Lahw (diversion and amusement), fiqh rulings

Lahw, in lexicon, is any falsehood that distracts from good and from what matters; al-Tartushi defines it as relaxing the soul with what wisdom does not call for, and al-Qurtubi notes that it is sometimes used as a euphemism for intercourse, since it diverts the heart. In fiqh the lexical sense largely holds: whatever a person enjoys and is diverted by, and which then passes ¹. The basic ruling is that any diversion that brings no religious benefit in this world or the next is vain, except archery, training a horse and playing with one's wife, which are right because they serve useful ends ¹.

In lexicon, play (la'b) is seeking joy in what one should not seek it for ¹. Al-Barakti defines it as children's activity that leaves weariness and no benefit; lahw is the wider term ¹. Details are under the entry on play ².

The base text is the saying of the Prophet ﷺ: every diversion a son of Adam indulges in is vain except three, archery, training a horse, and playing with one's wife. The point is that any diversion without religious benefit is vain, while these three are right because archery and horse-training help in war and play with a wife may lead to a child who worships God ¹. Al-Khattabi says all kinds of diversion are forbidden except these, since each either serves a right or leads to one, and fencing with weapons and similar training that hardens a man for battle belong with them ². Idle pastimes such as backgammon, chess, pigeon racing and any play that serves no right and does not refresh for a duty are wholly forbidden ².

The jurists forbid singing when the verses are amatory about women, describe their beauty, or mention wine and forbidden things, since this is the lahw and blameworthy singing agreed upon ². When singing is free of temptation and blame, some jurists permit it, others dislike it, and a group forbids it ². Details are under the entries on listening and singing ².

Most jurists hold that striking stringed instruments, such as the rebab, the oud and the qanun, and listening to them, is forbidden ². Ibn Hajar al-Haytami lists the tanbur, oud, cymbals, rebab, janak, kamanja, santir and daraj among the stringed and musical instruments and says their prohibition is undisputed ². Al-Qurtubi says there is no dispute over forbidding listening to flutes, strings and the kuba, and that he knows of no earlier or later scholar who permitted them, since they are the emblem of wine-drinkers and immorality and stir desire ². He holds no doubt about their prohibition and that the one who plays them is a sinner and corrupt ³. For what is lawful and forbidden among diversions, see the entries on musical instruments and on listening ³.