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PROHIBITION OF MUSIC FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS Most frequently requested article on this topic The burning music question in Islam About religious music prohibition: Is music allowed or is it not allowed in Islam? Can we get a straight answer?   Articles and news stories concerning prohibition of music for religious reasons (most recent first): Pakistan: Fundamentalists attacked a music gathering In the evening on 5 September 2010 a group of religious fundamentalists attacked a music gathering in Nowshera District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 06 September 2010 Afghanistan: Music stores have become a new target A string of music stores have become a new target for militants suspected to be Taliban enforcers - even in once-stable havens such as Jalalabad 06 September 2010 Somalia: Al-Shabaab bans music like the Taliban Somalia is starting to resemble Afghanistan under the Taliban, where hard-line Islamist militia bans music and movies and forbids the public from watching sports on TV 23 August 2010 Saudi Arabia: King limits clerics who can issue fatwas A decree sent by King Abdullahs office states that only senior Islamic clerics appointed by him can issue fatwas and religious rulings 19 August 2010 United Arab Emirates: Censored rap duo ready with new album The first and only album of the Emirati hip-hop duo Desert Heat which came out in 2008, was banned in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, reported AFP 12 August 2010 Iran: Supreme leader discourages music Music is ‘not compatible’ with the values of the Islamic Republic, announced Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on 2 August 2010 04 August 2010 Iran: No teaching of music in private schools Teaching music in state schools is already prohibited in Iran. Now, the music ban also applies to Iran’s 16,000 private schools with 1.1 million students 07 June 2010 Somalia: Government minister backs up radical Islamists’ music ban Somalia's Minister of Information has backed up a music ban in Mogadishu and in this way countermanded a government order to radio stations to play music or face closure 03 May 2010 Somalia: The government insists: radios must play music Four private radio stations in Mogadishu have been accused of collusion with radical Islamists over music ban 23 April 2010 Somalia: 14 radio stations in Somalia's capital turned off music All radio stations in Mogadishu stopped playing music on 13 April 2010, following an ultimatum by hardline Islamist militia, reported AFP. 14 April 2010 Nigeria: Music festival cancelled by censorship board A three-night music festival at a cultural centre in Kano in northern Nigeria, KANFEST, was cancelled by the Kano State Censorship Board, reported AFP 12 April 2010 Somalia: Music ban on radio stations was expected On 3 April 2010, the commander for Hisbul Islam in Mogadishu issued a 10-day ultimatum to radio stations to stop broadcasting music or face Sharia-based penalties 07 April 2010 Afghanistan: Ban on women singers debated in Herat A 'Morality and Knowledge Association' recently established in Herat wants to ban women's voices from the airwaves, reported Jean MacKenzie and Rateb Muzhda from Herat 15 March 2010 Music & Islam - what's the big fuss? In Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Taliban continues to attack musicians and music shops, but what is the position on music in Islam? 10 February 2010 Pakistan: Five injured and 10 music shops damaged by bomb blast Five people were injured and 10 shops damaged in a bomb blast on 28 January 2010 in a music and video market in the small town of Jand in Pakistan's Punjab province 10 February 2010 Somalia: Interview with Somali music shop owner in exile Interview with Fatma Adow who is one of 25 women who on November 2008 faced the wrath of Somali militiamen the for taking part in a folklore dance galore in Somalia 10 February 2010 Book by Salman Ahmad: 'Rock & Roll Jihad' Rock star Salman Ahmad desribes his encounters with angry mullahs and oppressive dictators who wanted all music to be banned from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan 10 February 2010 Iraq: Violence against singers continues In Iraq, the clerics have conflicting opinions about music prohibition, writes Wisam Tahir from Nasiriya in an article published in The Herald Scotland 09 December 2009 Kuwait: Member of