Some Innovations in Condolence

This is a message we received from the questioner Abu Salman from Khartoum. He says in his message: We have a custom where, when a person dies, they do something called al-farash. Many people sit on this al-farash for seven days or forty days, and they bring in drums and hand drums, and they dance and clap. What is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding this?
Answer: This practice is reprehensible, and it is among the religious innovations for which Allah has sent down no authority. The al-farash, sitting on it for a specified number of days, or dancing, or singing, or wailing—all of this is reprehensible.
However, what is prescribed after death is to pray the funeral prayer over the deceased, to supplicate for him with forgiveness and mercy, and to prepare food for his family. His neighbors or relatives prepare food for them because they are occupied with the calamity. This is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) did when the news of the death of his cousin Ja'far, who was killed on the day of Mu'tah, reached him. He (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered his family to prepare food for the family of Ja'far, saying: So, if the neighbors or relatives prepare food for the family of the deceased to relieve them of the burden of food preparation due to the calamity, there is nothing wrong with it.
As for wailing over him, or adopting the aforementioned al-farash, taking turns sitting on it, or reciting, or doing anything else, or beating the hand drums... and drums, or anything similar to that, all of this is among the reprehensible religious innovations. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.