Question: What is the correct opinion on clapping in School?
Shaikh: “There is no harm in clapping in school to encourage the students because there is no evidence for its prohibition nor its dislike.
Questioner: However, in terms of resembling the disbelievers?
Shaikh: There is no resemblance of the disbelievers. All the Muslims do this now. Imam Malik mentioned and Ibn Hajr recorded it from him in Fath ul-Baari that: if something becomes popular and spreads between the Muslims and the disbelievers, then resemblance is removed. This is because the meaning of resemblance is to do what is specific to the disbelievers. If the specification is removed then it is not resemblance. As for what is done by way of amusement like those who clap during a nasheed then this is a prohibited amusement.
As for what they do [of clapping] as a form of worship like the Sufis and the likes of them, then this is even worse. This is a detestable innovation and it resembles the prayer of the polytheists at the Bayt ul-Haram about which Allah says:
مَا كَانَ صَلاتُهُمْ عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ إِلاَّ مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً
Their Salat (prayer) at the House (of Allah, i.e. the Ka’bah at Makkah) was nothing but whistling and clapping of hands. Therefore taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve
[8:35]
However, our statement that clapping is allowed to encourage the students does not mean we order them to do it. We do not order them to do it, but we do not prohibit them”.
[Liqaa Bab al-Maftooh no. 203]
Translated by
Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan
