Answer
Salam Dear Sister,
Thank you so much for this question and for contacting Ask About Islam.
Initially a question such as yours should be addressed to our Ask the Scholar desk since it is one of the most controversial subjects in Islam nowadays. However, I can tell you what I learned about this topic and what is better than playing the piano.
Based on my own research, the opinion among majority of the scholars is that musical instruments are not permissible, with the exception of the tambourine (duff).
For more on this, you can view this interesting video here: https://youtu.be/hF94jtwUbvQ
Now, it needs to be noted that what’s permissible is significantly more than what’s impermissible in Islam. And what’s impermissible is particularly so because it has negative spiritual effects and/or it takes people away from doing something better and purer.
Let us take your own question for example.
What’s the purpose of playing the piano? It’s enjoyable. You like it. You like the sound of it. You enjoy the time spend listening to it.
Great. Why is it impermissible? Because there is something better and more enjoyable and more meaningful that you should be seizing in this life.
This is “The Quran!” Listening to its beautiful sounds from different reciters and reciting it yourself and spending time contemplating and practicing this would please and enrich your ears, heart and entire being.
It is an entirely soothing and healing experience. You will be rewarded on every single second you spend doing this. You will be in connection with the King of the universe Himself by listening to His Words that are the ultimate Truth.
It is a magnificent and noble experience and if we waste our time doing what’s less than that, then we’re in loss and we’re not properly seizing the time we have on this Earth.
Who composed the symphony you play on your instrument? A man; a created being.
Who revealed the Quran and its sounds? It is the Creator and Master and King of all mankind and all created beings.
How much reward do you get playing and practicing the piano? Nothing at all.
How much reward you get practicing, listening and reciting the Quran? Infinite rewards. It has incomparable spiritual benefits.
It is literally food for the soul, and the rewards are permanent and eternal.
The One who created the soul is The One who revealed the Quran to soothe it and nourish it and connect it with its Eternal Origin.
So it’s like you leave the real food for the soul, and eat junk instead!
The point in Islam is to replace the junk with the real nutritious and beneficial food.
So the point of these instruments being not allowed is not to prevent you from doing something enjoyable, but to redirect you to doing something even more enjoyable, meaningful and everlasting.
And this is to maximize the spiritual, emotional and intellectual human experience you have in this world by avoiding something that is vain and temporary and replacing it with something incomparably meaningful, truthful and everlasting.
So enjoy the Quran; listening to it, reciting it properly and learning it with contemplations. Allow this experience to enrich your entire being and observe the benefits this will bring into your heart and your life.
May Allah guide us towards doing what’s best, purest and most beneficial for us here and most rewarding, elevating and everlasting in the Hereafter. Ameen.
I hope this helps answer your question.
Salam and please keep in touch.