on car radios, or even broadcast on television in certain Arab countries.

In the same vein, another article was carried by the magazine of the Muslim Brotherhood, issue 5, under the title “Islamic Music.” It stated:

“A symphony represents the highest achievement reached by musical geniuses such as Beethoven, Schubert, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky. It is an expression of emotions and sensations drawn from nature or from humankind. To that end, the greatest possible number of skilled performers is gathered, equipped with the most up-to-date instruments of every sort, so that the expression may approximate reality as closely as possible. Egyptian symphonic ensembles have already been formed; each numbers more than thirty musicians, has been aided by the Young Men’s Christian Association, and has performed at the American University. How worthy we are of this, and how badly we need a new kind of advocate who will usher in a breakthrough in the world of music and promote it on a global scale! At that point, a unique style will emerge and captivate hearts the world over: Islamic music, instead of Oriental music.”

I say: This is among the clearest proofs that the permissive attitude toward musical instruments has spread among Muslims—even among those who call for restoring the Muslims’ glory and establishing an Islamic state, such as the Muslim Brotherhood. Were that not the case, their magazine would never have dared to publish so explicit an article declaring lawful what Allah has forbidden—music—and even urging people toward it. Nor is that all: the author went so far as to label it “Islamic music,” patterned after terms like “Islamic socialism,” “Islamic democracy,”1 and the like, to which the Almighty’s words apply: