Jami' at-Tirmidhi
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1088
حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مَنِيعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا هُشَيْمٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَلْجٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَاطِبٍ الْجُمَحِيِّ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَصْلُ مَا بَيْنَ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحَلاَلِ الدُّفُّ وَالصَّوْتُ " . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ وَجَابِرٍ وَالرُّبَيِّعِ بِنْتِ مُعَوِّذٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَاطِبٍ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ . وَأَبُو بَلْجٍ اسْمُهُ يَحْيَى بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمٍ وَيُقَالُ ابْنُ سُلَيْمٍ أَيْضًا . وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاطِبٍ قَدْ رَأَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ غُلاَمٌ صَغِيرٌ .
Unreviewed translation. All hadiths in this collection are available in five languages. Titles and introductions may remain in Arabic.
Ahmad ibn Mani narrated to us: Hushaym informed us: Abu Balj informed us, from Muhammad ibn Hatib al-Jumahi, who said: The Messenger of Allah said: The distinction between the lawful and the unlawful is the tambourine and the voice. It is also reported in this chapter from Aishah, Jabir, and al-Rubayyi bint Muawwidh. Abu Isa said: The hadith of Muhammad ibn Hatib is hasan. Abu Balj's name was Yahya ibn Abi Sulaym; it is also said Ibn Sulaym. Muhammad ibn Hatib saw the Prophet when he was a young boy.
Notes and open questions — unreviewed
The Arabic word duff denotes a frame drum or tambourine; sawt means voice or vocal sound.
قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَصْلُ مَا بَيْنَ الْحَرَامِ وَالْحَلاَلِ الدُّفُّ وَالصَّوْتُ " .
The source names a duff and a voice without further specifying the kind of vocal sound.
Should voice be retained broadly, or rendered as singing in this context?