Fatwa ID: 07813
Answered by: Maulana Nuski Cassim
Question:
Assalamu alaikum Sheikh,
My main job is creating foley sounds and various sound effects, which I upload to various stock and gaming marketplaces. To create these sound effects, I often download additional sounds from the internet. Recently, I downloaded a sound that included a human voice, and I used this sound to create 500 different sound effects, which I then uploaded to the marketplaces.
After four months, I realized that the human voice I used is actually an “Om” sound recorded by a Hindu man. This realization has caused me great concern.
Now that I know the sound effects I used are actually the Hindu “Om” sound and used that sound effect I created 500 sound effects: if I choose not to delete these sound effects from the online marketplaces, knowing they contain this “Om” sound, will I be committing kufr?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Wa’alaykum al-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
After conducting small research on the topic at hand, it seems like foley sounds are custom-made sounds that are used primarily in the post-production of movies, TV shows, videos and video games to enhance the audio quality in synchronization with the picture [being displayed].
Foley sounds are essentially the reproduction of everyday sound effects such as footsteps, wind blowing, glass breaking and other ambient noises.
The phrase ‘Om’ is a part of Hindu mantras or sacred formulas, and it is considered the greatest of all mantras.
“The syllable om is composed of the three sounds a-u-m (in Sanskrit, the vowels a and u coalesce to become o), which represent several important triads: the three worlds of earth, atmosphere, and heaven; thought, speech, and action; the three qualities (gunas) of matter (goodness, passion, and darkness); and the three sacred Vedic scriptures (Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Samaveda). Thus, om mystically embodies the essence of the entire universe. It is uttered at the beginning and end of Hindu prayers, chants, and meditation…” – [See: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Om-Indian-religion]
Buddhist and Jain rituals also incorporate the ‘Om’ phrase.
From the above, it is clear, that the ‘Om’ phrase/chant is unique to these faiths and that they incorporate it in their rituals, prayers etc. Thus, the usage of such a phrase or chant, even if it be mixed with other sounds or effects, would not be permissible in general, nor would it be permissible to make money through its usage.
عَنْ هَانِئِ بْنِ نِيَارٍ قَالَ سُئِلَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ أَفْضَلِ الْكَسْبِ فَقَالَ بَيْعٌ مَبْرُورٌ وَعَمَلُ الرَّجُلِ بِيَدِهِ
The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked, “What are the best earnings?” He (ﷺ) replied, “It is an honest sale or a man’s work with his hands.” – [مسند أحمد بن حنبل، رقم الحديث ١٥٨٣٦]
The term “بَيْعٌ مَبْرُوْرٌ” denotes blessedness and acceptance through the way in which the transaction was conducted and [also] through the essence of the item being permissible.
عَنْ مُعَاذِ بْنِ جَبَلٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا تَزُولُ قَدَمَا الْعَبْدِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ حَتَّى يُسْأَلَ عَنْ أَرْبَعِ خِصَالٍ عَنْ جَسَدِهِ فِيمَا أَبْلَاهُ وَعَنْ عُمُرِهِ فِيمَا أَفْنَاهُ وَعَنْ مَالِهِ مِنْ أَيْنَ اكْتَسَبَهُ وَفِيمَا أَنْفَقَهُ وَعَنْ عِلْمِهِ كَيْفَ عَمِلَ فِيهِ
Mu’adh ibn Jabal (ra) reported that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “The feet of a servant will not move on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked about four matters: his body and how he used it, his lifetime and how he exhausted it, his wealth and how he acquired it and spent it, and his knowledge and how he acted upon it.” – [مصنف ابن أبي شيبة، رقم الحديث ٣٤٦٩٤]
Have you committed kufr?
You have not committed kufr in this situation. Kufr is the opposite of Iman. Furthermore, kufr can be divided into ‘actual kufr’ and ‘apparent kufr’.
Actual kufr is the consistent opposition to the beliefs and dictates of Islam whereby the doer acknowledges such actions [being done] and does not consider them to be disbelief.
Apparent kufr, or ‘acts of kufr’, are those acts committed that contrast with the commands of Allah (SWT). However, the individual committing these wrongs acknowledges that such acts [in belief or deed] are not in line with the dictates of Islam.[1]
Know that one does not remove oneself from the faith of Islam, except through [perpetual] blatant denial or opposition to its tenets and dictates.[2][3]
Having said that, you acknowledge with certainty, that the renditions that were uploaded onto certain stock and gaming marketplaces contain the ‘Om’ chant, and as a result, the deeming of it to be nonproblematic would constitute an act of kufr and not actual kufr itself.
The money from the sales that you made prior to fully realizing that the ‘Om’ chant was incorporated will be halal for you. Allah’s mercy is such that He pardons and overlooks honest mistakes/ignorance.
عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَضَعَ عَنْ أُمَّتِي الْخَطَأَ وَالنِّسْيَانَ وَمَا اسْتُكْرِهُوا عَلَيْهِ
‘Abdullah ibn Abbas (ra) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Verily, Allah has overlooked for my nation their honest mistakes, forgetfulness, and what they are forced into doing.” – [سنن ابن ماجه، رقم الحديث ٢٠٤٥]
In closing, note that going forward, any money or profit earned through this specific rendition will be impermissible should you decide not to take it down.
May Allah (SWT) give you strength and bless you in your livelyhood. Ameen.
بارك الله فيك
1.
وسر هذا أن الكفر قسمان: إعتقادي وعملي. فالإعتقادي مَقَرّه القلب. والعملي محله الجوارح. فمن كان عمله كفرا لمخالفته للشرع، وكان مطابقا لما وَقَّر في قلبه من الكفر، فهو الكفر الإعتقادي، وهو الكفر الذي لا يغفره الله، و يخلد صاحبه في النار أبدا، وأما إذا كان مخالفا لما وقَّر في قلبه، فهو مؤمن بحكم ربه، ولكنه يخالفه بعمله، فكفره كفر عملي فقط، وليس كفرا إعتقاديا.
كتاب موسوعة مواقف السلف في العقيدة المنهج والترتيب، المكتبة الإسلامية للنشر والتوزيع، ج ١٠، صفحة ٤١٠
2.
ولا يخرج العبد من الإيمان إلا بجحود ما أدخله فيه
العقيدة الطحاوية
قال في العقائد النسفية: والكبائر لا تخرج العبد من الإيمان ولا تدخله في الكفر
سرح عقيدة الإمام الطحاوي للغزنوي، صفحة ١١٧، دار الإحسان
Only Allah knows best.
Written by Maulana Nuski Cassim
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