parliament wants music teaching banned MP Mohammad Hayef Al-Mutairi wants music teaching to be banned from schools in Kuwait because he considers that music is prohibited under Islam 11 November 2009 Somalia: Rule no 1: "Music should not be aired" On 15 September 2009, the newly appointed information officer in Belet-Hawo town published a list of edicts the Al-Shabaab want to see implemented in the media 05 October 2009 Somalia: Religious groups stop music at weddings with violence Somalia experiences an on-going struggle over the right to listen to music and dance to it. These are the latest two reports in international media 24 August 2009 Pakistan: Marked for death by the Taliban Interview with an exiled Pakistani singer in the US who wished to remain anonymous out of concern for the safety of his family at home in Pakistan 24 August 2009 Pakistan: Lahore feels under siege Pakistan's performing artists face deadly occupational hazards. Lahore's music festival, and theatres across the city are bombed in co-ordinated overnight raids 31 July 2009 Saudi Arabia: Religious conservatives create setback for Saudi musicians Saudi Arabia is seeing several reversals for proponents of freer access to film and music, reported AFP, Reuters and BBC News on 19 July 2009 27 July 2009 Pakistan: 800 music shops bombed over three years "No doubt this is the most critical phase in the history of our province," writes journalist Shaheen Buneri about the situation for artists in north-western Pakistan 09 July 2009 Pakistan: 'Musicians are in panic', says popular singer Musicians, singers, and other art performers are in panic. We are all at risk, Zeek Afridi, an up-and-coming singer fromm Peshawar, told correspondents of Radio Liberty 23 June 2009 Iran: Film about Iranian music censorship awarded, musicians exiled The Iranian film ‘No One Knows About Persian Cats’ was awarded at Cannes Film Festival. But two of the musicians which it features now must go in exile 27 May 2009 Iran: Film about music censorship shown on Cannes Film Festival Kurdish-Iranian director Bahman Ghobadi launches a two-hour film about music censorship in Iran which features banned musicians and singers 15 May 2009 Pakistan: Four men shaved as punishment for listening to music In Buner district a young man told that Taliban militants had shaved the heads and moustaches of him and three friends for listening to music in the evening of 25 April 2009 28 April 2009 Pakistan: 'Taliban have hijacked Islam', says Freemuse ambassador In an article published by Washington Post, Freemuse ambassador and singer Salman Ahmad and filmmaker Karam Pasha criticise the Taliban of hijacking Islam in Pakistan 28 April 2009 Pakistan: Music has died in the Swat valley Musical expressions are completely banned and ruthlessly discouraged in the newly founded Taliban state of Swat in north-western part of Pakistan 23 April 2009 Afghanistan: Afghan idol: 'My life is under threat' Lima Sahar charmed her way into the third spot of the 2008 version of the wildly popular 'Afghan Star' competition. Now in exile, she fears for her life 01 April 2009 Pakistan: University's musicology department threatened by student’s organisation The musicology department at Punjab University in Lahore has moved out of the university after a religious student group threatened with ‘dire consequences’ 25 March 2009 Pakistan/USA: Salman Ahmad: Obama should listen to Pakistani artists As the Taliban silence music in the Swat Valley in northern Pakistan, Freemuse ambassador Salman Ahmad denounces the Pakistani peace accord with the Taliban 13 March 2009 Pakistan: Harmonium player Anwar Gul murdered by militants On 15 December 2008, a group of musicians were attacked by armed men. Two days later at a hospital in Peshawar, the harmonium player Anwar Gul died from his wounds 16 February 2009 Somalia: Music suppressor elected as president The Islamist cleric who was elected as Somalia’s new president on 31 January 2009 has a long history of silencing musical expression in Somalia, writes Wa'ays 11 February 2009 Sardar Yousafzai Audio interview with the popular Pashtun singer Sardar Yousafzai who on 15 December 2008 was attacked by unidentified militants 04 February 2009 Gulzar Alam Audio interview with the popular Pashtun singer Gulzar Alam who escaped an attack on his life on 16 October 2008 26 January 2009 Pakistan: Taliban kill dancer in Swat valley Shabana, one of Pakistan's celebrated dancers, was shot dead on 2 January 2009 after defying the Taliban's ban on music and dance 15 January 2009 Somalia: Two radio stations closed down for airing music Somali Islamist groups have unleashed a renewed crackdown on radio stations in the areas under their control for airing music and music-related programmes. 