does so, for He says: “Whoever sets himself against Allah and His Messenger—then Allah is indeed severe in punishment.”

Added to this is the fact that it resembles the behavior of the unbelievers—such as the Christians and others—about whom Allah said, “who took their religion as play and pastime and were deluded by worldly life,” as well as the polytheists of whom He said, “Their prayer at the House was nothing but whistling and clapping.” The scholars explain that al-mukāʾ means whistling and al-taṣdiyah means clapping.⦗1⦘

For that reason the scholars, past and present, have strongly denounced it. Imām al-Shāfiʿī (may Allah have mercy on him) declared, “I left in Iraq something called al-taghyīr; it was introduced by the heretics to distract people from the Quran.”⦗2⦘

Aḥmad was asked about it and said, “It is an innovation.” In another narration he disliked it, forbade listening to it, and added, “If you see one of them on a road, take another road.”⦗3⦘

Al-taghyīr, as Ibn al-Qayyim and others described, is ascetic poetry chanted by a singer while some of those present strike a stick against a leather pad or a cushion in rhythm with the chant.