Can I Use Brown Noise to Study?

Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick

Question

Is using Brown Noise (which masks other distractions and sounds similar to a waterfall) permissible to use while studying? I find it to be effective, but I am unsure.

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate. May Allah alleviate our difficulties and guide us to what pleases Him. Amin.

Brown noise as a study aid is permissible in Islam, provided it is used appropriately and does not contravene Islamic principles or duties.

Allah says: “He is the One Who created everything in the earth for you. Then He turned towards the heaven, forming it into seven heavens. And He has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things.” [Quran, 2:29]

In Sacred Law, the permissibility of using specific tools or aids, including brown noise for enhancing concentration while studying, depends essentially on what they are used for.

Brown noise, which mimics natural sounds like a waterfall and is used to mask distractions, does not inherently contain any element that contradicts Islamic teachings.

Its purpose is to aid in concentration and productivity, which are encouraged in Islam as long as they do not lead to the neglect of religious duties or involve any haram (forbidden) elements.

It is essential, however, to maintain a balance and ensure that this tool does not become a means of excessive attachment or lead to the neglect of any Islamic duties.

I pray this is of benefit and that Allah guides us all.

[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar, Shaykh Taha Karaan.

Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.

He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.

Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and pursuing his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.