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Fatwa CenterListening to Nasheed that includes clapping of hands
Question
Assalaamu alaykum. Is it permissible to listen to Nasheeds that have someone who is clapping their hands? There are Nasheeds that have zero music, but sometimes there could be someone who is using their hands to make clapping noises.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Those Nasheeds should not be listened to because they are accompanied by the clapping of hands, and some scholars are of the view that clapping is included in the 'Tasdiyah (clapping of hands)' that the polytheists used to do; and it is included in 'Taghbeer (striking a rod against a dried skin or something like that)' and the dispraised entertainment.
Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah 
said when speaking about 'Taghbeer':
“It accompanies the voice of the human being, either by clapping the hands or beating with a stick on the thigh or on a piece of dried skin, or beating with the hand on the other hand or with anything else on a Duff (a tambourine-like instrument without bells) or a drum, which resembles the bell of the Christians, or blowing a whistle, which resembles the horn of the Jews. Whoever does these forms of entertainment as a means of worship and getting closer to Allah, then undoubtedly he is misguided and ignorant. But if he did it only to enjoy himself, then the four Imaams are of the view that all the musical instruments are forbidden.”
He also said, “The Salaf (pious predecessors) said, ‘The 'Mukaa' (mentioned in Quran verse 8:35) means whistling; and 'Tasdiyah' (mentioned in the same verse) is clapping with the hand. The polytheists used to gather in the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) and clap and shout as an act of worship and prayer; so Allah rebuked them for this and considered this among the falsehood which He forbade.’”
Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen was asked in the Open Door Meeting about the ruling on clapping in schools, and he replied, “Whoever does it for the sake of entertainment, such as those who clap in Nasheeds (Islamic songs), then this is forbidden entertainment...”
However, some scholars of Fiqh considered that clapping is permissible to improve the Nasheed, but staying away from it is safer.
Allah knows best.
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