Is the zayr among the forbidden instruments of amusement or not? And what is the authenticity of the hadith that when Hamzah was cut up at Uhud, he struck the zayr and his flesh gathered together?
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The questioner : On the occasion of the festivals, O Shaykh: Now there are people who celebrate by striking the zayr, and they bring songs with swords and rifles. We rebuked them regarding the zayr, and they said: We want a fatwa from the Shaykh to clarify that, and what is the authenticity of the hadith that says about the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): That his uncle Hamzah was cut up at Uhud, and the zayr was angry, and the flesh of my uncle gathers.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : That his uncle Hamzah had his flesh cut up at Uhud, and that he struck the zayr, and that the flesh of my uncle gathers with this thing.
The Shaykh : And that what is it?
The questioner : So he struck the zayr and the flesh of Hamzah gathered.
The Shaykh : Did the Messenger strike it?
The questioner : They struck the zayr, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And the flesh gathered?
The questioner : The common people said: We want a detailed answer from the honorable Shaykh regarding the zayr, and we are ready to leave it...?
The Shaykh : What we understand is that the zayr is among the forbidden instruments of amusement, because it is not like the duff. The duff is what the Sunnah brought in days of weddings, and what was permitted in days of festivals.
The questioner : For men?
The Shaykh : In days of festivals, the duff.
The questioner : For men, honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : For men and women.
The Shaykh : For men and women in the matter of the festival, and in the matter of the wedding for women only. And some of the scholars said: for women and men, but we do not open the door in this matter.
As for the zayr, it is not so, because the zayr is louder in sound than the duff, and its melody is more pleasing to the human being, so it is not compared to it.
The questioner : So it is forbidden?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is forbidden, because the original ruling for musical instruments is that they are forbidden, so nothing from them is permitted except what came in the Sunnah by exception.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : That his uncle Hamzah had his flesh cut up at Uhud, and that he struck the zayr, and that the flesh of my uncle gathers with this thing.
The Shaykh : And that what is it?
The questioner : So he struck the zayr and the flesh of Hamzah gathered.
The Shaykh : Did the Messenger strike it?
The questioner : They struck the zayr, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And the flesh gathered?
The questioner : The common people said: We want a detailed answer from the honorable Shaykh regarding the zayr, and we are ready to leave it...?
The Shaykh : What we understand is that the zayr is among the forbidden instruments of amusement, because it is not like the duff. The duff is what the Sunnah brought in days of weddings, and what was permitted in days of festivals.
The questioner : For men?
The Shaykh : In days of festivals, the duff.
The questioner : For men, honorable Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : For men and women.
The Shaykh : For men and women in the matter of the festival, and in the matter of the wedding for women only. And some of the scholars said: for women and men, but we do not open the door in this matter.
As for the zayr, it is not so, because the zayr is louder in sound than the duff, and its melody is more pleasing to the human being, so it is not compared to it.
The questioner : So it is forbidden?
The Shaykh : Yes, it is forbidden, because the original ruling for musical instruments is that they are forbidden, so nothing from them is permitted except what came in the Sunnah by exception.