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Question:
What is ruling on men clapping? Is it considered an imitation of the
disbelievers?
Answer:
Seeking the help of Almighty Allah, I say:
Those who have judged men clapping as detestable or forbidden have
considered it to be an imitation of women; because they are commanded to
clap when something needs to be corrected in prayer. Some scholars also
consider it as an imitation of the polytheists who used to clap in their
prayers at the Sacred House.
Those who consider clapping to be an imitation of women have
depended on the Sunnah to prove that. They have also quoted narrations from
the Sunnah regarding the prohibition of imitating women and cursing those
who do so.
The evidence that clapping is an action of women is the Sahîh hadîth
narrated by Sahl Ibn Sa`d As-Sâ`idî, who said: Allah's Messenger (peace be
upon him) went to the clan of Banû `Amr Ibn `Awf to make peace between them.
It was time for prayer so the Mu'adhdhin (caller) came to Abû Bakr and asked
him, "Will you lead the people in prayer so I may do the second call for
prayer?" He agreed. Thus, Abû Bakr led the prayer. Thereupon, Allah's
Messenger (peace be upon him) came while people were praying, so he joined
the prayer and stood in the line. Abû Bakr did not turn around while
praying, but when the people continued to clap he turned around. However,
the Prophet (peace be upon him) indicated to him to stay in his place.
Hence, Abû Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) raised his hands and praised
Allah the Almighty for what Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) had
commanded him to do. Then he (Abû Bakr) retreated until he straightened up
the line. Therefore, Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) stepped forward
and led the prayer. When he (peace be upon him) finished the prayer, he
asked (Abû Bakr), "What prevented you from staying in your place when I
commanded you to do so?" Abû Bakr replied, "It was not for Ibn Abû Quhâfah
to lead the prayer in front of Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him).” Then
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Why did you clap so much?
Whoever doubts something in prayer should glorify Allah the Almighty (say
subhâna Allâh), because if he says subhâna Allâh, attention will be paid to
him. Indeed, clapping is for women."
The apparent meaning of this hadîth is that clapping is restricted to women.
Ash-Shawkânî said in his book Nayl Al-Awtâr: "The Prophet's saying, 'Indeed,
clapping is for women,' is proof that men are absolutely prevented from
clapping.”
However, it appears that the permission given to women to clap is
restricted to prayer, but outside the prayer, they are the same as men in
this ruling. Also, the forbiddance to clap outside prayer requires
particular proof, and Allah knows best.
Those who consider clapping an imitation of the polytheists' prayer at the
Sacred House have depended on the verse in which Allah the Almighty says,
"And their prayer at the House was not except whistling and handclapping. So
taste the punishment for what you disbelieved." [Al-Anfâl: 35].
However, I doubt that it is correct to consider clapping an imitation of
what the polytheists used to do in their prayer at the Sacred house. This is
because imitating them requires an intention. In addition, there are forms
of clapping done by people who do not know that the people of
Al-Jâhiliyyah[1] used to clap at the Sacred House. Therefore, how can we
say they are imitating the polytheists while nothing of the sort came to
their minds?
For that reason, it should be understood that judging something is the
result of imagining it. In addition, since the forms of clapping differ in
accordance with the intentions of those who clap and their state, the ruling
on this issue differs from one case to another, as follows:
First, taking clapping as an act of worship or clapping during the
performance of a legitimate act of worship is totally forbidden. This is
because it is considered an imitation of the disbelievers in their worship;
as well as being an innovation in religion.
It is known that clapping is common in innovated sessions of commemoration
by extremist Sufîs. Scholars have dispraised this kind of clapping, and
reproached those who do it. Furthermore, they have strongly denied people
from doing so, whether with the palm of the hand, the backs of the hands or
through putting the palm of the hand on the back of the other hand and vice
versa.
Al-`Izz Ibn `Abdus-Salâm, the sultan of the scholars (may Allah have mercy
on him) said, "Whoever fears Allah the Almighty and realizes that He should
be Exalted is not to dance or clap. Such things are only done by the one who
is foolish and ignorant. They can never be done by a rational, virtuous
person. The proof that such people are ignorant is that Islamic Sharî`ah has
never referred to them in the Qur'ân or Sunnah. Moreover, none of the
prophets or the knowledgeable ones from among the followers of the prophets
did such things. Indeed, this is only done by ignorant people to whom
reality is confused with whims. Allah, Exalted be He, states, "And We have
sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things." The righteous
predecessors and the late scholars never did anything like that.
Some people may do that or think it is a personal desire, not an act of
piety that draws them nearer to his Lord. If they are people that others
imitate and think they are doing so as a pious act, what an evil deed it is
as they are making people think it is an act of piety. Indeed, it is one of
the worst follies. [Qawâ`id Al-Ahkâm: 2/220, 221]
Second: Clapping out of delight because something happened that caused joy
and happiness is permissible or even recommended through rational and
textual proofs. One may also clap to encourage those who have done a good
thing. There is no proof that this is prohibited. However, one is obligated
to abide by the rulings of Islamic Sharî`ah; thus this kind of clapping is
not permissible unless three conditions are fulfilled:
The first condition: The one who is clapping should not believe that it is
legally recommended, because legal recommendation is based on textual proof.
