Fatwa ID: 06956

Answered by: Alimah Sherbhanu Jadwat

Question:

Asalaamu alaikum. Hope you are well. Quick question if I may. My sister bakes and gets requests for weddings and occasional cakes often with messages that include wordings such as Masha’Allah and barakallah etc. All her decorations are either edible or washable or even removable. Is this permissible to do so

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

Answer:

The Name ‘ALLAH’ is Greatest , Most Sanctified . It deserves the highest levels of honour and respect. If it is written down, one should avoid even touching it, if one happens to be in a state of impurity.

It is highly improper to use it as part of a cake decoration, whether eaten, washed or removed. Furthermore weddings and similar occasions may be accompanied by varying degrees of laxity and sinning.

One should rather substitute the written messages with positive affirmations , eg ‘so proud of you’, and verbally express the Masha-Allah and duas.

Allah informs us in Surah Haj , verse 32

ذٰلِكَ وَمَنۡ يُّعَظِّمۡ شَعَآٮِٕرَ اللّٰهِ فَاِنَّهَا مِنۡ تَقۡوَى الۡقُلُوۡبِ

…whoever honors the symbols of Allah – indeed, it is from the piety of hearts.

Only Allah (عز و جل) Knows Best.

Written by Alimah Sherbhanu Jadwat

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham