Music for Life?

Dalam artikel sebelum ini bertajuk Muzik? yang ditulis sebagai salah satu hasil aktiviti Eureka, ada komentar tentang bagaimana untuk hidup dengan dan tanpa muzik. Berikut saya kongsikan posting daripada salah seorang pembaca. Semoga bermanfaat.

…bismillah…..

My story with MUSIC!
Prior to 2004, those people who knew me would always refer to me if they heard a song and wanted to know of the details of the songs. I was like the walking dictionary of all the pop songs played on the radio. I was doing it because I love music so much that I sleep with earphones on my ears, listening to songs to lullaby me to sleep. I would have my CD player everywhere I go, to play all these haram songs. Also, it made me feel so cool to know all these songs. Silly as it sounds; I even memorized most of the songs and cried over the lyrics. (Duh!)

During my junior year at university, everything changed. I started to realize that these are haram music. Though it was hard to stop, alhamdulillah I managed to do it slowly. It needs a lot of guts to get rid something that had been your lifestyle, your HABIT!

InshaAllah, this is my step-by-step tips on leaving music.
1)  FIND THE STRENGTH AND WILL TO STOP!

As for me, that the strength that was given by Allah ‘azza wa jall to me for all this, started from the day I knew Al-Maghrib. (I think it started from listening to Imam Muhammad Alshareef’s WHEN WOLVES BECOME SHEPHERD) It was not only Al-Maghrib, but also supports from those circle of friends who never stop to be in the loop of Islam.

Nevertheless, mainly it is YOU YOURSELF whom needs to be strong to go against the will of listening to this haram music.  You, yourself have to REALIZE that YOU HAVE TO STOP! Find 1001 reasons why you must stop.  Alhamdulillah, with myself it was the turning point in my life where I knew that I have to change to be better in the sight of Allah!  I want the best place in Jannah, hence this is where I should start!

2) THROW AWAY EVERYTHING THAT CAN BRING YOU CLOSER TO MUSIC! EVERYTIHNG!
My first step when I decided to stop listening to this haram music is to get rid of all songs stored in my PC. The next step was I sold all my CDs to a CD warehouse. Anything that could possibly lead me to music, I did throw it. Not leaving any trace of it. DO NOT leave any room for compromise!

3) FIND ALTERNATIVES!

i- Nasheed
I need alternative to feed my needs that were so used to the music. We do have other options such as the nasheed: English, arabic or malay available anywhere.
ii –  Islamic Lecture

Apart from the nasheeds, I tried some lectures too. Before, I thought lectures were very boring. I would fall asleep or yawn a few minutes after listening to these lectures. It took me some times to actually benefit from these lectures. Start with short lectures and alternate with nasheed if you want. My advice is; if you find any particular speaker you like, find all their talk and listen to them over and over again.  As you try to progress with the talk, later on you will love and admire other scholars. Plus, you Insha’Allah will benefit by increasing your knowledge of the deen.

iii –Quran

There are hundreds of recitors you can find in the web. My personal favourite is  Sh Mishary Al-Afasy.  Start with Juz ‘Amma because with these surahs , you can recite along with the recitor as you listen. Insha’Allah, once you get use to listen to the Quran, there is no other songs in the world that can beat the Quran. It is indeed, the most beautiful thing to the ears and the heart. =)

4) MAKE DU’A. MAKE A LOT OF DU’A.

Why did I list du’a as my fifth step? Alhadulillah, after all the initial efforts you have made, indeed you have to ask Allah to give you strength to be persistent in keeping off the habit of listening to music. Ask Allah to give you strength and patience!

5) BE PERSISTENT! BUT…WHAT DO I DO IF I SLIP?

It’s not an easy journey to stop!  SubhanAllah, I slipped so many times during my first two years of trying to stop listening to music. As long as you know it is wrong, and you tell yourself to stop, Alhamdulillah you know that Allah has helped you with it. Go back to step 4; du’a and prayers!

6) CHERISH YOURSELF WITH THE BENEFIT OF NOT LISTENING TO MUSIC
The reason why I chose to stop listening to this music is because I think I wanted to find a peace of the heart. Alhamdulillah, after listening to what is within the limits; I can feel the difference in my ibadah. No more rhythm of the pop song would play in my head during my salah. I guess, this is one of the way shaytaan could mislead us in our ibadah. Without music in my life,it help me concentrate more in salah.

The whole point is, alhamdulillah after 6 years now stopped listening to the music, I had better choice in other things I can listen to. Now, the islamic lectures do not bore me. The nasheed become so close to me. The quran recitation is the only thing that soothes me more than anything else in this world. And I realize that Quran recitation even though I can’t understand much the meaning of the verses, intrigue me. And the feeling of learning the quran grew wild within me. Indeed, it is Allah’s Mercy that He opened my heart to His Qalam~the Quran.
I pray to Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala to grant us His Guidance, Patience and Strength!  Ameen…….

~bintNaim