29 December 2008 North-west Pakistan: Jihadi hymns replace music The rapidly growing influence of the Taliban in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province has left the areas’ singers and musicians with few choices 29 December 2008 Afghanistan: Musicians kidnapped by Taliban Six Afghan musicians have been kidnapped by the Taliban for defying a ban on music 17 December 2008 Iraq: Musicians take up their instruments again As the civil war in Iraq appears to be fading, so does the pressure on musicians and the ban on music by the Mehdi Army's and Al-Qaeda's militiamen 24 November 2008 Somalia: 32 traditional dancers lashed in public On 14 November 2008 an Islamist group arrested and whipped 25 women and seven men because they had been singing and dancing 18 November 2008 China: Western religious music banned Western musicians and tour organisers have encountered difficulties with performances in China due to a tightened political control over the arts and Christianity. 23 October 2008 Pakistan: 'The Miscreants' - The popular culture of war in Pakistan Documentary and fiction is mixed in this film by Australian director George Gittoes who based himself in Peshawar for six months to talk to religious leaders of the region 20 October 2008 Pakistan: Death threats from the Taliban made singer flee his country Haroon Bacha, a 36-year-old Pashtun singer, fled his homeland and is now in the US where he is doing performances, reported New York Times on 12 October 2008 20 October 2008 Somalia: Attacks on music practitioners Report of a one-day seminar about music censorship and attacks on music practitioners in Somalia, held at Hotel Sahafi in the Somali capital Mogadishu, on 3 July 2008 09 October 2008 United Arab Emirates: MTV Arabia refrain from playing music videos MTV in the Middle East - MTV Arabia - announced on 20 August 2008 that it will mark the holy month Ramadan by refraining showing from music videos 01 September 2008 Somalia: Musician gunned down by militiamen On 21 July 2008, militiamen from the Somali Islamist groups, armed with pistols, gunned down musician Omar Nur Basharah in the capital Mogadishu 23 July 2008 Afghanistan: Short video about music and 'community censorship' In a short documentary video about music and 'community censorship' in Afghanistan, the 19-year-old Afghan singer Mariam says she gets verbal abuse all the time 14 July 2008 Somalia / Somaliland: University students obstructed music event The students of the University of Hargeisa rejected and obstructed a celebration for the World Music Day, which was scheduled to take place on 21 June 2008 08 July 2008 Somalia: Bloodshed continues and music disappears Radical Islamist groups have unleashed a renewed crackdown on music, cinemas, and music-related events 04 July 2008 Somalia: 30 musicians lashed by religious militia 12 years ago Somali woman singer tells the untold story of how, in 1996, local Islamic court's militia raided a concert in Mogadishu, and sentenced the musicians to 20 lashes each 10 June 2008 Saudi Arabia: Interview with founder of thrash metal band Faisal Al-Alamy is founder of the Saudi Arabian thrash metal band Octum. They released a demo entitled 'Fighting For Freedom' in January 2008 04 June 2008 Saudi Arabia: Musicians' freedom expanded There has been a quiet, yet marked increase in cultural activities in Saudi Arabia during the past couple of months. New music bands emerge and blossom on the internet 27 May 2008 Iraq: Religious restrictions cause singers to flee Iraqi singers are fleeing the country after dozens have been killed by Islamic radicals determined to eradicate all culture associated with the West 20 May 2008 Iran: Setar master openly critised ban on women vocalists Musician Mohammad-Reza Lotfi said at a press conference that he wishes to eliminate Iran’s prohibition on solo vocal performances by women 28 April 2008 Somalia: Dilemmas facing Somali music and musicians Somali musicians struggle with financial hardships and self-censorship issues, and some are dying of hunger and diseases in Somalia 23 April 2008 Afghanistan: New media restrictions according to Sharia law A letter from the Ministry of Culture and Information stated that "everything which is against the Sharia laws should not be printed, broadcasted, audio/video telecasted" 21 April 2008 Afghanistan: Restrictions on music discussed in parliament A commission for cultural and religious affairs in Afghanistan's lower house of parliament suggested to impose new restrictions on music and dance performance 02 April 2008 Mari Boine Video interview with Norwegian and Sámi singer Mari Boine about her personal experiences with the religious ban of joik music 31 March 2008 Maldives: 22 religious scholars say Islam prohibits music A video presentation showed the scholars against a backdrop showing a symbol of crossed-out musical notes, each saying in turn that they believe music is forbidden 25 March 2008 Afghanistan: Singer becomes symbol in the struggle for music freedom 18-year-old Lima Sahar has placed herself in the middle of Afghanistan's continous gender and music struggle. She could become the winner of the tv show 'Afghan Star' 13 March 2008 Kuwait: Music shops closed Music shops in Kuwait have been closed on the claim of defending morals and Islamic obligations, reported Arabic Network for Human Rights Information on 6 February 2008. 05 March 2008 Afghanistan - special report: The cage is singing Freemuse Special Report, 'The cage is singing', is an in-depth report with ten video interviews and a book about music censorship in Afghanistan - past and present 25 February 2008 Baktash Kamran Video interview with the lead singer in Kamran Music Group. He speaks about his experiences with music prohibition during the Taliban period in 1996-2001 25 February 2008 Nairez Video interview with one of the singers who were forced to sing praisal songs for the Taliban regime. He speaks about his problems with music censorship in this period 25 February 2008 Sahar Afarin Video interview with a 21-year-old Afghan singer who explains how she has been discouraged from music due to pressure from many sides. 25 February 2008 Ghazal Ahmadi Video interview with an Afghan film actress who explains that she stopped learning how to play the guitar because it became too problematic for her 25 February 2008 Pakistan: Music and militancy in the frontier (radio report) This radio report tells about religious militants' attacks on music centres, and the reactions from the owners of the music business in Swat Valley of North-West Pakistan. 25 February 2008 Yemen: Concert became courageous manifestation against terrorism Syrian singer Assala Nasry defied death threats by al-Qaida members in Yemen before her concert in Aden. The concert became a huge success. 19 February 2008 Afghanistan / UK: Film festival celebrates banned music A film festival in Edingburgh entitled 'Reel Afghanistan' celebrates the Afghan art form which was banned by the Taliban: music 18 February 2008 Yemen: Singer threatened to be killed if festival is allowed A new fatwa (religious edict) bans music concerts in Yemen and the Syrian singer Assala Nasry has been threatened she will be killed if she performs in the country 13 February 2008 Afghanistan: Female musicians put their lives in danger A report from a music school in Kabul is a story about the kind of difficulties and dangers female musicians face in present day Afghanistan. They must work in secret 15 January 2008 Pakistan: Musicians and singers live in danger A complete ban on all singing and dancing has been implemented in Mingora city in northern Pakistan. The singers and dancers have been thrown out of business 13 December 2007 Jonas Otterbeck: Islamic reactions to the music of today A working paper, 22 pages in PDF-format, to be published as a chapter in the book 'Religion, Media, and Modern Thought in the Arab World', Cambridge Scholars Press Ltd. 13 November 2007 Palestine: Islamist reactionary groups threaten American pop stars Pop stars Madonna and Britney Spears will have their "heads cut off" if they continue "spreading Satanic American culture", threaten militant groups in Palestine 13 November 2007 Nigeria: Kano state bans all films from carrying music Kano state in northern Nigeria recently banned all films from carrying music, wrote Elizabeth Dickinson from Kaduna on 28 October 2007. 06 November 2007 Afghanistan: Bomb hits music shop A bomb exploded in a music shop in a small town in Eastern Afghanistan and hurt the shopkeeper 23 October 2007 Afghanistan: Famed exiled singer returned after 18 years One of "Afghanistan's living treasures", Ustada Farida Mahwash stepped foot in Afghanistan for the first time in almost two decades to give a series of benefit concerts 23 October 2007 Pakistan: String of bomb attacks on CD shops across the northwest province Religious militants have blown up numerous music shops in the northwest region. On 9 October in Peshawar a bomb blast damaged almost all 40 shops in Hussain CD market 11 October 2007 Pakistan: Attack on hotel where music was played Dozens of local Taliban extremists attacked and ransacked a hotel in Mingora in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province, because people were dancing and playing music there 18 September 2007 Afghanistan: Wedding musicians out of work because of religious ban Musicians in the Balkh province are out of work since a new fatwa - a ban - was issued on wedding parties by a religious council in July 2007 30 August 2007 Pakistan: Taliban group issues new ban on sale of music If you sell music CDs and cassettes in Zargari and other areas in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan, you will now be fined 50,000 rupees 23 August 2007 Pakistan: Religious music prohibition discussed in popular movie Feature film about a musician who gets inspired by a cleric to give up music for religious reasons became Pakistan's highest grossing movie of all time 06 August 2007 Pakistan: Religious extremists destroyed 25 music shops In June 2007 alone, there were more than 20 bomb attacks on music shops in north-west Pakistan. On 4 July, five more music shops were set ablaze with petrol 04 July 2007 Somalia: Young rap group rails against conservative Somali Muslims Waayaha Cusub, a group of young Somali refugee musicians in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, advocates freedom of musical expression in Somalia 12 June 2007 Middle East: Dossier on music, bans and censorship The internet portal Qantara.de has produced a dossier entitled 'Middle Eastern Musical Worlds'. It includes issues of music bans and censorship in the Islamic world 16 May 2007 Iran: Prohibition of music in holy city In a speech in official Friday praying on 11 May 2007 the Imam of Mashhad banned practicing of music and ordered to close all of the music institutes in the holy city 15 May 2007 Afghanistan: Music download shop attacked, two killed Two people were killed and several wounded by a bomb that exploded in a music download shop in Afghanistan's south-eastern town of Khost on 22 April 2007 09 May 2007 Pakistan: Intensified campaign against music Religious militants in north-western Pakistan continue violent attacks on property belonging to people who sell or listen to music 08 May 2007 Iran: Six musicians arrested Authorities in Iran have reportedly detained at least six members of underground music bands and shut down their studios, Radio Farda reported 24 April 2007 Pakistan: Music business faces serious threats in North West Pakistan 1,200 owners of music centres have been warned by Islamic hardliners to close down, and on 21 April 2007, three more video and music shops were blown up by a bomb 23 April 2007 Pakistan: Religious extremists request radio to stop its music programmes Dera Radio was asked by unknown callers to stop it's music programmes because they are "un-Islamic" and "against shariate" 18 April 2007 Pakistan: Music CDs burned in the streets of Islamabad Emotionally charged religious youth screamed slogans against perceived immorality as they burned a pile of music CDs and cassettes in Pakistan's capital on 6 May 2007 08 April 2007 Pakistan: Fear and persecution follows Afghan musicians The fear and persecution which forced Afghan singers to leave their country now has followed them to their exile in Peshawar in Pakistan 04 April 2007 Iraq: Musicians and music listeners get killed Musicians, music shop owners and music fans flee from death squads of Islamic extremists in Baghdad. It is no longer safe to sell music in central and southern Iraq 20 March 2007 Pakistan: Islamic music prohibition discussed on Danish tv 'Our prophet was born to do away with music', a mullah from Pakistan's second-largest mosque was quoted as saying on the Danish tv-channel DR1 on 18 March 2007 19 March 2007 Pakistan: Extremists kill one, injure two in music shop attacks Extremist religious groups intensify their campaign against all forms of entertainment in north-west