Some people recite the remembrance of Allah in gatherings accompanied by drumming and movements resembling dancing. Is this permissible in your view, O
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The questioner : Some people recite the remembrance of Allah in gatherings accompanied by drumming and movements resembling dancing. Is this permissible according to the Shari'ah in your view, O honorable Shaykh? And what are the etiquettes of dhikr?
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
Before answering this question, I would like to present an introduction that sheds light on the answer to this question. That is that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, created us to worship Him alone, with no partner for Him, as He, Mighty and Majestic, said:[Adh-Dhariyat 51:56] The worship for which Allah created us is not valid except with two fundamental conditions. The first is: sincerity to Allah, Mighty and Majestic. The second is: following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
As for sincerity to Allah, its meaning is that the worshipper intends by his worship the Face of Allah and the Hereafter. He does not intend by it any worldly display, neither wealth nor status, nor seeking closeness to any of the created beings. Rather, he intends by it the Face of Allah and the Hereafter. As Allah the Exalted said regarding Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, and his Companions, He, Mighty and Majestic, said:[Al-Fath 48:29] And He, Mighty and Majestic, said: [Ar-Rum 30:39].
And as for the second principle, it is following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The evidence for these two matters is His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Kahf 18:110] And His saying: [Al-Bayyinah 98:5] And the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan Abi Dawud 2201Sahih (Al-Albani) And the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 1718b.
Following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is not realized except if the action conforms to the Shari'ah in six matters: the cause, the type, the amount, the manner, the time, and the place. If the action does not conform to the Shari'ah in these six matters, then following in it is lacking.
As for the cause, it is necessary that this action have a Shari'ah cause that necessitated it being done. If a person worships Allah the Exalted with a worship that he associates with a cause for which the Shari'ah did not come, it will not be accepted from him because it does not conform to the Shari'ah, so following is not realized in it. An example of this is if a person worships Allah, Mighty and Majestic, by sending blessings upon his Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) every time he enters his house. We say that this is a religious innovation (bid'ah) because it did not conform to the Shari'ah in its cause, as it is not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that entering the house is among the causes for sending blessings upon him (peace and blessings be upon him).
If a person sacrificed a horse, his sacrifice would not be accepted because it did not conform to the Shari'ah in its type, as the 'Id sacrifice is only from livestock: camels, cattle, and sheep.
If a person prayed the four-unit prayer as five, or the three-unit prayer as four, or the two-unit prayer as three, it would not be accepted from him because that does not conform to the Shari'ah in the number of the worship.
If a person prayed and performed prostration before bowing, his prayer would not be valid because it does not conform to the Shari'ah in its description and form.
If a person sacrificed before the 'Id prayer of 'Id al-Adha, his sacrifice would not be accepted because it does not conform to the Shari'ah in its time.
If a person performed i'tikaf in his house, intending by it to seek closeness to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, as people do in the mosques, his i'tikaf would not be accepted because it does not conform to the Shari'ah in the place of worship.
If you know this beneficial introduction, which is that worship is not valid except that it is built upon these two great foundations, namely sincerity to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and following His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then the ruling of those whom the questioner mentioned becomes clear to you. They gather for the remembrance of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and they have drums which they beat at every phrase of dhikr they recite, or at every phrase by which they remember Allah, and they perform actions resembling dancing. Their dhikr is rejected from them, and their dhikr by which they worshipped Allah in this manner is a religious innovation (bid'ah). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against innovations and informed:Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 2:42 without exception, and he used "every" which indicates generality. It is known to us all that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the Shari'ah of Allah, and that he is the most sincere of creation to the servants of Allah. He is the most knowledgeable of creation regarding the Shari'ah of Allah, and he is the most sincere of creation to the servants of Allah, and he is the most eloquent of creation in his expression and eloquence. So if he said: then it is not possible for us to divide innovations into categories after that. Rather, we say: all innovations are misguidance, whatever they may be. And whoever thinks that something of the innovations is good, he has assumed from one of two aspects: either this thing is not a religious innovation (bid'ah) according to the Shari'ah, but he thought it was an innovation and called it an innovation; or the thing is an innovation, but it is not good, rather its innovator assumed that he did well in it, while he did not do well. And as for the realization of the innovation, it is not possible for it to be realized as good, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
So these innovators who introduced in the remembrance of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, what is not from it, their action is rejected from them, and it does not increase them from Allah except distance. And this is contrary to the path of those upon whom Allah bestowed favor, who say in all their prayers:[Al-Fatihah 1:6-7] For every innovator is misguided in what he innovated in the religion of Allah.
