[AceOfHearts]

Muslim women are permitted to sing in public according to the Qur'an.

In the field of nasheeds, a depressing scene is observed where women have been suppressed from singing publically using unfounded excuses, allegedly based on the Qur'an.

These people who seek to silence women base what they say by twisiting a Qur'anic Verse, which I will explain correctly, inshallah.

The most popular use of the Qur'an is to conceal women, this has been well done over the centuries by so-called learned "Muslim" men who own the religion.

The Qur'anic Verse which is often quoted and misunderstood is 33:32. People hide the fact that this Verse is EXCLUSIVELY for the wives of the Prophet:

"Oh wives of the prophet, you are not like any other women. If you are righteous, then do not speak too softly, lest those with disease in their hearts will move with desire; you shall speak in an honourable manner." [Qur'an 33:32]

People, or men rather, intentionally misinterpret this Verse to mean all women in a quest to keep women under the blanket of darkness so that they may live life in their own terms, in a "fithnah-less" society, "fithnah" meaning any hint of women.

Notice that the Verse makes clear that:

1) the Verse is addressed ONLY to the wives of the Prophet: "Oh Wives of the prophet..."

2) and also the wives of the Prophet are NOT like any other women, ie. any other women can NEVER be like the wives of the Prophet: "You are not like any other women...".

This means the Verse does not extend to anybody else by the slightest of imagination.
Therefore, the Verse is applicable ONLY to the wives of the Prophet and does not extend to other believers. In the Qur'an, the wives of the Prophet occupy an exclusive status and they can never be compared with other believing women. This is shown by other Verses which speak exclusively to them:

1) They are like the "mothers of the believers", but ordinary believing women are not like "mothers of the believers" (33:6), this title gives them a unique status.

2) Believing men shall speak to the wives of the Prophet from behind a curtain, but this is not required when speaking to ordinary believing women (33:53).

3) Ordinary believing men are not allowed to EVER marry the wives of the Prophet (33:53), such is their special status.

The above clearly tells us of the unique status of the wives of the Prophet. Likewise, the Verse 33:32 is refering to ONLY the wives of the Prophet, and this is made VERY clear in the Verse it self. It cannot be used to mean all women. Let us read it once more:

"O wives of the prophet, you are not like any other women. If you are righteous, then do not speak too softly, lest those with disease in their hearts will move with desire; you shall speak in an honourable manner." [Qur'an 33:32]

When the Qur'an wishes to address ordinary believing women, it addresses them as "believing women" eg. "And tell the believing women..." (24:31). Or in the following Verse, the women to be addressed have been clearly identified: "O prophet, tell your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers..." (33:59). In short, Allah carefully makes it clear to whom He is addressing what, and we must not muddle them up to suite personal wishes. When He wishes to address the wives of the Prophet, He does so clearly, when He wishes to address ordinary believing women, He does this clearly too.

It should be abundently clear that Verse 33:32 cannot be used to stop Muslim women from singing or reciting the Qur'an in public.

A prominant Muslim Scholar of today, Yusuf al-Qaradawi has acknowledged that Muslim women can sing publically, see here: The Angry Arab News Service/وكالة أنباء العربي الغاضب: 08/01/2006 - 09/01/2006