Part 18

Here are some of the texts [of hadith] related to the above aspects:

Abu Dawood recorded in his Sunan from ibn Umar who said, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade sitting at the place where food is served which has alcohol with it and for a person to eat while he is lying on his stomach.”!

Abu Dawood recorded through his chain of transmitters in his Sunan that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,

' ‘Sunan Abi Dawood (#3774), The Book of Foods, Chapter on sitting at a tablespread that has some items which are disliked. [The hadith with the above wording recorded by Abu Dawood has some problems with its chain of narrators. However, the meaning of the hadith is acceptable as both acts mentioned have been prohibited or disapproved of in other acceptable hadith. See al-Albaani’s discussion of the hadith in al-Albaani, Jrwaa, vol. 7, pe. 40-41. In Sabeeb al-Jaami al-Sagheer, vol. 2, p. 1159, al-Albaani stated that the above hadith is hasan —JZ}

‘The Figh of Marriage

“The food of the waleemah on the first day is a right act, on the second day it is a well-known accepted act and on the third day it is done for reputation and showing off.”' Qataada said: A man narrated to me that Saeed ibn al-Musayyab was invited on the first day and he responded. He was invited on the second day and he again responded. He was invited on the third day and he did not respond, saying, “[They are] people of showing off and acting for reputation.”?

In the Sunan [of Abu Dawood] it is recorded from that the Prophet (peace be upon him) forbade eating the food of those who are simply competing against others.

Al-Khattaabi stated, “Those who are competing are those who are going against each other to see who can outdo the other. A scholar was once invited but he did not attend and it was said to him, ‘The people of the early generations would attend when they were invited.’ He responded, ‘They used to be invited based on brotherhood and friendship. You people invite out of boasting and outdoing each other.’”4

Al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih from Aisha, the mother of the believers, may Allah be pleased with her, that she purchased a cushion that had pictures on it. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw it, he stood at the door and did not enter [the room]. [Aisha said,] “I saw his displeasure on his face.” She said, “O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), I repent to Allah and to the Messenger of Allah. What sin did I commit?” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “What is with this cushion?” She said, “I bought it for you to sit on it and lay your head on it as a pillow.” He replied, “The companions of these pictures [that is, those who made them] will be punished on the Day of Resurrection. It will be said to them, ‘Give life to what you have

' (This is the same hadith as that recorded by al-Tirmidhi and mentioned by the guthor in an earlier footnote. As noted in that footnote, it is a weak hadith 2]

Sunan Abi Dawood (#3745), the Book of Foods, Chapter on how long it is preferred to have the wedding feast. See the earlier discussion under, “The ruling of fesponding to the invitation for one who is not fasting

Sunan Abi Dawood (#3754), Book of Foods, Chapter on the food of those who are competing [According to al-Albaani, this hadith is sabib. See al-Albaani, sahih funan A 4 Dawood, vol. 2, p. 715—JZ]

Maalom al-Sunan by al-Khattaabi, vol. 4, p. 132 (on the margin of Sunan Abi Dawood).

‘The Figh of Marriage

created.’” Then he said, “The angels do not enter a house in which there are pictures,”"!

Al-Baghawi stated in Sharh al-Sunnah, “This [hadith] indicates that if one is invited to a wedding feast that contains detestable aspects or musical instruments, he should not attend— unless he is from those people that if he attends, such things will be removed due to his attendance or due to his stopping them.”

If a person sees something engraved or a picture of trees and so forth, there is no harm in that as such engravings are like markings on clothing.> If the picture of the animal is in a place that is stepped on or reclined upon, such as in something spread out on the ground, like a carpet, or a cushion, it is permissible.* If it is on a curtain or wall, something that is not walked upon, and one can remove it or cut its head off, he should do so and then sit down. If he cannot do that, he should leave and not sit down. This is the view of the majority of scholars.

As for covering the walls with coverings that do not contain pictures, if such is done due to a need, like protection from heat or cold, there is no harm in it. In that case, it is being done due to a need and it is similar to having a curtain over a door or what a person wears on his body. If it is not needed, then it is disliked and it serves as an excuse for a person to return from an invitation and not attend that wedding feast. The evidence for that is in the narration from Saalim ibn Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) who said: I was a newlywed during my father’s lifetime. My father informed the people and among those people we informed was Abu Ayyoob [the

' Sabeeh al-Bukbari (#5181), the Book of Marriage, Chapter on should one return if he sees something objectionable at the invitation.

Sharh al-Sunnab, vol. 9, p. 147.

