The duff is a musical instrument similar to a tambourine, though it has no bells or cymbals.
Singing accompanied by the beating of duff is an approved type of lahw (vanity) for WOMEN during the Eid. Aa'ishah (RU) said:
"Allaah's Messenger (SAW) entered (my house) when I had two little girls singing the songs of Bu`aath (Pre-Islaamic war lore) and beating on a duff; so he lay down on the bed and turned his face away. Then Abu Bakr came in and scolded me saying, 'The flutes of Shaytaan (the Devil) played in the presence of Allaah's Messenger?' So Allaah's Messenger (SAW) turned toward him and said, Leave them alone, O Abu Bakr! Every people have an Eid, and this is our Eid." (Al-Bukhaaree, Muslim, Amad, and Ibn Maajah)
After Abu Bakr (RA) left this situation Umar (RA) arrived and the girls ran away. Upon the children running away the Prophet (SAW) said that shaytan always runs when Umar enters the room.
Of course the two little girls were not Shaytan. Therefore once again this proves that musical instruments are Shaytan (including the duff).
Al-Baghawee commented on this hadeeth by saying: "Bu'aath is a famous battle of the Arabs, in which there was a great victory for the Aws over the Khazraj. The war between the two tribes went on for one hundred and twenty years - until Islaam came. The two girls were singing poetry that described fighting and courage, the mention of which is supportive to the Deen.
But as for songs that involve mentioning sins, announcing prohibited matters, and displaying evil deeds - it is all prohibited. And it is impossible that anything like that would ever take place in the Prophet's (SAW) presence without him objecting adamantly to it.
And as for his saying this is our Eid, it provides the reason for displaying joy in the two Eids as being a symbol of the Deen, because they are different from other days." (Sharh us-Sunnah 4:322)
From this hadeeth, and other subsequent evidence, it is important to note the following:
* The Prophet (SAW) did NOT object to Abu Bakr's statement that THE DUFF, BEING A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT, IS A FLUTE OF SHAYTAAN. This is taken as an approval from him (SAW) of this general rule, which conforms with other authentic evidence prohibiting the use of musical instruments (including the duff).
* He (SAW) modified Abu Bakr's (RA) understanding by indicating that there is an exception to this general rule on specific occasions (such as Eids).
* The occasions in which Islaam permits WOMEN (not men) to beat on the duff are the following:
* On these occasions, HEARING the beating (not beating themselves) of duff is permitted for men, for Allaah's Messenger (SAW) did so and approved of it, as is seen in the above hadeeth. However, it is NOT permissible for men to listen to women's singing, because this is a unjustifiable source of great fitnah. The Prophet's (SAW) listening to two little girls does not constitute an evidence in this regard.
* Because of the general texts prohibiting the use of musical instruments in general, the only musical instrument that the WOMEN (not men) are permitted to use is the duff; deriving any analogy from this to other instruments is wrong, and is in clear violation of simple principles of fiqh and reason.
* This privilege of using the duff is NOT GRANTED TO MEN ON ANY OCCASION - as will be discussed below.
* The permission given to sing during the Eids applies only to acceptable poetry that encourages good deeds and behavior. It cannot be extended to the songs calling to sins and disobedience, as is common in many cultures (see the earlier citation from al-Baghawee).
As indicated above, there are NO REPORTS that the male companions beat on the duff. Thus, beating on the duff is allowed for WOMEN (not men) because it is typical of them, and Allaah's Messenger permitted them to do it, but he (SAW) forbade men's imitation of women and vice-versa. This view is upheld by the majority of the scholars; for instance, Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (ra) said: "The Prophet (SAW) permitted some types of rejoicing on the occasion of weddings and their like. He permitted the WOMEN (not men), as well, to beat the duff during weddings and festivities. As for the men, during his time, not one of them would beat the duff nor clap their hands. Rather it is confirmed in the Two Saheehs that He (SAW) said:
"Clapping the hands is for WOMEN (not men); and raising the voice with tasbeeh [Saying subhaanallaah (may Allaah (SWT) be exalted)] is for men.
And: Allaah (SWT) curses those men who imitate women, and those woman who imitate men.
And singing and beating the duff are of the acts typical of women. Because of this, the righteous pious predecessors labeled the man who did that, effeminate." (Majmoo` ul-Fataawee 11:565)
And Ibn Qudmah (RA) said: "As for beating it (the duff) for men, it is makruh (A hateful act) in ALL situations. It as only done by WOMEN (not men); and if men do it, they would be imitating the women; and the Prophet (SAW) has cursed those men who imitate the women." (Al-Mughnee 9:17)
Ibn Hajar al-Haythamee, commenting on Ibn Qudaamah's words, said: "It is obvious that his words mean its prohibition (for men)." (Kaff ur-Ru`aa` 35)
And Ibn ajar al-Asqalaanee said: "The hadeeth that says, 'Announce (masculine plural command) the weddings and beat (masculine plural command) the duff for it,' is used by some people as an evidence that beating the duff is not specific to women. However, this hadeeth is unauthentic; and the authentic hadeeths (in this regard) give that permission to do that for women. Men cannot be included in that because of the general prohibition for men to imitate them." (Fath ul-Baaree 9:226)
Al-Mubarakpuree (ra) agreed with this statement from Ibn Hajar, and he added: "The fuqahaa' (scholars) have said that the duff is that which has no bells, as Ibn al-Hammaam mentioned... Likewise, the permissible singing during weddings is specific to WOMEN; it is NOT allowed for men." (Tuhfat ul-Awathee 4:210)
And Ibn Katheer (ra) said: "... Nothing is excluded from that prohibition of musical instruments, except beating the duff for the young girls - during Eid days, at the arrival of a respected individual from travel, and during weddings - as has been indicated in the hadeeths, and as has been established in various places. And permitting that in SOME situations does NOT lead to permitting it in ALL situations." (Commentary on Ibn ul-Qayyim's book, "Al-Kalaamu fee Mas'alat is-Samaa`")
Common in our times are the ugly scenes prophesied by Allaah's Messenger (SAW) in which men and women gather to entertain themselves with musical instruments and other prohibited acts. (Al-Bukhaaree, Abu Daawood, al-Bayhaqee and others)
May Allaah (SWT) guide the Muslims to what is good for them in both lives. Ameen!
Information from Celebrations in Islaam by Dr. Jibaly