Holding the 'Aradat during the wedding
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Fatwa No. ( 4118 )
Q: A discussion has arisen between us and some of the brothers from our village regarding the 'Aradat specific to the lands of Ghamid and Zahran . Some of the brothers have permitted it, some have disliked it, and some have forbidden it. As for those who permitted it, their argument is that the Abyssinians had their own games, and when 'Umar ibn al-Khattab objected, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told him to leave them alone so that the Jews and the Christians would know that there is room in our religion. Thus, the 'Aradat is a sign of manliness and bravery, and it is an old custom in the villages, which the government has approved. As for the argument of those who disliked it, it is that it involves wasting money and wasting time; if it does not distract from performing an obligatory duty, they say there is no harm in it. As for those who said it is forbidden, they cited the following evidence: First, the foundation of the 'Aradat is the zayr, which is one of the flutes of Satan. Second, the poets and the poets of the region mostly use modern artistic techniques in their poetry, elevating the lowly and lowering the noble in order to earn money. Third,
there is wastefulness, as what is given to each poet reaches five thousand or more, in most cases, as well as the one who plays the zayr and his assistants, meaning that the night on which the 'Aradat is held does not cost less than ten thousand riyals or more, depending on the size of the occasion. Fourth, arrogance, pride, and a love of showing off appear on most of the people of the 'Aradat or those who enter its arena. Since what is called video has been introduced to film its events and display them later inside the houses, it has added to the trouble, and the 'Aradat has become a dance where they sway to the right and to the left. Fifth, women mostly appear on the rooftops of houses to watch the arena of the 'Aradat, and the video enters the houses, which entails harms. Sixth, the time of the 'Aradat, if it is held at night—and this is the norm—extends to after midnight, and the congregational prayer of Fajr on that night is lost, except for whom Allah has mercy, due to the exhaustion and fatigue that befalls the bodies. Seventh, as soon as you hear the sound of the zayr, the places become crowded with cars, and you see people gathered individually and in groups, some of whom have spent their lives in age, so you see the owners of canes leaning on
their sticks, and they may participate in the 'Aradat because they forget their condition at this time. This is the state of the 'Aradat, and these are the opinions of the groups regarding it. We have placed it before your eminence to kindly answer us in detail, and we are among those who will implement whatever you rule, if Allah wills. Our trust is great that your fatwa is based on knowledge and understanding of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and the truth is more deserving of being followed.
A: If the reality of the 'Aradat is as mentioned in the question, involving flutes and the like, and the exaggeration of its poets in their poetry by elevating the lowly and lowering the noble, hoping to earn money, and the wastefulness in money, and the dancing and swaying and arrogance, and the filming of those who perform the 'Aradat and what happens among them and the spectators to display it in the future in various ways and in different places, and the women’s viewing of the wrongdoings occurring in the 'Aradat from the rooftops and elsewhere, and the continuation of the 'Aradat until midnight, for example, which may lead to the loss of performing the Fajr prayer at its time for all the attendees, or some of those who attended the 'Aradat—then it is forbidden; because of the wrongdoings it contains. In fact, some of these wrongdoings are sufficient to rule it as forbidden. There is nothing in such an 'Aradat of manliness, bravery, or generosity; rather, it contains frivolity
and lying, and inciting the hearts of those whose status has been diminished, and misleading those who exceed the limit in praising them, and foolishness and wastefulness by spending money in other than its proper place, and wasting time and spreading corruption on earth, and adhering to pre-Islamic age of ignorance customs by imitating fathers and ancestors without insight, and following desires and satisfying lusts, and preferring that over what came in the Shari'ah of Islam, of noble morals and good conduct. As for what was from the Abyssinians, it was a military 'Aradat, involving training in war activities and practice in using weapons, and that was from them on the day of the festival without occupying them from performing an obligatory duty at its time. This is what contains manliness and heroism, and practice in jihad without wasting time or missing what is more important than it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Q: A discussion has arisen between us and some of the brothers from our village regarding the 'Aradat specific to the lands of Ghamid and Zahran . Some of the brothers have permitted it, some have disliked it, and some have forbidden it. As for those who permitted it, their argument is that the Abyssinians had their own games, and when 'Umar ibn al-Khattab objected, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told him to leave them alone so that the Jews and the Christians would know that there is room in our religion. Thus, the 'Aradat is a sign of manliness and bravery, and it is an old custom in the villages, which the government has approved. As for the argument of those who disliked it, it is that it involves wasting money and wasting time; if it does not distract from performing an obligatory duty, they say there is no harm in it. As for those who said it is forbidden, they cited the following evidence: First, the foundation of the 'Aradat is the zayr, which is one of the flutes of Satan. Second, the poets and the poets of the region mostly use modern artistic techniques in their poetry, elevating the lowly and lowering the noble in order to earn money. Third,
there is wastefulness, as what is given to each poet reaches five thousand or more, in most cases, as well as the one who plays the zayr and his assistants, meaning that the night on which the 'Aradat is held does not cost less than ten thousand riyals or more, depending on the size of the occasion. Fourth, arrogance, pride, and a love of showing off appear on most of the people of the 'Aradat or those who enter its arena. Since what is called video has been introduced to film its events and display them later inside the houses, it has added to the trouble, and the 'Aradat has become a dance where they sway to the right and to the left. Fifth, women mostly appear on the rooftops of houses to watch the arena of the 'Aradat, and the video enters the houses, which entails harms. Sixth, the time of the 'Aradat, if it is held at night—and this is the norm—extends to after midnight, and the congregational prayer of Fajr on that night is lost, except for whom Allah has mercy, due to the exhaustion and fatigue that befalls the bodies. Seventh, as soon as you hear the sound of the zayr, the places become crowded with cars, and you see people gathered individually and in groups, some of whom have spent their lives in age, so you see the owners of canes leaning on
their sticks, and they may participate in the 'Aradat because they forget their condition at this time. This is the state of the 'Aradat, and these are the opinions of the groups regarding it. We have placed it before your eminence to kindly answer us in detail, and we are among those who will implement whatever you rule, if Allah wills. Our trust is great that your fatwa is based on knowledge and understanding of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and the truth is more deserving of being followed.
A: If the reality of the 'Aradat is as mentioned in the question, involving flutes and the like, and the exaggeration of its poets in their poetry by elevating the lowly and lowering the noble, hoping to earn money, and the wastefulness in money, and the dancing and swaying and arrogance, and the filming of those who perform the 'Aradat and what happens among them and the spectators to display it in the future in various ways and in different places, and the women’s viewing of the wrongdoings occurring in the 'Aradat from the rooftops and elsewhere, and the continuation of the 'Aradat until midnight, for example, which may lead to the loss of performing the Fajr prayer at its time for all the attendees, or some of those who attended the 'Aradat—then it is forbidden; because of the wrongdoings it contains. In fact, some of these wrongdoings are sufficient to rule it as forbidden. There is nothing in such an 'Aradat of manliness, bravery, or generosity; rather, it contains frivolity
and lying, and inciting the hearts of those whose status has been diminished, and misleading those who exceed the limit in praising them, and foolishness and wastefulness by spending money in other than its proper place, and wasting time and spreading corruption on earth, and adhering to pre-Islamic age of ignorance customs by imitating fathers and ancestors without insight, and following desires and satisfying lusts, and preferring that over what came in the Shari'ah of Islam, of noble morals and good conduct. As for what was from the Abyssinians, it was a military 'Aradat, involving training in war activities and practice in using weapons, and that was from them on the day of the festival without occupying them from performing an obligatory duty at its time. This is what contains manliness and heroism, and practice in jihad without wasting time or missing what is more important than it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.