Clapping The Hands

QUESTION:

Is it permissible to clap our hands when singing Nazams?

ANSWER:

Clapping is from amongst the ways of the disbelievers. Hence, clapping is not permissible. During the days of ignorance, the polytheists used to whistle and clap when engaging in worship at Baitullah as understood from the verse below:

وَمَا كَانَ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ إِلَّا مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً فَذُوقُوا الْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ ]الأنفال: 35]

“And their prayer near the House was not more than whistling and clapping. So, taste the punishment, because you used to disbelieve.”

وأما الرقص والتصفيق والصريخ وضرب الأوتار والصنج والبوق الذي يفعله بعض من يدعي التصوف فإنه حرام بالإجماع لأنها زي الكفار كما في سكب الأنهر (حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح ص 319)

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Abdul Kader Fazlani

Date: 12 Muharram 1447 / 29 June 2026

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb