The Hand Drum and the Tabla at Weddings
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
It was mentioned that at one of the occasions in Ta'if, it happened that one of the wives was present with the musicians, but he was present with his face and he was striking the qanun on this thing. He says: The women are being shown [it]. So what is your opinion on that?
The Shaykh:
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation specifically for women to strike the hand drum upon marriage, and that is for the purpose of announcing the marriage. This is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): the dispensation to strike the customary, well-known hand drum, specifically for women, upon marriage. As for men, no, they do not strike the hand drum. And likewise, women do not strike music or the qanun or the kaman or types of musical instruments; this is not permissible. Rather, they were granted a dispensation specifically for the hand drum, the hand drum known among the Arabs, and in the presence of women where no men are present and men do not see it. This is what is prescribed. As for what contradicts this, such as men striking the hand drum, this is not permissible. Or women striking musical instruments and flutes, or bringing in female singers and performers who are accustomed to contemporary entertainment and lewdness, this is not permissible; it is forbidden. And this is not what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) danced to.
The *tablah* is known to people as something made of leather and a frame of *khasab* wood, with leather stretched over it on both sides; this is the *tablah*. Or it is made from palm wood, taken from the trunk of a palm tree and hollowed out from the inside. When the frame remains, they stretch leather over it and place it on the openings here and there. I do not make these drums, but I know this thing because I have seen it among people.
The *tabl* is called *ta'ub*, it is called *tabl*, and it is called *ghuraban*. This is known among the Arabs. The *tablah* made from musical instruments and *ma'azif* (musical instruments) is not permissible.
As long as it is the one known among the Arabs, the *tabl* is not made except with skin on both sides. This is what we know, meaning there is skin on this opening and skin on the second opening. Skin, skin; it is not a *sanud* (drum) or a *ma'azif* (musical instrument), no, it is skin. Do you know what skin is? Cow skin, camel skin, sheep skin. Yes, indeed. Everyone makes this; the common people make it, and everyone makes it. Unlike the *sanud* (drums), *ma'azif* (musical instruments), and *majanin* (drums), these are not made except by devils. The *zayr* (drum) that is drunk from this water, hmm?
No, there is no difference. If the *tabl* referred to is what is made of skin and palm wood or a wooden board, then there is no difference. But if it is what is made of *ma'azif* (musical instruments), flutes, and female singers, then this is not allowed.
Another questioner:
Or, O Shaykh, O people. The *tabl* is made of iron, not skin.
The Shaykh:
This is what I know, and the Arabs do not know it from a hadith.
Another questioner:
Its sound is metallic, not from skin. If you say "look at this before it becomes iron," if you say "I cry," then yes.
The Shaykh:
Iron, no, iron, no. Yes.
It was mentioned that at one of the occasions in Ta'if, it happened that one of the wives was present with the musicians, but he was present with his face and he was striking the qanun on this thing. He says: The women are being shown [it]. So what is your opinion on that?
The Shaykh:
The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) granted a dispensation specifically for women to strike the hand drum upon marriage, and that is for the purpose of announcing the marriage. This is the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): the dispensation to strike the customary, well-known hand drum, specifically for women, upon marriage. As for men, no, they do not strike the hand drum. And likewise, women do not strike music or the qanun or the kaman or types of musical instruments; this is not permissible. Rather, they were granted a dispensation specifically for the hand drum, the hand drum known among the Arabs, and in the presence of women where no men are present and men do not see it. This is what is prescribed. As for what contradicts this, such as men striking the hand drum, this is not permissible. Or women striking musical instruments and flutes, or bringing in female singers and performers who are accustomed to contemporary entertainment and lewdness, this is not permissible; it is forbidden. And this is not what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) danced to.
The *tablah* is known to people as something made of leather and a frame of *khasab* wood, with leather stretched over it on both sides; this is the *tablah*. Or it is made from palm wood, taken from the trunk of a palm tree and hollowed out from the inside. When the frame remains, they stretch leather over it and place it on the openings here and there. I do not make these drums, but I know this thing because I have seen it among people.
The *tabl* is called *ta'ub*, it is called *tabl*, and it is called *ghuraban*. This is known among the Arabs. The *tablah* made from musical instruments and *ma'azif* (musical instruments) is not permissible.
As long as it is the one known among the Arabs, the *tabl* is not made except with skin on both sides. This is what we know, meaning there is skin on this opening and skin on the second opening. Skin, skin; it is not a *sanud* (drum) or a *ma'azif* (musical instrument), no, it is skin. Do you know what skin is? Cow skin, camel skin, sheep skin. Yes, indeed. Everyone makes this; the common people make it, and everyone makes it. Unlike the *sanud* (drums), *ma'azif* (musical instruments), and *majanin* (drums), these are not made except by devils. The *zayr* (drum) that is drunk from this water, hmm?
No, there is no difference. If the *tabl* referred to is what is made of skin and palm wood or a wooden board, then there is no difference. But if it is what is made of *ma'azif* (musical instruments), flutes, and female singers, then this is not allowed.
Another questioner:
Or, O Shaykh, O people. The *tabl* is made of iron, not skin.
The Shaykh:
This is what I know, and the Arabs do not know it from a hadith.
Another questioner:
Its sound is metallic, not from skin. If you say "look at this before it becomes iron," if you say "I cry," then yes.
The Shaykh:
Iron, no, iron, no. Yes.
Source
الفوزان -أشرطة- أسئلة وأجوبة من دروس التوحيد - الفوزان - أسئلة وأجوبة - 04 — archive.org (52:52)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.