Part 14

Included among the pleasing acts of amusement is the playing of the duff (“handdrum”), reciting of poetry, announcing the marriage, and displaying happiness and pleasure that are related to this happy occasion.

It has become customary for some people — may Allah guide them— during this time in which religious consciousness is low and ignorance of the laws of the pure religion is commonplace, to use musical instruments, both old and modern varieties, and microphones at the wedding parties and to introduce the male and female singers and musicians and to listen to the licentious music and songs that stir the soul. This action is one concerning which a person should fear its evil

" [An ageegab is the slaughtering of an animal and its related giving of food or meals after the birth of a child.]

The Figh of Marriage

end. If you were to ask one of those people about such actions (like music and singing in that manner] they will say that it is a necessary part of showing one’s joy and happiness on such an occasion.

For this reason, it is absolutely necessary to distinguish the acts of amusement and singing (or reciting) which are sanctioned and permissible from those which are forbidden and prohibited.

In sum, acts of amusement and poetry recitals must fall into one of two cases:!

(1) There is that type of reciting that the people are used to and use on many occasions, such as eids, weddings, circumcisions, arrival of people who have been gone and other joyous occasions. As for this type of amusement, if it is free from clear or implicit lewdness and free of exhorting people to sinful acts or mentioning of forbidden aspects, then there is no question that it is allowed according to the people of knowledge.

There are many hadith that indicate its permissibility during such occasions. These hadith include the following:

Ibn Maajah? recorded on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by one of the wedding processions in Madinah from his neighbors and the women were beating their duffs and singing,

“We are neighbors from the Tribe of Najjaar

and what a wonderful neighbor is Muhammad.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, “Allah knows that I certainly love you all.”3

Al-Haakim recorded in al-Mustadrak from Aishah who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) heard some people singing the following during one of the weddings,

“I am giving her sheep confined in pens

' See Tabreem al-Nard wa al-Shatranaj wa al-Mulaabi by al-Haafidh al-Aajuri, pp. i Sunan ibn Maajab, vol. 1, p. 350, Chapter 21 of the Chapters on Marriage, lumber 1906. {According to al-Albaani, this hadith is sabib. See Muhammad Naasir al-Deen alAlbaani, sahih Sunan ibn Maajah (Riyadh: Maktab al-Tarbiyyah al-Arabi {i-Duwal al-Khaleej, 1986), vol. 1, p. 321—JZ]

‘The Figh of Marriage

Your love is where the people assemble and he knows what will happen tomorrow.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, “No one knows what tomorrow contains except Allah.” Al-Haakim stated that this hadith is sahih according to Muslim’s criteria although Muslim did not record it.? Al-Tirmidhi recorded through his chain from Muhammad ibn Haatib al-Jumahi that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said,

ofall, GU SES ated oo G fal “Distinguishing between the forbidden and the permissible [with respect to marrying a woman] is the duff and the voice [of singing].” AlTirmidhi stated that Muhammad ibn Haatib is a good narrator. AlHaakim, al-Baihagi, ibn Hibbaan and others declared this hadith sahih.2

These hadith and others indicate that it is allowed to have amusement, such as reciting poetry that does not contain obscenity, lewdness or mention of forbidden acts. The permissibility of such is agreed upon among scholars. All of the poetic recitals that are narrated from the Companions and Followers, such as Hasaan ibn Thaabit, alBaraa ibn Maalik, Saad ibn Abu Waqqaas and others, were of that nature?

(2) The second type of recital is that which is done in a melodious, musical and very moving fashion by male or female singers who practice that art and make songs out of erotic poetry that makes an evil effect on the heart. This is what we witness in many weddings and

' 4l-Mustadrak, vol. 2, . 185, the Book of Marriage; al-Baihaqi in Sunan, vol. 7, BR 289, [Al-Haithami stated that the narrators of this hadith are of sabib quality. AlAlbaani quoted others who described the hadith as basan but he himself did not actually state his view concerning the hadith. See Muhammad Shakoor Amreer, AlRaudb al-Daani ila al-Mujam al-Sagheer li-l-Tabaraani (Beirut: al-Maktab alIslaami, 1985), vol. 1, p. 215; Muhammad Naasir al-Deen al-Albaani, Adaaé alZafaaf. fy a tutabharab (Amman, Jordan: al-Maktabah al-Islaamiyyah,

See Sunan al-Tirmidhi (#1088), the Book of Marriage, Chapter on what has been. narrated about announcing the marriage. Al-Nasaai has virtually the same (vol. 6, pp. 127, 128), the Book of Marriage, Chapter on publicizing the marriage by singing and beating the duff; ibn Maajah (71897). It is an authentic hadith.

Al-Aqd al-Fareed by ibn Abd Rabbih, vol. 6, p. 9; Munkiraat al-Afraab, p. 35.

