Q: Your Eminence, there are many festivals that are held in our blessed country nowadays. These festivals rest basically on: Singing, bringing singers from inside and abroad, distracting people from what benefits them in their religion and in this worldly life as well as the fact that it is a kind of wasting money in things that do not please Allah. Could you kindly issue a Fatwa in this regard and warn our Muslim brothers against indulging therein? May Allah reward you and let Muslims benefit from your knowledge! As-salamu `alaykum warahmatullah wabarakatuh (May Allah's Peace, Mercy, and Blessings be upon you).The Committee perused the question submitted to the Grand Mufty by some questioners and which was referred to it from the Secretariat General of the Council of Senior Scholars no. 1577 on 7/3/1420 A.H. The question reads as follows:Some notable people in our territory on such days (summer holidays) have some features in their celebrations such as: Inviting many singers, poets and actors from inside and outside the Kingdom when holding their various ceremonies and inviting people to attend them. We would like to ask about the following:1. What is the ruling on holding these ceremonies, which are full of singing and where musical instruments are used?2. What is the ruling on spending, encouraging and being pleased with them? (Part No. 26; Page No. 226) What is the ruling on bringing non-Muslim singers, paying for them, listening to their songs, encouraging them and being pleased with their presence?3. What is the ruling on the audience who listens to them?Could you kindly advise? May Allah reward you, because some people think these things are lawful and Shari`ah does not prohibit all the cases mentioned above? May Allah reward you!

A: It is forbidden for a Muslim to hold a ceremony or festival which includes many abominable acts such as singing, free mixing between men and women and bringing sorcerers and charmers. There are abundant Shar`y proofs which prohibit these matters as they are from the means leading to committing what Allah has prohibited. Allah warns those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe and incite people to this, that they will have a painful torment. He (Glorified be He) says, Verily, those who like that (the crime of) illegal sexual intercourse should be propagated among those who believe, they will have a painful torment in this world and in the Hereafter. If it is well known that holding these ceremonies and festivals are prohibited, then attending, spending money on and calling for them are prohibited too. It is a kind of wasting money in things that do not please Allah and cooperation in misdeed and aggression. Allah (Exalted be He) says, (Part No. 26; Page No. 227)  Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment. It is related in the agreed upon Hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to forbid the wasting of property. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.