Fatwa ID: 05875

Answered by: Maulana Nazrul Islam

Question:

My question is regarding going to a gym that plays music. I live in the UK, and pretty much every gym in the UK plays music. Please note that I don’t listen to music when I go, I just go to the gym for exercise. There are exercises that I do in the gym that I cannot do elsewhere. I sometimes take headphones with me to the gym and listen to something halal to block out the music. Is it permissible for me to go to such gyms if I don’t listen to the music there?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Try your best to find a gym or area of the gym in which they don’t play music.

Being in an environment surrounded by Haram such as music and free mixing etc., it is very possible a person may fall into sins.

It is explicitly mentioned in the Hadith that we get influenced by our companionships. (1)

For the preservation of your deen, it is best to avoid such places. (2)

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Nazrul Islam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

(1)حَدَّثَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بُرْدَةَ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا بُرْدَةَ بْنَ أَبِي مُوسَى، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ مَثَلُ الْجَلِيسِ الصَّالِحِ وَالْجَلِيسِ السَّوْءِ كَمَثَلِ صَاحِبِ الْمِسْكِ، وَكِيرِ الْحَدَّادِ، لاَ يَعْدَمُكَ مِنْ صَاحِبِ الْمِسْكِ إِمَّا تَشْتَرِيهِ، أَوْ تَجِدُ رِيحَهُ، وَكِيرُ الْحَدَّادِ يُحْرِقُ بَدَنَكَ أَوْ ثَوْبَكَ أَوْ تَجِدُ مِنْهُ رِيحًا خَبِيثَةً ‏”‏‏.‏ Bukhari 2101

(2) الضرورة الأولى: حفظ الدين

مقاصد الشريعة ص٢٥