The Figh of Marriage

other parties today. Usually, in those parties one also finds the men and women mixing together, clearly calling to obscenity, displaying one’s beauty and lewdness. No one except the one who has no class or character would take part in such things. There is no doubt that this type of poetry is forbidden. The majority of people of knowledge of the earlier and later years are agreed that this type is forbidden.

Those who argue that this type of poetry is permissible based on the previously mentioned hadith are trying to use something which is true to prove something that is purely false. It is the use of the same evidence in matters that are greatly different. They are not equal or equivalent at all.

Permissible amusement at a wedding party is when the poetry is thought-provoking, strengthens one’s drive to do what is right, directs the person to what is beneficial or contains beneficial wisdom that harms neither women nor men.

As for the poetry that is accompanied by musical instruments, that mentions the attributes of women or erotic songs that spread evil and lewdness among the young men and young women and destroys the values and changes their ways, there is no doubt that such are forbidden according to the agreement of the Companions, Followers and the four Imams, Abu Hanifah, Malik, al-Shafi’ee and Ahmad, may Allah be pleased with them.!

One of the means of publicizing the wedding is by beating the duff [handdrum]. The duff is a musical instrument that is played. It is also called al-kirbaal. It does not have any bangles or rings [such as those found ona tambourine], which are copper rings that are placed on the edges of the duff. If it contains such bangles or rings, it is called mizhar?

1 See Tabreem al-Nard wa al-Shatranaj wa al-Mulaabi by al-Haafidh al-Ajuri, pp. 81-82; Talbees Iblees by ibn al-Jauzi, p. 229; al-Umm, vol. 6, Ps 214. For more information, one may consult our book A/-Rams al-Wags li-Mustabili al-Rags (first gdition 1410 A.H.; Riyadh: al-Daar al-Aalimiyyah li-L-Kitaab).

Al-Majmoo Sharh al-Mubadhab, vol. 15, p. 557; Haashiyab ibn Qaasim ala alRaudb al-Muraba bi-Sharh Zaad al-Mustagna, vol. 5, pp. 418-419; Fath al-Baari,

The Figh of Marriage

There is no harm in beating the duffat the time of a wedding, in order to display happiness and spread good cheer, as long as certain conditions are met and certain prohibiting factors are absent.

As for the conditions, it must be the case that the duff is beaten lightly, without causing any disturbance, and that it be among the women only and not the men. Shaikh al-Islam ibn Taimiyah stated, “Since beating the duff and clapping the hands is something done by women, the early scholars called those male singers who did such things effeminate. That is wel] known in their speech.”!

Included among the conditions is that the playing must be for the sake of announcing and publicizing the marriage. Furthermore, the duff must be free of bangles. All other instruments, such as pipes, flutes, mandolin, zither, fiddle, trumpet or any modern-day musical instrument, are forbidden. Playing or listening to them is forbidden according to the majority of the scholars.”

Absence of prohibiting factors means that there can be no aspects leading to evil and that the men and women cannot be mixing with one another. Concerning what one sees today, wherein the duff is played a lot and played over the microphone with singing and the night is spent in obscene songs accompanied with music that stir the desires, such things are not permissible under any circumstances. Many evils are the result of them and what they lead to is not praiseworthy.

Their duffs were like gharaabeel> and the poetry they recited was the poetry from wartime of the Days of Ignorance and similar poetry. Whoever makes an analogy between that and listening to erotic poetry accompanied by duffs with bangles is extremely mistaken. He has made

! Majmooah al-Rasaail al: Munairivyab, vol. 2, p. 171 (Idaarah al-Tibaah alMunairiyyah, Cairo, first edition 1346 AHL).

Ighaathab al-Luhfaan lk Masaayid al-Shaitaan by ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah (vol. 1, p. 228), edited by Muhammad Haamid al-Fagee, Maktabah al-Sunnah alYuhammadiyyah,

Gharaabeel is the plural of ghirbaal. It is the thing that is used for sifting, as stated in al-Qaamoos al-Mubeet.

The Fight of Marriage

an analogy between two things although the parallel case and original case are extremely different.!

Al-Izz ibn Abdul Salaam also stated,

As for the flute and other well-known string instruments, such as a rebec (Renaissance fiddle) or zither, what is well-known among the four schools of figh is that playing or listening to them is forbidden?

As for playing it, that is, the duff, it is disliked for men under all circumstances. Only the women used to play it. When men play it, they resemble women. And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) has cursed those men who imitate and resemble women.3

The basic ruling is that one should avoid play and amusement; [play and amusement] should be restricted with respect to their time and manner to those areas concerning which there is a text and kept to a minimum in order not to contradict the basic ruling.*

Dancing is one of the evil habits and innovations that have appeared in such parties during our days. [Hence, it will be discussed in detail next.]