restricted to the particular case in which it was transmitted. The other musical instruments cannot be analogized to the daff, because they have a stronger effect than the daff on account of their sounds and tones; people are more delighted by them than by the daff.

Furthermore, some of them select the woman with the most beautiful voice and have her sing. Then they place nothing between the women and the men except a low wall that prevents them from seeing one another but does not prevent the sound from carrying. This leads to temptation. At times—may Allah protect us—they even set up loudspeakers in the marketplaces. There is no doubt that this is a temptation. When matters reach this point, those in authority must prevent it and make people aware that this is not what the texts have permitted.

It says in al-Rawd (1): “Likewise, circumcision, the arrival of an absent person, childbirth, and the conclusion of a marriage contract.”

As for circumcision, it is the removal of the foreskin of the male organ. According to the author of al-Rawd, beating the daff is recommended on this occasion.

As for the arrival of an absent person, the sunnah has established its permissibility. A woman came to the Prophet ﷺ and said to him, “I vowed that, if Allah returned you safely, I would beat the daff before you.” He said, “Fulfill your vow.” (2) Had this been an act of disobedience, he would have prevented her from fulfilling the vow, for no vow involving disobedience to Allah may be fulfilled.