[highlight]EXTRACTING LAWS
Nevertheless, to extract the laws of Shariah directly from the Qur’an and Sunnah is possible only for one who is a mujtahid [in the calibre of the four great Imaams viz. Imaam Abu Hanifa (R.A.), Imaam Malik (R.A.), Imaam Shaafi (R.A.) and Imaam Ahmad bin Hambal (R.A.)]. Together with an expert in-depth knowledge of the Qur’an and hundreds of thousands of Ahadith, they had also mastered all the numerous sciences pertaining to the Qur’an and Sunnah.
According to the Zaahirur Riwayah (the most authentic narrations) of the Hanafi school of thought, the use of the duff is completely disallowed. Latter day scholars who have attributed a restricted permissibility to the Hanafi school have erred. This complete disallowal is based on the Juristic principle of “saddan lil baab” i.e. to restrict an act that would invariably lead to impermissible actions.
The Shafi’ee Ulama have permitted the use of the duff only on the occasion of a walima subject to several conditions. Allamah Ibn Hajar Makki, Shafi’ee has detailed the various conditions, among which is that the duff should not be beaten in a manner that produces a musical sound, but rather just a simple beating which does not produce any tune or melody. Only the palms may be used to beat the duff and not the fingers. It should also be beaten only for a short while. Having stated this he says that “in our era it is makrooh to beat the duff” (since people cannot fulfil the stringent conditions).
Therefore in the light of the above one should not listen to such nazams which are accompanied by the playing of the duff. [/highlight]
Source: http://www.beautifulislam.net/halalharam/music.htm