The Cry of Takbir and Flower Garlands for Pilgrims

Question

For fifteen or twenty years it has become customary that, when seeing off pilgrims and when welcoming them on their return, people put garlands of flowers around their necks and fervently raise the cry of takbir. Zayd regards this act as a disliked innovation (bid‘a makruha) and as ostentation and display, and considers it impermissible; Bakr regards it as a permissible (mubah) act, and the cry of takbir as commendable (mustahsan) and an exaltation of the symbols of Islam. Which of the two is correct?

Answer

Originally the cry of takbir was instituted for exalting the symbols of Islam; thus the cry of takbir is established on precisely such occasions as the acceptance of Islam by Hazrat ‘Umar ﵁, the killing of Abu Jahl, the conquest of the fortress of Antioch, and so on.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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