Why is Music Haraam?

Q: Why is music haraam? Why is percussion acceptable? What about other instruments? What make them unacceptable?

A: Music is haraam for the following reasons: Allah Ta’ala says in The Holy Quran:
"And among mankind there are those who purchase idle talk (i.e. music and singing) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allah without knowledge, and make it (the path of Allah or the verses of the Quran) a mockery; for such people there will be a humiliating punishment (in the fire of hell).” (Surah Luqman, verse 6) Imaam Ibni Katheer (rahmatullahi alayhi) states in the Tafseer (commentary) of this verse: “Hazrat Abdullah Bin Masood (radhiyallahu anhu) said on oath that lahwal-hadeeth or ‘idle talk’ means music. He repeated this thrice. Hazrat Ibni Abbaas, Jaabir, Ikramah, Saeed Bin Jubair, Mujaahid, Makhool, Amr Bin Shuaib and Ali Bin Bazheema (radhiyallahu anhum) have all given the same commentary on this verse as Hazrat Abdullah Bin Masood (radhiyallahu anhu). Hazrat Hasan Basri (rahmatullahi alayhi) states that this (verse) was revealed for the condemnation of musical instruments. Qurtubi, Bagawi, Khaazin, Mudaarak, Mazhari and many other works on tafseer have mentioned the same. Rasoolullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Allah sent me as a Mercy and Guidance to the world. And My Lord has commanded me to eradicate musical instruments and singing….” (Ahmed and Tabarani) From this we learn that instruments that are designed to created musical sounds and melodies are not permissible in the Shariah of Islam, regardless of what those instruments are and how they work. Percussion is the striking together of two objects to produce sound or noise. In this regard, if the sound resembles a musical melody and the purpose of the exercise is to produce musical sounds then that too, is unacceptable and abominable (makrooh), though the sin will not be as severe as using actual musical instruments