Is playing the hand drum permissible at a wedding? Is it permissible for men to listen to it? Is singing at a wedding, especially by women, permissible?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : The listener also asks: Is playing the hand drum permissible at a wedding? Is it permissible for men to listen to it? Is singing at a wedding, specifically by women, permissible?
The Shaykh : Yes. Yes, playing the hand drum at a wedding for women is permissible; in fact, it is a recommended practice (sunnah). Likewise, singing to this hand drum is permissible, provided that the singing is pure and not of the lewd songs that call to immorality and carry bad meanings. Rather, it should be singing that includes greetings to those present and prayers for blessings upon the newlyweds, and similar beneficial things.
The questioner : Very well.
The Shaykh : In this case, the women should be in a separate, distinct place. I mean by distinct, a place far from the men so that the men do not hear their voices, for hearing their voices may lead to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), especially when people are in the excitement of joy and happiness over the marriage. This joy may also be a stimulus for desire when hearing the voices of women, as souls are prepared for such a state. Therefore, women are to be separated in a place far from the hearing of the men. Yes.
On this occasion.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I would like to point out a disturbing issue, which is that some people place loudspeakers on the walls in wedding halls or in their homes on the days of the wedding, so that the sounds are heard from afar, causing annoyance and harm to the people around them. This is a forbidden (muharram) act, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) when they were praying and raising their voices in reciting the Qur'an. He forbade them and said:As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 59:118 or he said: In another narration: Sunan Abi Dawud 1332Sahih (Al-Albani) If the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade people from harming one another by raising their voices in reciting the Qur'an, what do you say about raising the voice in such occasions? Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Yes. Yes, playing the hand drum at a wedding for women is permissible; in fact, it is a recommended practice (sunnah). Likewise, singing to this hand drum is permissible, provided that the singing is pure and not of the lewd songs that call to immorality and carry bad meanings. Rather, it should be singing that includes greetings to those present and prayers for blessings upon the newlyweds, and similar beneficial things.
The questioner : Very well.
The Shaykh : In this case, the women should be in a separate, distinct place. I mean by distinct, a place far from the men so that the men do not hear their voices, for hearing their voices may lead to fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), especially when people are in the excitement of joy and happiness over the marriage. This joy may also be a stimulus for desire when hearing the voices of women, as souls are prepared for such a state. Therefore, women are to be separated in a place far from the hearing of the men. Yes.
On this occasion.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : I would like to point out a disturbing issue, which is that some people place loudspeakers on the walls in wedding halls or in their homes on the days of the wedding, so that the sounds are heard from afar, causing annoyance and harm to the people around them. This is a forbidden (muharram) act, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) when they were praying and raising their voices in reciting the Qur'an. He forbade them and said:
Do not raise your voices over one another in recitation
لا يجهر بعضكم على بعض في القراءةIn the Qur'an
في القرءانOne should not trouble the other
لا يؤذيّن بعضكم بعضاThe questioner : May Allah bless you.