal presence and power. Like the horns of war, these trumpets also convey a message – they signify the entrance of the King. However, sometime they are associated with the King’s work in judgment. Although these might be considered in the above category, because of the association with battle, references that associate trumpets with God’s judgment are grouped in their own special category.
Exodus 19:13-19, 20:18; Isaiah 27:13; Zechariah 9:14; Matthew 24:31; I Corinthians 15:52; I Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 12:19; Revelation 8:2-9:14; 10:7; 11:5;
A Horn of Exaltation
Closely related with the blowing horns of victory, which would have been heard bellowing across the battlefield, horns were associated with victory and exaltation. Additionally, since they were often used to carry anointing oils, they are also associated with the glory of election. Although not directly related to music, these references to horns are significant, and are therefore worthy of their own category:
I Samuel 2:1, 10; I Samuel 16:1, 13; II Samuel 22:3; I Kings 1:39; Psalm 75:4, 5, 10; Psalm 89:24; Ezekiel 29:21; Luke 1:69
Miscellaneous
Including mention of the father of stringed instruments (Genesis 4:21), miscellaneous references to music and its instruments are sprinkled throughout the Scriptures. Although these may be important to another topic, they are not relevant to understanding the nature, purpose, or form of God’s desired musical praise. These references include:
Genesis 4:21; Genesis 4:23; Exodus 28:31-35; II Samuel 19:35; II Samuel 23:1; II Kings 3:15; Ecclesiastes 12:4; Song of Solomon 1:1; Isaiah 25:5; Isaiah 27:2; Jeremiah 48:36; Lamentations 3:63; Ezekiel 33:32; Zephaniah 2:14; Revelation 1:10; Revelation 4:1
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