The Meaning of the Word Muka' in Surat al-Anfal, and the Ruling on Clapping and Whistling

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Question:
May Allah reward you, Your Eminence, father. The questioner asks: What is the meaning of the word "muka'" in the verse from al-Anfal, and is whistling or making a whistling sound forbidden?

Answer:
What was their prayer, meaning the prayer of the polytheists, was

at the House was not except whistling and handclapping

عِندَ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً

[Al-Anfal 8:35]

. Mukaa' is clapping, and tasydiyyah is whistling. This was the method of worship of the polytheists at the Ka'bah. Are these people to be considered the awliya (close friends of Allah) of the Sacred Mosque?
No, Allah mentioned this in the context of refuting them. They were not its awliya, and they were driving people away from it

from al-Masjid al- Haram and they were not [fit to be] its guardians? Its [true] guardians are not but the righteous, but most of them do not know.

عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُوا أَوْلِيَاءَهُ إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

[Al-Anfal 8:34]

And their prayer at the House was not except whistling and handclapping

وَمَا كَانَ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِندَ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً

[Al-Anfal 8:35]

. This is a refutation of them, showing that they are not the awliya of the Sacred Mosque. Rather, its awliya are the righteous ones who perform the prayer prescribed by the Shari'ah. Whistling, and clapping as well, is not permissible. Clapping is only permitted for women when necessary, but men do not clap, because this is first among the characteristics of women, and second, it is imitating the polytheists. Yes.

Source قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [763- 4717] معنى كلمة مكاء في سورة الأنفال،وحكم التصفيق والتصفير - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com

The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.

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