The Ruling on the Daf at a Nikah

Question

From the words of most jurists the permissibility, indeed the desirability (istihbab), of beating the daf at the time of a nikah (that is, playing the frame drum, which the Bhangi — a member of the sweeper caste — plays) is understood, and from “Takmilat Fath al-Qadir” the permissibility of the tabl (drum) is also understood. What is the decisive word on this? Is taking part in such a wedding permissible or not? What is the reality of the tabl?

Answer

The actual purpose is the announcement of the nikah, and the daf is one means to it. Once the purpose has been achieved, obtaining the means is pointless. In the books of fiqh and hadith the permissibility of the daf, or encouragement of it, is mentioned in precisely this capacity. According to some other imams, announcement is binding (lazim)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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