And these people should repent to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, from this dhikr. Rather, they should repent to Allah the Exalted from this manner which they introduced in the remembrance of Allah. This is if the dhikr by which they remember Allah conforms to the Shari'ah in its wording. But if it is contrary to the Shari'ah in its wording, then it is ugliness upon ugliness, as if they made their dhikr "He is, He is, He is" and the like of that which the Sufis and their like take as dhikr to Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has clarified the path for us and made it clear on the tongue of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), either in the Book of Allah or in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nahl 16:44] And He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: [An-Nisa 4:26] And He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: [An-Nisa 4:176] So if Allah the Exalted has clarified the complete clarification, then every action that brings us closer to Him and pleases Him from us, He has clarified it and made it clear. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not die except that the religion was complete in all aspects. And recite the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Ma'idah 5:3].
The reality of the state of the innovator is that he objects to the Shari'ah of Allah, as if he says: this is from the Shari'ah, but it was not transmitted. So the Shari'ah is then deficient, because it is necessary that the matter be like this: either the Shari'ah is deficient and this innovation completed it, or the Shari'ah is complete and this innovation is an addition for which Allah has not sent down authority. It is not permissible for us to seek closeness to Allah except by what He legislated on the tongue of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
So my advice to these people, my advice to them, is that they fear Allah the Exalted in themselves, and that they fear Allah, Mighty and Majestic, regarding the servants of Allah who follow them and take them as examples. And let them return to what our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Rightly Guided Caliphs were upon, for that is the good, success, and happiness in this world and the Hereafter.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
Before answering this question, I would like to present an introduction that sheds light on the answer to this question. That is that Allah, Mighty and Majestic, created us to worship Him alone, with no partner for Him, as He, Mighty and Majestic, said:
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِAs for sincerity to Allah, its meaning is that the worshipper intends by his worship the Face of Allah and the Hereafter. He does not intend by it any worldly display, neither wealth nor status, nor seeking closeness to any of the created beings. Rather, he intends by it the Face of Allah and the Hereafter. As Allah the Exalted said regarding Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, and his Companions, He, Mighty and Majestic, said:
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are forceful against the disbelievers, merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and prostrating [in prayer], seeking bounty from Allah and [His] pleasure
مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ أَشِدَّاءُ عَلَى الْكُفَّارِ رُحَمَاءُ بَيْنَهُمْ تَرَاهُمْ رُكَّعًا سُجَّدًا يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانًاBut what you give in zakah, desiring the countenance of Allah - those are the multipliers.
وَمَا ءاتَيْتُمْ مِنْ زَكَاةٍ تُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَ اللَّهِ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُضْعِفُونَAnd as for the second principle, it is following the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The evidence for these two matters is His saying, the Exalted:
So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord - let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone."
فَمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُوا لِقَاءَ رَبِّهِ فَلْيَعْمَلْ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا وَلا يُشْرِكْ بِعِبَادَةِ رَبِّهِ أَحَدًاAnd they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَActions are to be judged only by intentions and a man will have only what he intended. When one’s emigration is to Allaah and His Apostle, his emigration is to Allaah and His Apostle but his emigration is to a worldly end at which he aims or to a woman whom he marries , his emigration is to that for which he emigrated.
إنما الأعمال بالنيات، وإنما لكل امرئ ما نوى، فمن كانت هجرته إلى الله ورسوله فهجرته إلى الله ورسوله، ومن كانت هجرته لدنيا يصيبها، أو امرأة يتزوجها فهجرته إلى ما هاجر إليهHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو ردFollowing the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is not realized except if the action conforms to the Shari'ah in six matters: the cause, the type, the amount, the manner, the time, and the place. If the action does not conform to the Shari'ah in these six matters, then following in it is lacking.
