The Legal Status of the Income of Female Singer from Singing and Selling Singers (Slave-girls)

“I once asked Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the legal status of the income from female music playing singers. He (the Imam) said, ’Such singing and playing music of females where men are also present is unlawful. There is no offense in inviting female singers on the occasion of a wedding program. It is in the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, “Among people are those who purchase useless talk to make people lose the path of Allah.” (31:6)”’

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ’The income of a female singer who attends wedding ceremonies is lawful.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The payment that a female singer receives from singing in wedding ceremonies is lawful, provided men do not attend her singing program.’”

“Abu al-Hassan al-Rida’ (a.s.), was asked about the legal status of purchasing a female singer. He (the Imam) said, ‘Sometimes a slave-girl of a man makes him go astray. What is then paid for such a slave-girl is like payment to purchase a dog. Payment for a dog is Suht (unlawful and filthy) and Suht is in the fire.’”

“A man once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about selling slave-girl singers. He (the Imam) said, ‘Buying and selling them is unlawful, teaching them (singing) is disbelief and listening to them is hypocrisy.’”

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘A singer female is condemned, and condemned is one who consumes the income from her singing.’”

“Ishaq ibn ‘Umar made a will about his singer slave-girls at the time when he was about to die that said, ‘They must be sold and funds from their sale delivered to abu al-Hassan (a.s.). Ibrahim has said, ‘I sold the slave-girls for three hundred thousand dirham and took it to him (the Imam) and said, ‘One of your followers, called Ishaq ibn ‘Umar has made a will at the time he was about to die to sell his singer slave-girls and take the funds from their sale to you. I have sold them and this is the three hundred thousand dirham from the sale. He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not need them. It is Suht (filthy), teaching them is disbelief, listening to them is hypocrisy and funds from their sale are Suht (filthy) unlawful.’”