I read in Okaz Newspaper, Issue no. 6101 released on Saturday, 29th of Rabi' alThani that a Saudi singer had given up singing, and during one of his flights between Cairo and Paris he met a religious scholar. They discoursed on singing and its permissibility to the extent that this singer did not get off the plane until he was completely convinced by this scholar that singing is not haram with supported proofs and pieces of evidence. As a result, this singer produced new songs after he had given up singing for a period of time.
Q: Are there any proofs regarding the permissibility of singing, especially the kind of obscene singing usually accompanied by music?
A: Singing is prohibited according to the majority of scholars, and if it is accompanied by musical instruments, such as the lute, the Rababa and the like, it becomes more emphatically haram according to the Ijma` (consensus) of Muslims.
Among the evidence supporting this ruling is Allah's saying: And of mankind is he who purchases idle talks (i.e. music, singing, etc.) to mislead (men) from the Path of Allâh The majority of Mufassirs (exegete of the Qur'an) explained idle talk as meaning singing, and `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) used to swear by Allah that what was meant in the previous verse was singing and said: "Singing implants hypocrisy in the heart as water nurtures the grass".
Furthermore, it is authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah said, "Verily, among my Ummah (nation) there will be people who will deem as lawful: Zina, silk, Khamr (alcohol) and musical instruments." this Hadithis related by AlBukhari in his Sahih Book of Hadith and was ranked as Mu`allaq (a Hadith missing link in the chain of narration, reported directly from the Prophet) but it is Majzum (verified), and it was also related by others through sahih Sanad (chain of narrators).
The prohibited means of entertainment are singing and listening to musical instruments. Hence, it becomes evidently known that the scholar who spoke of the permissibility of singing has told with his tongue what he does not know with regard to Allah and issued a false fatwa about which he will be asked on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah is the only One whose Help is sought.