In the Name of Allaah…
Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan (may Allaah preserve him) said:
From the aspects of the pre-Islaamic period of ignorance (jaahiliyyah) that the Messenger of Allaah (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) opposed them in was their attempt to draw near to Allaah in worship by whistling and clapping. Allaah, the Most High, has said:
( وما كان صلاتهم عند البيت إلا مكاء وتصدية )
( Their prayer at the House (the Ka’bah) was but whistling and clapping ) [8:35]
This means that the polytheists would only try to draw near to Allaah at the prestigious Ka’bah by whistling and clapping…
…They would do this at the House (the Ka’bah), calling it “prayer”, thinking to draw near to Allaah, the Exalted and Most High. It was just one of the ways the devils of mankind and Jinn had beautified for them.
We know this because worship is something only done according to what Allaah, the Exalted and Most High, has legislated, and thus it is towqeefiyyah (restricted). People may not introduce any idea they personally like, nor anything they learned from someone else, which was not legislated by Allaah to be an act of worship done for Him, having no basis in the Islaamic legislation.
From this (Verse) we can derive the impermissibility of two things – whistling and clapping, even if a person did not intend them to be acts of worship. That is because it is an imitation of the polytheists (in their specific acts of worship).
Clapping has only been made permissible by the Prophet (may Allaah raise his rank and grant him peace) for women, specifically when there is a real need, like alerting the leader (of congregational prayer) about something he has forgotten in the prayer, since her voice may cause temptation among males (not from her family).
It is not permissible for a man to imitate the disbelievers, nor may he imitate the women by clapping. Since clapping is not even permissible (for men) when needed to alert the imaam about something he has forgotten in the prayer – he instead says “subhaan Allaah” – then it should be understood that it is even more clearly impermissible to clap without any real need.
In this is a clear refutation of those men who clap (applaud) at parties, imitating the disbelievers.
Source: Sharh Masaa’il al-Jaahiliyyah (p.104-105)
Translated by: Moosaa Richardson
For classes (free MP3 files), transcripts, slides, and other materials related to this important book, click here.
Assalaamu alaykum
Afwan, Just Need Clarification on This Matter, What about women who clap in weddings, is it prohibited in such a case?
BaarakAllaahu feeka
assalaam alaikum,
you now have this whistling-sound which many people use for their mobile phone for when they get a new message. I think mostly used by samsung, maybe iphone as well Allaahu a3lem. What is the ruling on using that sound?
السلام عليكم
Nowadays stores have come out with Ramadan Advent calendars, they are 3D calendars where you can open a flap to reveal a gift behind every calendar day. They are intended to be opened every passing day in Ramadan. Initially these were made for Christians who were counting down to Christmas, but now they have made these for Muslims too. If we buy these for children, is this considered to be partaking in an innovation and imitating the disbelievers?
Assalamu alaykum,
Could you kindly clarify the manner in which women are to ‘clap’ in order to alert the Imam? Does she simply clap with her hands or does she hit her thigh (as one of the Mashaykh recently answered) – I have come across different statemetents so was in need of a clarification regarding this matter. Jazakallahu khayran