As for the cause, it is necessary that this action have a Shari'ah cause that necessitated it being done. If a person worships Allah the Exalted with a worship that he associates with a cause for which the Shari'ah did not come, it will not be accepted from him because it does not conform to the Shari'ah, so following is not realized in it. An example of this is if a person worships Allah, Mighty and Majestic, by sending blessings upon his Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) every time he enters his house. We say that this is a religious innovation (bid'ah) because it did not conform to the Shari'ah in its cause, as it is not reported from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that entering the house is among the causes for sending blessings upon him (peace and blessings be upon him).
If a person sacrificed a horse, his sacrifice would not be accepted because it did not conform to the Shari'ah in its type, as the 'Id sacrifice is only from livestock: camels, cattle, and sheep.
If a person prayed the four-unit prayer as five, or the three-unit prayer as four, or the two-unit prayer as three, it would not be accepted from him because that does not conform to the Shari'ah in the number of the worship.
If a person prayed and performed prostration before bowing, his prayer would not be valid because it does not conform to the Shari'ah in its description and form.
If a person sacrificed before the 'Id prayer of 'Id al-Adha, his sacrifice would not be accepted because it does not conform to the Shari'ah in its time.
If a person performed i'tikaf in his house, intending by it to seek closeness to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, as people do in the mosques, his i'tikaf would not be accepted because it does not conform to the Shari'ah in the place of worship.
If you know this beneficial introduction, which is that worship is not valid except that it is built upon these two great foundations, namely sincerity to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and following His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), then the ruling of those whom the questioner mentioned becomes clear to you. They gather for the remembrance of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and they have drums which they beat at every phrase of dhikr they recite, or at every phrase by which they remember Allah, and they perform actions resembling dancing. Their dhikr is rejected from them, and their dhikr by which they worshipped Allah in this manner is a religious innovation (bid'ah). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) warned against innovations and informed:
That every innovation is misguidance.
أن كل بدعة ضلالةEvery innovation is misguidance.
كل بدعة ضلالةEvery innovation is misguidance.
كل بدعة ضلالةSo these innovators who introduced in the remembrance of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, what is not from it, their action is rejected from them, and it does not increase them from Allah except distance. And this is contrary to the path of those upon whom Allah bestowed favor, who say in all their prayers:
(6) Guide us to the straight path - (7) The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ * صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا الضَّالِّينَAnd these people should repent to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, from this dhikr. Rather, they should repent to Allah the Exalted from this manner which they introduced in the remembrance of Allah. This is if the dhikr by which they remember Allah conforms to the Shari'ah in its wording. But if it is contrary to the Shari'ah in its wording, then it is ugliness upon ugliness, as if they made their dhikr "He is, He is, He is" and the like of that which the Sufis and their like take as dhikr to Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
And Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, has clarified the path for us and made it clear on the tongue of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), either in the Book of Allah or in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah the Exalted said:
And We revealed to you the message that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them
وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْAllah wants to make clear to you [the lawful from the unlawful] and guide you to the [good] practices of those before you and to accept your repentance. And Allah is Knowing and Wise.
يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَكُمْ وَيَهْدِيَكُمْ سُنَنَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ وَيَتُوبَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌAllah makes clear to you [His law], lest you go astray. And Allah is Knowing of all things.
يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَنْ تَضِلُّوا وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌThis day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.
الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسْلامَ دِينًاThe reality of the state of the innovator is that he objects to the Shari'ah of Allah, as if he says: this is from the Shari'ah, but it was not transmitted. So the Shari'ah is then deficient, because it is necessary that the matter be like this: either the Shari'ah is deficient and this innovation completed it, or the Shari'ah is complete and this innovation is an addition for which Allah has not sent down authority. It is not permissible for us to seek closeness to Allah except by what He legislated on the tongue of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
So my advice to these people, my advice to them, is that they fear Allah the Exalted in themselves, and that they fear Allah, Mighty and Majestic, regarding the servants of Allah who follow them and take them as examples. And let them return to what our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Rightly Guided Caliphs were upon, for that is the good, success, and happiness in this world and the Hereafter.