Hosting Jalsahs
QUESTION:
Please provide in detail, the Shari’ee perspective on hosting Jalsahs or Annual Madrassah Programmes. What is their standing in Shari’ah – are they considered praiseworthy, permissible, or otherwise?
Additionally, I would appreciate some clarity on the practice of awarding gifts or prizes to children during such events – is this something encouraged?
ANSWER:
Firstly, one should remember that being blessed with memorization of the Quraan-e-Majeed and acquiring the knowledge of Deen, is a great bounty of Allah Ta’ala. Hence, if a Jalsah is held with the intention of celebrating this great bounty of Allah Ta’ala (in gratitude for the bounty), and at the same time serving as a means of encouragement to others (to become Huffaadh or Ulama), then doing so will be permissible, with the proviso that the Jalsah is kept within the confines of Shariah and without indulging in any form of extravagance. It will be meritorious to invite close family members, relatives, friends and poor people for the occasion.
However, all actions should be carried out with Ikhlaas, i.e. purely for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala, while any action carried out with the intention of show and pride will not be accepted in the court of Allah Ta’ala, rather, one will be involved in an act that is Haraam. Hence, sincerity and having the correct intention is essential when hosting Jalsahs, as explained above, otherwise, leave aside attaining reward, one will be involved in sin by hosting such functions as explained above.
Also, if hosting Jalsahs in our era have become a customary practice, or is considered as necessary or obligatory on every occasion (of completion of Quraan Sharif or on completion of Bukhaari Sharif or Qiraat), then discarding such a practice will be necessary.
In such an instance, food may be prepared and secretly distributed amongst the poor, or to the students of the institute where the student graduated, or some sweetmeats may be distributed amongst the Asaatidhah. We do hope that the above explanation clarifies the matter.
Secondly, giving prizes and gifts to the top three achievers in class is generally to encourage students to work hard and to strive to acquire excellent results. When Sahaabah Radiallahu Anhum would participate in Jihaad, then Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam would announce, “Whoever killed the enemy on the battlefield, then for him is whatever (goods) were taken from the killed.”
It is recorded in Umdatul Ahkaam that giving the killer the goods, are for encouragement and to create zeal in fighting the enemy. Hence, it will be fundamentally permissible to award children as an encouragement to excel in Islamic studies. However, children should also be told that as Muslims, our intention should always be to please Allah Ta’ala. The award is in appreciation of their hard work, but every action is carried out for the pleasure of Allah Ta’ala. It should not be that the child grows up with the mindset that he needs to be rewarded for every good deed carried out.
عَن ابْن عمر قَالَ: تعلم عمر الْبَقَرَة فِي اثْنَتَيْ عشرَة سنة فَلَمَّا خَتمهَا نحر جزورا ( الدر المنثور 1/54)
من قتل قتيلاً له عليه بينة فله سلبه اخرجه الشيخان. (بخاری رقم: ۳۱۴۲، ومسلم، رقم: ۱۷۵)
قال في شرح سنن ابن ماجه: قال في الدر وندب للإمام أن ينفل وقت القتال حضاً وتــحــريــضـاً فيقول : من قتل قتيلاً فله سلبه فالتحريض نفسه واجب للأمر به . (شرح سنن ابن ماجه: ۱/ ۲۰۵(
وقال في شرح عمدة الأحكام إعطاء القاتل سلب قتيله من باب التشجيع والتحمس على قتال الأعداء . (شرح عمدة: ۱ /۷۴۴)
وأيضاً قال فيه: إعطاء بعض الجيش زيادة على أسهمهم أو تخصيص بعض السرايا بزيادة على غيرهم ، لقصد المصلحة والترغيب والتشجيع . (شرح عمدة الأحكام: ۷۵۱/۱)
(فتاوی دار العلوم زکريا 8/382)
[Re: – Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah Pg.304 Vol.5]
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Abdul Kader Fazlani
Date: 04 Jumaadal-Ulaa 1447 / 26 October 2025
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb