Fatwa #1382615 December 2005Pakistan
it has been observed that lobaan is frequently burnt on thursdays and children are held over the smoke of lobaan when newly born
Question
plz advise the correct sunnah way of utilising these. it has been observed that lobaan is frequently burnt on thursdays and children are held over the smoke of lobaan when newly born.
a few of my obersavations of the community also show a good resemblance to my pre-islamic past(mushrikeen). at a recent dhikr i noticed the burning of lobaan as well. this seems to be a culture amongst muslims of indian origin. plz advise me the correct sunnah way that i should adopt
Answer
As far as we know, this practice is not Sunnah. It probably originated as a way to impart a clean smell to the air, similar to the practice of the Arabs in burning ‘Oud’ (sandalwood). If somebody utilizes it for this purpose, it is permissible. To practice it as an independent Sunnah is a Bid’ah (innovation) that should be shunned.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai