Why Should Iblis have all the Good Music

In Islam the devil is referred to as Iblis therefore the title of this peace is a reference to this Cliff Richard song.



The reason I've brought this up is a ruling from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran that music should not be taught or practiced in the country. There is no prohibition of music in the Koran indeed in the Ayatollah's statement he acknowledges that but carrys on:

"Although music is halal, promoting and teaching it is not compatible with the highest values of the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic."

The ruling came about because a 21 year old follower wanted to know if it was right and proper for him to take music lessons. Apparently the reponse carried on:

"It's better that our dear youth spend their valuable time in learning science and essential and useful skills and fill their time with sport and healthy recreations instead of music."

Yet there is merit in music and a prohibition on it must be a tough one to rule over. Is singing in the shower allowed? Also music can stir and inspire the soul.

Now of course the Ayatollah has always been against the influence of western style music, but the prohibition of all music teaching and promotion is a sign of someone losing control. Of maybe as Mohammad Reza Shajarian, Iran's most prolific and popular classical vocalist there is more to it:

"They are afraid of my concerts because of those moments before the concert is begun, when the whole hall is in silence and darkness when someone suddenly shouts 'death to dictator' and everybody accompanies and they are unable to identify that person."

The green revolution may well live on in music.

More Death in Iran as People Want Change they can Believe In

Neda the Iranian who was shot dead when she wasn't even involved in the protests for democracy in June this year was last week named Times person of the year.

The news from Iran today is that eight more people have lost their lives protesting against the Government. Of the four shot dead in Tehran today one was the nephew of the former presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. Mousavi stepped aside instead of contesting the run off election after many were killed over allegations that President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had rigged the results in the elections.

In the worse day for deaths at the hands of the Iranian regime since June four others died at Tabriz. Last week the leading opposition cleric Grand Ayatollah Hoseyn Ali Montazeri died at the age of 87 nd tensions have been boiling under ever since. He had been a leading light in the 1979 revolution at at one time had been set to be Supreme Ruler of Iran.

As it is the crowds who took to the streets at the end of the Shia Muslim festival of Ashura were chanting "this is the month of blood" and "Khamenei will be toppled" in reference to the supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. On the anniversary of the start of Israeli attacks on Gaza last year and at the end of a religious festival the people are standing in defiance again.