Fatwa ID: 03467

Answered by: Maulana Abdul Muktader

Question

Is it written in the Quran that matam is haram or halal?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Allah mentioned in the Holy Quran;

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا – 33:21

There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.

The Arabic term 'matam' refers in general to an act or gesture of mourning. In Shia Islam, the term designates acts of lamentation for the martyrs of Karbala.

عن ابن مسعود – رضي الله عنه – قال: قال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم -: «ليس منا من ضرب الخدود، وشق الجيوب، ودعا بدعوى الجاهلية»

Ibn Masud (RadhiAllahu Ta’ala Anhu) that Allah’s Messenger (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said,” He is not one of us who hits the face, tears the clothes, and makes the calls of Jahiliyyah.” (Bukhari)

عن أسيد بن أبي أسيد التابعي، عن امرأة من المبايعات، قالت: كان فيما أخذ علينا رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – في المعروف الذي أخذ علينا أن لا نعصيه فيه: أن لا نخمش وجها، ولا ندعو ويلا، ولا نشق جيبا، وأن لا ننثر شعرا. رواه أبو داود

Usayd Bin Abi Usayd (RadhiAllahu Ta’ala Anhu) reported that one of the women who gave Ba’yah to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) told him that the Prophet required from them, ”You will not disobey me in any matter of righteousness, nor scratch your faces, nor wail, nor tear your clothes, nor dishevel your hair.” (Abu Dawud)

Wailing is weeping or crying that exceeds moderateness to the level of screaming. It is often associated with words of excessive praise for the deceased or objection against Allah’s decree[1].

Also, hitting and scratching the body and face, dishevelling the hair and tearing clothes etc, are all prohibited acts of grieving.

Only Allah knows best