Pakistan. Attacks on music centres left one killed and two seriously injured 18 March 2007 Bashar Shammout: Freemuse and the Middle East Video interview with the Bashar Shammout, member of Freemuse's executive committee. He speaks about music censorship in the Middle East, and Freemuse's work there 15 March 2007 Pakistan: Music and video shop blown away "Close within three days – or you will be blown away." This threat by the religious extremists became reality when a video centre was blown away on 13 March 2007 15 March 2007 Pakistan: Music centres threatened by religious extremists A campaign launched by a religious leader against listening to music has taken a dangerous turn in Swat Valley of North-West Frontier Province, reports our correspondent 10 March 2007 Norway: Musicians persecuted in the name of God In a leading Norwegian newspaper, priest Carl Petter Opsahl lists about a number of cases where musicians have been censored and persecuted on religious grounds 05 March 2007 Pakistan: Fine for playing music in taxi, music shop attacked The Taliban in Pakistan's in tribal areas bordering Afghanistan are imposing a fine of 500 rupees for any one playing music in public, reports several news agencies 03 March 2007 Pakistan: Bus drivers threatened not to play music An organisation called Mujahideen Bajaur has warned public transport drivers in Bajaur region to stop the “un-Islamic act” of playing music in buses 28 February 2007 UK: Avoid 'harmful forms of music' in state schools, says Muslim council Muslim Council of Britain has published recommendations on how music lessons should be taught to Muslims in state schools in the United Kingdom 22 February 2007 Denmark: Focus on arguments against religious music prohibition Salman Ahmad visited Copenhagen in February 2007 to introduce the screening of the documentary film, 'The Rock Star and the Mullahs' 15 February 2007 Three films about music and Islam hit Scandinavia Pakistani rock star Salman Ahmad and editor Simon Broughton visit Denmark and Sweden in February 2007 to show three documentary films about music and Islam 24 January 2007 Jason Carter Video interview with musician Jason Carter about his experience of music censorship and music prohibition in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East 22 January 2007 India: Complete ban on music in West Bengal village Since May 2006, no music has been played in the West Bengal village Kanupur because of a religious 'fatwa' on music 03 January 2007 Iraq: 75 singers killed The Iraqi Artist's Association said that nearly 80 percent of the country's singers have fled the country and that at least 75 singers had been killed since the invasion of Iraq in 2003 29 November 2006 Syria: 'Silenced voices' In Syria, music is a mirror which shows the soul of the listener. A few young musicians perceive a magic language of sound which can touch the heart and make new thoughts spark. And this is exacly where their problems start... 07 November 2006 Maryam Mursal Video interview with Somali singer Maryam Mursal about music prohibition among Islamists 26 October 2006 Somalia: Confusion over music prohibition Do Islamist hardliners want to stop all music and sentence executives of a music committee to death? Or is the story invented with the purpose of making it possible to get asylum and economic aid? 26 October 2006 Iran: No more music download A ban on high-speed internet will make it more difficult to download foreign music which the authorities blame for undermining Islamic culture among the younger generation 19 October 2006 Iraq: Religious decree prohibits all kinds of singing In September 2006, a group of religious enforcers in Baghdad banned “music-filled parties” and all kinds of singing, reports Washington Post 12 October 2006 UK/USA: David Byrne about self-censorship in 1981 David Byrne and Brian Eno removed a song which features samples of Qur'anic recital from re-releases of their 1981-album 'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts' 12 October 2006 Iran: Report about art and censorship in Iran “Artists self-censor in fear of risking harassment, arrest, flogging, or worse still, imprisonment,” stated a report about art and censorship in Iran published by Article 19 05 October 2006 Afghanistan: Fewer music prohibitions on religious grounds Excerpts from a report on the situation in Afghanistan by U.S. Department of State, entitled “International Religious Freedom Report 