The Ruling on the Hand Drum for Women and Men

Question:
The questioner asks: What is the ruling on the hand drum for women and men?

Answer:
The hand drum is one of the instruments of amusement. Instruments of amusement are forbidden, but a dispensation is granted for the hand drum for women on the occasion of announcing the marriage, on the occasion of a wedding among them, among the women. This is what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation for; he granted a dispensation for the hand drum for women on the occasion of a wedding in order to announce it.
And everything other than this case remains on the default ruling, which is prohibition. Therefore, it is not permissible for men to play the hand drum. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not play the hand drum, nor did they clap with their hands. This was the way of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him); they did not clap, and they did not play the hand drums, because they knew that hand drums are among the instruments of amusement. Yes.