[This is not the proper place to enter into a detailed discussion of this question, but the author here is following one interpretation of what is meant by “markings or engravings in clothing”. According to ibn Hajr, the strongest interpretation is that an engravings on clothing that do not represent the complete animal or that could not be of a living creature are the only ones that are permissible. See Ahmad ibn Hajr, Fath al-Baari bi-Sharh Sabeeh al-Bukbari (Makkah: Maktabah al-Tijaariyyah, 1993), vol. 11, pp. 591-592. Allah knows best —JZ]

{Although this is the opinion of many scholars, it seems to clearly contradict the hadith the author just mentioned from Aishah, wherein the Prophet (peace be upon him) objected to the pictures on the cushion or pillow—JZ]

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Companion]. [The walls of] my house were covered with green carpets or sheets. I met Abu Ayyoob among the first and he looked and saw that the house had been covered with green material. He said, “O Abdullah, do you cover the walls?” My father, ashamed, said, “The women have overpowered us, O Abu Ayyoob.” Abu Ayyoob then said, “There are some for whom I feared they would be overpowered by women but I did not fear that they would overpower you.” Then he said, “I will not eat your food nor will I enter your house,” and he left. Recorded by alBaihaqi and others.!

In Sharh al-Sunnah, al-Baghawi wrote, “Similarly, if the host has most of his wealth from forbidden sources or he is one that you cannot be safe from being harmed, either with respect to your religion or worldly affairs, it is not obligatory upon you to respond.”?

Warning Concerning Extravagance at Wedding Parties

Islam encompasses a number of teachings that are related to the lives of Muslims in particular. Their purpose is to organize the physical, economic and psychological affairs on noble bases. There are, for example, manners related to food, dress, housing and other goals that people seek after in this life. There is no need to incline toward extreme monasticism or materialistic greed. Instead, life is based on moderation and justice with respect to attaining pleasure; there is neither extravagance nor miserliness.

In twenty-two verses of the Quran, Allah censures extravagance and rebukes those who are spendthrifts. For example, Allah says,

" Sunan al-Baihaqi, vol. 7, p. 272. Al-Bukhari recorded it in his Sabeeb but without its chain [meaning it is not necessarily an authentic hadith]. Al-Bukhari stated in the Book of Marriage, “Chapter: may one may return if he sees something objectionable at the invitation? Ibn Masood saw a picture in the house so he returned. And ibn Umar invited Abu Ayyoob and he saw in the house coverings on the wall...” AlHaafidh ibn Hajr stated in al-Fath (vol. 9, p. 239), “! recorded it witha complete chain in Kifaab al-Wara_as did Musaddad in his Musnad, and from his chain al-Tabaraani recorded it in al-Kabeer vol. 1, p. 192)...” The scholar of hadith al-Albaani, in Adaab al-Zafaaf (p. 201, al-Maktabah al-Islaamiyyah edition), gonsidered al-Tabaraani’s chain food, Sharh al-Sunnab, vol. 9, pp. 147-148.

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ALA ea enc Co Soe 0 Po toc, 448 “ a7 Ua gb EUS Go Oy Ny A ily IP pad od \ gal 13) Gully “And those who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor niggardly but hold a medium (way) between those (extremes)” (al-Furgaan 67).

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“O Children of Adam! Take your adornment [by wearing proper clothing] at every masjid, and eat and drink but be not excessive. Indeed, He loves not those who commit excesses” (al-Araaf 31).

The Prophet (peace be upon him) also cautioned about lavishness and arrogance. He said,

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“Eat and drink and give in charity but without lavishness or arrogance. Verily, Allah loves the effects of His bounty upon His servant to be seen,.”!

There are also other hadith and reports that encourage moderation, control and justice and fleeing from extravagance and lavishness.

Unfortunately, though, in the same way that the phenomenon of elaborate dowers has spread, there has come to us the disease of extravagance and lavishness in the wedding parties. The people are competing in the large amount of wealth that they are spending. At the same time, many objectionable aspects are also taking place, such as picture taking, mixing between men and women, male and female

1 Recorded by al-Nasaai (vol. 5, p. 79), the Book of zakah, Chapter on being arrogant in giving charity; al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (vol. 4, p. 135), and the wording is from him, from hadith of Amr ibn Shuaib on the authority of his father on the authority of his grandfather. This chain is hasan.

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singers singing over microphones, using musical instruments and so forth. Lots of wealth is being spent upon those forbidden acts. In fact, this has even led many young men to stay away from marriage because they simply cannot afford the great expenses involved in wedding parties these days. There is no need for such expenses. They are simply an impediment on the road to marriage. They have become part of the necessary aspects of a wedding these days although Islam has nothing to do with them.