Fatwa #4588210 April 2022Pakistan
Ramadan decor - Is this permissible?
Question
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
Respected Muftiyaan Kiraam
There have been many debates and discussions on Social media and WhatsApp groups regarding the following:
Many of us (moms and teachers) have been decorating the home or Madrasah in anticipation of Ramadaan specifically with the intention of encouragement for the children. Many of us did many crafts with the children and used simple resources.
Some decorations we have done in previous years are: moon binoculars, placemats, banners of Ramadaan Mubarak, countdown to Ramadaan, pretty coloured charts with virtues and duas for Ramadaan on it etc.
Many have been also been placing Ramadaan balloons and fairy lights also.
A certain group has labelled all this as bid'ah and impermissible. Some others have said that we should not engage in these as it is going to cause a problem in later years like how 'Aashuraa gifting has become a big affair.
Will the same laws apply to Eid as well?
Can the Muftiyaan Kiraam please advise on this.
Jazakumullahu khayra
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Sister in Islam,
Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) used to explain the Sahabas the importance and virtues of Ramadhan before the commencement of the month of Ramadhan in order to condition their minds on the importance of Ramadhan. When one understands the importance and virtue of something, he will approach it with the importance that it deserves. The mind of every person is conditioned according to his situation. The mind of adults are conditioned by explaining importance and virtues. That is sufficient for them.
The minds of children are conditioned according to what appeals to them. It is permissible to condition the mind of the children on the importance of Ramadhan through various permissible means, for example, decorations of the moon, moon binoculars, placemats, banners of Ramadhan with duas of fasting on condition one does not regard all this to be compulsory and use them as more means to encourage children and create an atmosphere of Ramadhan for the children. This is similar to having alphabetical charts in a nursery class room. We advise against balloons and fairy lights.
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best
M. Akhtar
Student Darul Iftaa
South Africa
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
(2020-08-05)