What is the criterion for women beating the hand drum at weddings and festivals, and what is the ruling on hiring women to do so?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. The questioner asks: What is the criterion for women beating the hand drum at weddings and festivals? And what is the ruling on hiring women to do so?
The Shaykh : The hand drum in the context of marriage is a recommended practice (sunnah) for women only, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it, and it is part of the required public announcement of the marriage.
As for festivals, there is nothing wrong with the display of weapons, rifles, and swords, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the Abyssinians to play with their spears in the Prophet’s Mosque. Glory be to Allah, what do you think if we permitted one person to play with his spears in the mosques? The world would turn upside down, even though this was known in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). I am not saying we should do that; perhaps there would be disorder in this that did not occur in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). However, such games are permitted on festival days in a way that they are not permitted on other days. This is part of the wisdom of the Shari'ah, which gives the souls their share in occasions so that a person does not remain gloomy all the time. Leave the beard, man. Have you seen mourning? Mourning for the dead is forbidden except for a wife; a woman mourns for her husband for the duration of the waiting period ('iddah), but not for others. However, out of Allah’s mercy, He permitted a person to mourn for the dead for how long? Three days. He has the dispensation to mourn for the dead. The scholars said: The wisdom behind this is that a grieving person may choose to mourn due to the intensity of his grief, so it was permitted for him to ease his soul, and this is a form of psychological treatment.
The days of the festivals are days of joy; everyone rejoices. But know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When? Sahih Muslim 1151e I ask Allah to grant me and you both joys. He breaks his fast and rejoices in breaking it. Why? Because Allah has made permissible for him what was forbidden to him. And here is another joy: that Allah has bestowed a favor upon him by completing his day. How many people begin fasting but do not complete it, either due to illness or otherwise. So he rejoices that Allah facilitated the completion for him, and he rejoices because Allah has made permissible for him what was forbidden to him. Now, if the festival is established, people rejoice. Why? Because Allah has bestowed a favor upon them by completing the fast. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said: [Al-Baqarah 2:185] The second reason is that Allah has made permissible for him what was forbidden to him. So if we assume that the day of the festival is Thursday, is eating at ten o'clock on Thursday lawful or forbidden? It is lawful. In fact, it is obligatory for you to be breaking your fast. And at ten o'clock on the Wednesday before Thursday, it is forbidden. This is one of the things a person rejoices in: that Allah the Exalted has bestowed a favor upon him by making the forbidden lawful, indeed by making it obligatory to break the fast on the day of the festival. Yes. The point of this, the point of this, is that Allah is Wise. He may bestow a favor upon a person by granting his soul some freedom for the occasions.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, the joy is not for one who rejoices in what is forbidden.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Rejoicing in what is forbidden is not permissible. What is it?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Hiring someone to beat the drum at a wedding is permissible, because it is hiring for a permissible act. But I was told that the fee is exorbitant, much more than the work. They say the night might cost three hundred riyals?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, Shaykh, may Allah guide you. This is like what you told me yesterday that there are cars costing one million riyals. Yes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, tell us.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, okay. The brother says that the issue is not just hiring for the drum; there are singers who are described as singers, and they come to sing with a band, and it may be musical. Yes, this is forbidden. It is not permissible for anyone to give her any of this, nor is it permissible for her to take anything, because the only permissible musical instrument at a wedding is the hand drum. As for music, it is forbidden and not permissible.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : As for whether it lasts all night, half the night, or a quarter of the night, that is a matter of custom. If there is no harm to others, there is nothing wrong if she continues beating the drum until the end of the night. But usually, there is harm, especially since some people use loudspeakers and annoy the people around them.
The Shaykh : The hand drum in the context of marriage is a recommended practice (sunnah) for women only, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) commanded it, and it is part of the required public announcement of the marriage.
As for festivals, there is nothing wrong with the display of weapons, rifles, and swords, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the Abyssinians to play with their spears in the Prophet’s Mosque. Glory be to Allah, what do you think if we permitted one person to play with his spears in the mosques? The world would turn upside down, even though this was known in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). I am not saying we should do that; perhaps there would be disorder in this that did not occur in the time of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). However, such games are permitted on festival days in a way that they are not permitted on other days. This is part of the wisdom of the Shari'ah, which gives the souls their share in occasions so that a person does not remain gloomy all the time. Leave the beard, man. Have you seen mourning? Mourning for the dead is forbidden except for a wife; a woman mourns for her husband for the duration of the waiting period ('iddah), but not for others. However, out of Allah’s mercy, He permitted a person to mourn for the dead for how long? Three days. He has the dispensation to mourn for the dead. The scholars said: The wisdom behind this is that a grieving person may choose to mourn due to the intensity of his grief, so it was permitted for him to ease his soul, and this is a form of psychological treatment.
The days of the festivals are days of joy; everyone rejoices. But know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The fasting person has two joys: one joy
للصائم فرحتان فرحةjoy when he breaks it, and joy when he meets his Lord
عند فطره وفرحة عند لقاء ربهwhen he meets his Lord. When
عند لقاء ربه إذاand to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.
ولتكبروا الله على ما هداكم ولعلكم تشكرونThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, the joy is not for one who rejoices in what is forbidden.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Rejoicing in what is forbidden is not permissible. What is it?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Hiring someone to beat the drum at a wedding is permissible, because it is hiring for a permissible act. But I was told that the fee is exorbitant, much more than the work. They say the night might cost three hundred riyals?
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : No, Shaykh, may Allah guide you. This is like what you told me yesterday that there are cars costing one million riyals. Yes.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, tell us.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Yes, okay. The brother says that the issue is not just hiring for the drum; there are singers who are described as singers, and they come to sing with a band, and it may be musical. Yes, this is forbidden. It is not permissible for anyone to give her any of this, nor is it permissible for her to take anything, because the only permissible musical instrument at a wedding is the hand drum. As for music, it is forbidden and not permissible.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : As for whether it lasts all night, half the night, or a quarter of the night, that is a matter of custom. If there is no harm to others, there is nothing wrong if she continues beating the drum until the end of the night. But usually, there is harm, especially since some people use loudspeakers and annoy the people around them.