It says in al-Rawḍ: “a buffoon”—that is, one who makes a mockery of people, imitating them in speech or action. If he imitates women in a mocking manner, then, besides acting contrary to propriety, he has fallen into what is prohibited and into a major sin.

It says in al-Rawḍ: “a dancer,” namely, one who dances; “and a singer.” A singer has forfeited his propriety. Indeed, there is another issue from the religious perspective: if the singing is prohibited, then his religious uprightness is compromised, and two disqualifying factors are present: lack of religious uprightness and lack of propriety. But if the singing is not prohibited, yet he sings in a place where he ought not to sing, then this is contrary to propriety.

For example, if the camel driver who chants to urge on the camels were to chant while travelling, this is permissible, because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ approved of it (1). Likewise, if a laborer carrying stones or digging the ground were to sing while working in order to strengthen himself, that too would be permissible. The Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, would dig the trench and chant verses, while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ chanted with them:

“O Allah, were it not for You, we would not have been guided,
Nor would we have given charity, nor prayed.”

He would even say:

“And if they seek to cause us tribulation, we refuse,”

elongating his voice in it (2), while they would say: