Fatwa ID: 06717

Answered by: Maulana Abdoullah Limvoonheek

Question:

I want to know if whistling is a call of Shaitan?

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

Answer:

In principle, whistling is merely a sound emitted from the mouth; hence it is permissible.

Whistling is from amongst the ways of the disbelievers so it should be avoided.

During the days of ignorance, the polytheists used to whistle when engaging in worship at Baitullah as understood from the verse below:

وَمَا كَانَ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً فَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ

And their prayer near the House was not more than whistling and clapping.  So taste the punishment, because you used to disbelieve. (Quran 8/35)

We were unable to find any narration which states that it is a means of calling Shaytaan. However, it will be good to stop a whistling habit, as it is loud and annoying and not befitting to refined good character.

Therefore The ruling of whistling will depend on the reason and how it is used. If it is used for example by a lost person to identify his whereabouts, then it is permissible. If it is used in the context of music/singing or to cause disturbance/noise, it will be prohibited.

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Maulana Abdoullah Limvoonheek

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham