Q: I have come across the below hadith which people are using to justify dancing. I would appreciate if mufti could please provide an explanation or clarify this issue. Are we allowed to dance in Islam?
Imam Ahmad reports the following narration in his Musnad :
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الصَّمَدِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ عَنْ ثَابِتٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ كَانَتْ الْحَبَشَةُ يَزْفِنُونَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَيَرْقُصُونَ وَيَقُولُونَ مُحَمَّدٌ عَبْدٌ صَالِحٌ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا يَقُولُونَ قَالُوا يَقُولُونَ مُحَمَّدٌ عَبْدٌ صَالِحٌ
Anas ibn Maalik (radhiya Allahu ‘anhu) said that the Abyssinians danced in front of Rasulullah (SAWS) (sallalllahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) while saying “Muhammad is a Righteous Slave” (in ethiopian) upon which Rasulullah (SAWS) (sallallahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam asked, “What are they saying?” And they responded in Arabic, “Muhummadun ‘Abdun Saalihun”.
Shaykh Shu’ayb Al Arna’ut states in his ta’liq of the Musnad Ahmad, “It is authentic, and all of the men are the two Sahihs except for Hammad ibn Salamah, and he is from the men of Imam Muslim.”
This narration is also reported from our mother ‘Aa’ishah (radhiya Allahu ‘anhaa) as follows:
قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ وَضَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَقْنِي عَلَى مَنْكِبَيْهِ لِأَنْظُرَ إِلَى زَفْنِ الْحَبَشَةِ حَتَّى كُنْتُ الَّتِي مَلِلْتُ فَانْصَرَفْتُ عَنْهُم
“‘Aa’ishah stated that Rasulullah (SAWS) put her cheek on his shoulder while looking at the Abyssinians dance…”
The narration of Imam Muslim, however, has the words, “…on the day of ‘Eid in the Masjid…”. These narrations are proof that the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) allowed dancing in his presence. It further proves that one can dance while performing worship with the tongue and heart, as the Abyssinians were chanting “Muhammad is a Righteous Slave”, which is affirmation of the Prophethood, as well as the testimony of faith.
A hadith referenced in there I think is this, from a translation of Sahih Bukhari.
Narrated 'Aisha: Once I saw Allah's Apostle at the door of my house while some Ethiopians were playing in the mosque (displaying their skill with spears). Allah's Apostle was screening me with his Rida' so as to enable me to see their display. ('Urwa said that 'Aisha said, "I saw the Prophet and the Ethiopians were playing with their spears.")