Thus, nothing should be said to be recommended unless there is proof for
that.
The second condition: It should not be compared to a recommended act like
Takbîr[2] or Tasbîh[3] (saying subhana Allah) when seeing or hearing a good
thing. This is because comparing something to what is legitimate is a sign
of innovation.
The third condition: When clapping one should not intend to imitate the
disbelievers by approving of what they do, or preferring that to what is
known to be done by Muslims in the same regard.
Note: A scholar has spoken about the forms of clapping. He differentiated
between clapping using the two palms of the hands and clapping by using the
palm of one hand and the back of the other.
In his book Al-Majmû`, Imâm An-Nawawî said, "Tasbîh is recommendable for one
to attract the attention of the Imam in prayer, if something occurs such as
forgetfulness. It is also recommended to give permission to some one who
wants to enter a house. Likewise, Tasbîh is recommended to warn a blind man
lest he might fall into a hole or to warn a heedless person, a child or
someone who is attacked by an oppressor or a beast. It is recommended for a
man to say Tasbîh while a woman should clap. A woman should clap by striking
the palm of the right hand on the back of the left hand or vice versa. She
may also clap through striking the back of the right hand on the palm of the
left hand or vice versa. As for striking the palms of the hands on one
another, Ar-Râfi`î said, 'It should not be done like that because it is
playing. Besides, if a woman does that by way of playing while she knows it
is forbidden; her prayer becomes invalid, even if it was just a little. This
is because playing is contradictory to the actions of prayer." [1/196]
I say: "I do not know of any proof that differentiates between the forms of
clapping, unless it is a way to avoid dispraise according to those who
consider it playing. Scholars sought a reference for that in the Arabic
language. Some of them maintained that striking the palm of a hand on the
back of the other is called tasfîh not tasfîq (clapping), so the doer is not
dispraised. I have seen some of the Sufis in Aleppo doing that and
considering it to be tasfîh, not tasfîq. They do that in the sessions of
commemoration or when one of them is in a state of ecstasy due to listening
to a chant or a poem. They depend on a narration in the Two Sahîhs[4] and
other compilations, which contain the words, "Tasfîh is for no one but
women", instead of "Indeed, clapping is for women." This narration is also
mentioned in the Sunan of Abû Dâwûd with a chain of transmission that Shaykh
Al-Albânî said it sahîh, yet disconnected. On the authority of `îsâ Ibn
Ayyûb, who said: "The saying, '"Tasfîh is for no one but women' means that a
woman strikes with two fingers of her right hand on the palm of the left
hand."
Imâm An-Nawawî said in the commentary on Sahîh Muslim [4/164]: "It is
recommended for the one to whom something occurred in the prayer such as
informing the one who seeks permission to enter the house, or if he wants to
attract the attention of the Imam to say tasbîh if he is a man; he should
say "subhâna Allâh". And women should tasfîh by striking the palm of the
right hand on the back of the left hand. She should not strike the palm of
the right hand on the palm of the left hand by way of playing and amusement.
If she does so, her prayer becomes invalid because playing is contradictory
to the actions of prayer.”
Moreover, in his book Nayl Al-Awtâr, Imam Ash-Shawkânî (may Allah have mercy
on him) said: "Zaynud-Dîn Al-`Irâq said, 'The famous opinion is that
'Tasfîh' and 'Tasfîq' have the same meaning.' `Uqbah said, 'Tasfîh is the
same as Tasfîq.' This was also said by Abû `Alî Al-Baghdâdî, Al-Khattâbî and
Al-Jawharî. Moreover, Ibn Hazm said, 'There is no difference among scholars
that tasfîh and tasfîq have the same meaning; beating one palm against the
other.' Al-`Irâqî said, 'Saying that there is no difference between tasfîq
and tasfîh is not correct. Rather, there are two other opinions in this
regard: First, tasfîh is striking with the palm of one hand on the back of
the other, while tasfîq is beating the palm of one hand against the palm of
the other. This opinion is maintained by the authors of Al-Kamâl and
Al-Mufhim. The second opinion states that tasfîh is beating with two fingers
while tasfîq is beating with all the fingers for the sake of amusement.'"
This is what I say, and Allah is Most Knowledgeable, Most Wise. My success
is only through Allah the Almighty. Upon Him I have relied, and to Him I
return.
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[1] Al- Jâhiliyyah is an Arabic word that means the pre-Islamic period of
ignorance.
[2] Takbîr refers to saying "Allahu Akbar, i.e. Allah is Great.
[3] Tasbîh means saying "Subhana Allah" i.e. Glory be to Allah.
[4] The Two Sahîhs refers to the two authentic books of Al-Bukhârî and
Muslim.
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