The Peace Line – The issue of women’s voices and their singing throughout history, especially after the anti-monarchy revolution in Iran, has always been a topic of discussion and controversy; from the complete ban on this sound at the beginning of the revolution, which led to the cessation of artistic activities of all female singers before the revolution and the migration of many outside the borders of Iran, to the relaxations during the post-June 76 period, which led to the possibility of female singers such as Parisa and Sima Bina to sing for women. After that, this issue has occasionally become a challenge at the media and public level.

Women’s singing in Iran has a history that dates back to before or after the 1957 revolution, and even before the revolution, it was a controversial issue. This issue is so sensitive that in Iranian ritual arts such as Tazieh, men even speak and say instead of women about the tragedy of Karbala. In Mowloudi singing, women have traditionally been the only ones allowed (and still are) to sing for their own gender or have unripe boys under the age of seven in the gathering, and their singing is also subject to elements such as melody and humility. However, in tribes and nomadic communities, women have been singing and dancing alongside men from the past until today.

Women used to read and dance in the courts, reciting literary and classical texts. This practice continued during the years after the arrival of Islam in Iran, particularly during the reign of the Shahs who sought refuge in Islam from the scholars of the time (especially after the Safavids).

In the years after the Constitutional Revolution, stars like Qamar al-Muluk and Vaziri have the ability to express themselves. During the first Pahlavi era, despite some public and cultural restrictions, women began to attend concerts and events publicly, and this trend continued during the second Pahlavi era. Radio, television, and the presence of visual and auditory media also played a role in this.

The issue of women’s voices is a matter that has always been discussed and debated in the current religious government of Iran, and is so sensitive that even the personal opinion of someone like Ali Jannati, who himself has a background in religious studies at the Hojjatiyeh School and has studied under prominent scholars such as Shobeiri Zanjani, Youssef Sanei, and Azari Qomi, (1) is ignored and leads to his dismissal from the Islamic Consultative Assembly and a warning from the government of Hassan Rouhani.

However, this issue has always been and continues to be raised as a human right for women in Iran. The singing of female singers, whether traditional or pop, for all people, has challenged and continues to challenge the government of Iran. From traditional female singers who have recently emerged, such as Mahdieh Mohammadkhani, to established singers like Ebi, who sings for women across various social spectrums in Iran.

What is certain is that every issue in the cultural sphere of Iran must be evaluated in relation to religion. This level of certainty comes from a history in which religion has become the backbone of tradition and its presence is evident and clear in all aspects of life in Iran. Until the revolution of 1979, this life was in the civil sphere, but afterwards it took on a governmental form and, according to many believers, became a tool in the hands of the ruling government to exert its authority. But the question is: what is the religious approach to this issue? What does religion say about this matter in this sphere?

Here, the meaning of religion is Islam and the Shia Ja’fari sect, because in most Islamic countries there seems to be no problem in public and social gatherings; ultimately, female readers with hijab are present on the stage and sing. This issue is very evident in Malaysia. In Lebanon, some even defend religious groups such as Hezbollah in Lebanon. But what is the language of religion in this regard?

“What is known as “Ghena” is the most frequent issue in regards to the problem of singing, reading, and women’s voices. This term is highly prevalent in both religious texts and the rulings of authorities (both governmental and non-governmental), and the resolution or sanctity of the issue is often judged by possessing this quality. Except for some extremely conservative clerics, such as Makarem Shirazi and some others, the rest consider the presence or absence of “Ghena” as a condition for its legitimacy or sanctity. But what is this “Ghena”?”

Various interpretations are presented regarding the concept of “ghina” (singing). However, one of the most cited interpretations is from the book “Al-Shi’a” by the scholar Naraqi. In this book, he considers “ghina” to be a combination of melody and rhythm. Melody refers to the movement of sound in the throat and the control of voice and singing, while rhythm is a word that represents both joy and sorrow. Therefore, it can be generally considered as a form of entertainment. Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, states in his book “Tahrir al-Wasilah” that singing is a form of melody and rhythm that is suitable for gatherings of entertainment and musical instruments. (2) In fact, this ruling of prohibition applies not only to women, but also to men. The issue of singing is also among the famous topics in Shia jurisprudence, where a singer is even recognized as a sinner by

Fazel Lenkrani mentioned in an interview with Eikna in February 2013 that in addition to the importance of reading with melody, there is another type called “submission” which is referred to as reading that arouses the desire of others.

Although these quotes are somewhat more modern than the words that have been heard among the early Shia scholars, the researcher has a quote in Al-Sharaya with the title “The Voice of Dispute is Naked” and addresses all women’s voices as naked and condemns them. However, today’s scholars (except for a minority who are strongly conservative) mention the condition of wealth or submission (in detail) for it.

So far, the main issue is that a woman’s voice is not considered forbidden in most quotations. Rather, the condition is whether it is considered rich or submissive, and the condition of its sanctity or legitimacy.