2006”, released on 15 September 2006 28 September 2006 Pakistan: Call for music centres to be closed MMA's member of North-West Frontier Province Assembly Zakir Shah has called for a complete closure of music centres during the holy month of Ramzan 26 September 2006 Pakistan: Two more music shops bombed Bombs damaged two music shops in a bazaar in Bannu in north-western Pakistan on 11 September 2006. Explosions damaging music shops are increasingly shaking up the area. 13 September 2006 Pakistan: Students protest against music classes Student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami intensifies protest campaign 13 September 2006 Somalia: Islamists ban music in areas of Somalia According to an Islamic official in Somalia, music is now banned in the country, and anyone violating the music ban could be arrested, fined and flogged. Initially, a Somali radio station has been closed down for broadcasting love songs 12 September 2006 United Arab Emirates: Popular music website blocked MySpace.com - rated as the third most popular website in the world - has been blocked in the United Arab Emirates, causing many grievances amongst Dubai’s internet savvy 17 August 2006 The burning music question in Islam: prohibited or not? The burning music question: Music... is it or is it not allowed in Islam? Can we get it straight? 09 August 2006 Pakistan: Renewed ban on audio cassettes Local Taliban and religious leaders in North Waziristan on 11 June 2006 issued public notices that they will punish people listening to “un-Islamic” music 15 June 2006 Pakistan: Music banned in Pakistani province In May 2006 a pro-Taliban militant cleric announced a ban on music and video shops in the Hamuzai area near Miramshah, residents said, according to the Pakistani newspaper, Dawn 18 May 2006 Sweden: Religious group attempts to silence music A group of young, religious men in Sweden act like as if they were an Islamic police force and try to prevent Swedish muslims from listening to music 28 April 2006 Pakistan: Ban on dance and music in schools A ban has been imposed on social functions featuring dance and music, particularly Indian songs, in educational institutions, reports Daily Times 24 April 2006 Iraq: Music stores bombed in Baquba Insurgents bombed three stores selling music CDs in southern Baquba, 60 km north of Baghdad, on early 2 April 2006 02 April 2006 Pakistan: Explosion destroys music shops Suspected Islamic militants planted explosive material near a music shop in the center of the bazaar in Tanak district of North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan 26 January 2006 Iran: New ban on Western music in Iran New decree bans music that does not conform to Islamic doctrines and the spirit of the Islamic Revolution 21 December 2005 Salman Ahmad Video interview with ex-Junoon member Salman Ahmad about music prohibition among Islamists, and about music censorship in Pakistan 22 November 2005 Lebanon: Islamic scholar rejects religious censorship of music “There is no ban on music in the Qur'an," says renowned Shaykh (Islamic scholar) from The Beirut Studies and Documentation Center 14 October 2005 Afghanistan: Seven musicians killed by gunmen The popular singer Qhurban Nazar and six musicians have been killed by gunmen in northern Afghanistan, reports BBC News 26 September 2005 Pakistan: Pro-Taliban strikes against music shops Music shops ordered to close down - threatened with bombs and violence 08 August 2005 Afghanistan: Wajiha Rastagar Interview with Afghan singer Wajiha Rastagar about how she sees the present situation in the country today 30 May 2005 Afghanistan: 24-year-old female presenter of music show killed On May 18, 2005, ex-TV presenter Shaima Rezayee, 24, was shot in Kabul by unknown men. Her killing is possibly linked to her presenting of the music show ‘Hop’. 19 May 2005 Iraq: Students beaten to death for playing music Students have been beaten to death for playing music as Shia militiamen run amok, reports TimesOnline.co.uk 24 March 2005 Pakistan: Two South Indian dance teachers stand up to ban For the past 53 years, Indu and Tehreema Mitha have been doing the impossible in Pakistan: teaching South Indian dance to Muslim girls in a country where Islamic clergymen will not allow girls to dance 05 December 2004 Afghanistan: The talibans have banned all music Mr. Naim Majrouh's speech at the 1st Freemuse World Conference on Music and Censorship in 1998 01 January 2001