Why the Qazi Touqeer Concert in Kashmir Sparks a Serious Ethical Debate: Islamic Perspective on Music & Identity

 Music and musical performances are often promoted as forms of entertainment, drawing large audiences with promises of joy and leisure. People may attend such events for different reasons, but from an Islamic perspective, the issue of music is not merely a matter of entertainment—it is a question of faith, ethics, and cultural identity.

Islamic teachings are clear that while poetry, singing, and even some forms of vocal expression are not inherently forbidden, the use of musical instruments—apart from the duff—is explicitly prohibited in many authentic narrations. In Sufi traditions, certain controlled expressions of music were permitted, but always with strict boundaries. Never has Islam endorsed musical gatherings as cultural spectacles or social festivals.

Despite this, societies that identify themselves as Islamic continue to host musical events, often under the encouragement of secular or liberal governments. The irony is striking: while Islamic principles discourage such practices, they are now promoted in the name of culture, modernity, or tourism. Even the poetry of Allama Iqbal—much of which has been adapted into song—was meant to awaken spiritual and political consciousness, not to fuel entertainment industries.

The recent controversy surrounding singer Qazi Touqeer’s proposed concert at Kashmir University brings this issue into sharp focus. The event was marketed as a large public show, with discounted tickets offered to students and youth, and expectations of a crowd of ten thousand. Eventually, the authorities cancelled it, citing “security reasons.” Whatever the official grounds, the deeper question remains: should such events be encouraged at all in a society that is striving to preserve its Islamic and cultural identity?

From an Islamic standpoint, the answer is clear. No credible Mufti or scholar can endorse such concerts. They involve music that is prohibited, gatherings without gender segregation, and a cultural model that is distinctly Western, not Islamic. To criticize such events is not intolerance—it is a religious duty. Enjoining good and forbidding wrong is part of the moral responsibility placed upon Muslims.

Furthermore, the argument that “others also engage in forbidden practices” cannot justify the introduction of concerts and musical festivals into Kashmiri society. As our youth are becoming more aware of Islamic teachings, they are increasingly rejecting such alien influences. Bringing in events that openly clash with these values only weakens the fabric of society and deepens cultural aggression.

Artists and performers must also remember their responsibilities. Those who come from families with a legacy of faith and spiritual guidance should uphold those traditions, not abandon them in pursuit of applause. If someone truly wishes to serve people through art, it can be done within the limits of Islam—through nasheeds, poetry, or gatherings that ensure moral safeguards such as gender segregation.

To ignore these boundaries is to invite social decline and to risk being remembered in history as the one who weakened the community’s values. Examples from secular societies, like Turkey, cannot be used as justification, because what happens in a secular context does not define what is acceptable in an Islamic society.

Kashmir is already under cultural and ideological pressure from many sides. Importing Western-style concerts into our institutions will not enrich us; it will only accelerate cultural erosion. It is time to rethink the path we are walking. Entertainment cannot come at the cost of our identity, our faith, and our future.