Abdulhamid Masoumi Tehrani, a prominent religious scholar and researcher, in a conversation during which the concept of “ghina” (music) was discussed, stated: “Whenever there is an understanding of ghina, there is no specific definition for it.” (Similar to the meaning) This statement seems logical in the sense that words have different meanings throughout different eras and times, and a word can have one meaning at one time and a different meaning at another time, either increasing or decreasing in significance. In fact, words and language change. It is important to know the meaning of words used in the Quran, hadiths, or narrations during the time they were revealed. This can be understood and explored through the concept of language change. This interpretation can be observed in various fields of study. A detailed explanation of this statement is not possible here and may require further discussion.

According to any fate and assuming the acceptance of the theory of the majority, the meaning of the words “wealth” and “submission” is clear. One is the absolute lack of respect for women’s voices and the other is conditional on the mentioned conditions. Now we must examine what the Shia scholars (both governmental and non-governmental) have said about this issue in the past three decades. Here, we refer to the fatwas that were available to the writer.

The response of the Islamic Quest website to a question regarding the opinion of Shia authorities on the permissibility or prohibition of a non-mahram man listening to a woman’s singing states that authorities such as Safi Golpaygani, Fazel Lankarani, Bahjat, Rouhollah Khomeini, Vahid Khorasani, and Makarem Shirazi do not consider it permissible for men to listen to women’s voices. On the other hand, authorities such as Javad Tabrizi, Sayyid Ali Sistani, Ali Khamenei, and Nouri Hamedani consider the condition of ghina (singing with musical instruments) and state that it is not a problem to listen to a woman’s singing if it is not ghina, does not lead to sexual arousal, and does not cause any harm. This response was last updated on July 6, 2013.

Yousef Sanei, another Shia reference whose fatwas on women’s issues have sparked many debates among religious scholars on one hand, and politicians on the other, says: “A woman’s voice is not forbidden in and of itself, but observing modesty and covering is necessary for women. Any action that leads to the exposure of a woman’s modesty and chastity should not be done and it is necessary to refrain from it. Additionally, the content of the singing (whether by a man or a woman) should not be void.” (4)

In fact, it is accepted and acknowledged by many Shia authorities (both governmental and non-governmental) that the voice of a woman is not inherently forbidden and each has set their own conditions for its sanctity or permissibility.

In the midst of this, mentioning a kind example is not without grace. Sayyid Musa Sadr, known as Imam Musa Sadr in Lebanon and Iran, is an example whose personal behavior can shed some light on this matter.

The girl, Seyyedeh Hora Sadr, said in an interview that her father used to listen to female singers. The name of this female singer was “Marzieh”. Seyyed Musa Sadr, a great Shia scholar and chosen leader of the Shia community in Lebanon, and the son of one of the great Shia authorities, Seyyed Sadr al-Din Sadr, who currently holds the leadership of the Qom seminary before Mr. Boroujerdi, used to listen to the voice of a female singer and enjoyed it. It is also worth mentioning a story from the book “The Honor of Shia”. Musa Sadr begins a letter to his friend, Mohammad Masoudi, with the following words: “As I write these lines, my wife and children have come to Iran and the only reminder of that dreamy and intimate land is the warm voice of Mr. Qavami and a samovar and a cigarette…”

Although a male singer’s name is mentioned, it shows the relationship of this high-ranking Shia cleric with the issue of music and singing.

Perhaps in the wind of the issue of women’s singing and its sanctity and controversy in Iran, it may seem like a religious issue. But after some contemplation (as mentioned in the possibility of speaking above), it becomes clear that this issue is more political than religious. The leader of the Islamic Republic, who considers all behaviors and laws governing it to be based on his religious opinions, clearly states in response to a question from the Fars News Agency that: “If a woman’s voice (whether in solo or in harmony with women or men) is not in the form of singing and listening to her voice is not for the purpose of pleasure or temptation, and does not lead to corruption, there is no problem. But if it leads to corruption or arouses desire, it is not permissible.” This means that he does not consider the issue to be against religion, and based on the structure of the absolute guardianship of the jurist in the Islamic Republic, his words as the guardian

Ali Kalai

Journalist and human rights activist

Resources and explanations

1- Personal information and background of Ali Jannati, Tehran Press website, August 15, 2013.

2- Hasan Zadeh, Mahboubeh, the dignity of women’s singing; following the religious laws or popular beliefs? Mehrkhaneh, August 9th, 2014.

3- The authority of Seyyed Ali Khamenei has not been recognized by many main pillars of Shia authority and scholars, such as the late Montazeri, and his declaration of authority has been considered a degradation of Shia authority. However, according to the legal structure based on the absolute guardianship of the jurist in the Iranian constitution, his name is mentioned as one of the authorities and in any case, in the real world and outside the realm of opinion, he has a mission and issues fatwas and has a legal ruling.

4- Mohammadi, Meysam, In Search of Contemporary Jurisprudence (Part 2 and Final), Ayatollah Sanei Information Center.

Letter from representatives to Rouhani about women’s singing, Mehr News Agency, November 10, 2014