Written by: Qārī Usāmah bin ʿAbd al-Salām
﴿ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا ﴾
(al-Nisāʾ 4:29)
Translation: And do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is ever Merciful to you.
This prohibition covers not only suicide but also every act of self-harm — including zanjīr zani (self-flagellation with chains) and qamah zani (striking oneself with swords).
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ: بَرِيءٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الصَّالِقَةِ وَالْحَالِقَةِ وَالشَّاقَّةِ
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1294, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1032)
Translation: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ disowned the woman who screams, the one who shaves her head (in mourning), and the one who tears her clothes.
This shows that lamentation, screaming, and self-harm are against the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.
"لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَطَمَ الْخُدُودَ، وَشَقَّ الْجُيُوبَ، وَدَعَا بِدَعْوَى الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1297, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 103)
Translation: He is not from us who strikes his cheeks, tears his clothes, and calls with the slogans of Jāhiliyyah.
He lashed a woman for wailing and striking her chest.
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq 6712)
The Companions considered such actions major sins.
"كان علي بن الحسين لا يُذكَر عنده الحسين إلا بكى، ولكن ما كان يضرب وجهه ولا صدره، وكان ينهى عن ذلك"
(al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā – Ibn Saʿd 5/213)
Translation: When Ḥusayn (RA) was mentioned in his presence, he would weep, but he did not strike his face or chest; rather, he forbade such acts.
"ليس من ديننا اللطم ولا شق الجيوب"
(al-Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah – Bāb Ḥurmat al-Laṭm wa-l-Taṭbīr, ḥadīth 10175)
Translation: Beating the face and tearing clothes is not part of our religion.
"النياحة من عمل الجاهلية، ولا تجوز في الإسلام"
(al-Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah 27/93)
Translation: Wailing is from the practices of Jāhiliyyah, and it is not permissible in Islam.
The consensus of the majority of scholars is:
❝ Zanjīr zani, qamah zani, and all forms of self-harm are ḥarām and an evil innovation. ❞
(see Fatāwā Ibn Taymiyyah 24/221; al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā by Ibn Bāz 1/153)
﴿ قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا، وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا ﴾
(al-Shams 91:9–10)
Translation: Indeed, successful is the one who purifies his soul, and doomed is the one who corrupts it.
True love for Ḥusayn (RA) and Ahl al-Bayt lies in following the Sunnah, not in committing bidʿah and self-destructive acts.
❖ In the Light of the Qur’an
➊ Deliberately Harming Oneself is Ḥarām
﴿ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا ﴾
(al-Nisāʾ 4:29)
Translation: And do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is ever Merciful to you.
This prohibition covers not only suicide but also every act of self-harm — including zanjīr zani (self-flagellation with chains) and qamah zani (striking oneself with swords).❖ In the Light of Aḥādīth
➋ Harming Oneself and Wailing is Prohibited
عَنْ أَبِي مُوسَى قَالَ: بَرِيءٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مِنَ الصَّالِقَةِ وَالْحَالِقَةِ وَالشَّاقَّةِ
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1294, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1032)
Translation: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ disowned the woman who screams, the one who shaves her head (in mourning), and the one who tears her clothes.
This shows that lamentation, screaming, and self-harm are against the teachings of the Prophet ﷺ.➌ Wailing is a Practice of Jāhiliyyah
"لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ لَطَمَ الْخُدُودَ، وَشَقَّ الْجُيُوبَ، وَدَعَا بِدَعْوَى الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 1297, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 103)
Translation: He is not from us who strikes his cheeks, tears his clothes, and calls with the slogans of Jāhiliyyah.
❖ Position of the Companions
➍ ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (RA)
He lashed a woman for wailing and striking her chest.
(Muṣannaf ʿAbd al-Razzāq 6712)
The Companions considered such actions major sins.❖ Position of the Aʾimmah from Ahl al-Bayt
➎ Imām ʿAlī Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn (رحمه الله)
"كان علي بن الحسين لا يُذكَر عنده الحسين إلا بكى، ولكن ما كان يضرب وجهه ولا صدره، وكان ينهى عن ذلك"
(al-Ṭabaqāt al-Kubrā – Ibn Saʿd 5/213)
Translation: When Ḥusayn (RA) was mentioned in his presence, he would weep, but he did not strike his face or chest; rather, he forbade such acts.
➏ Imām Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq (رحمه الله)
"ليس من ديننا اللطم ولا شق الجيوب"
(al-Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah – Bāb Ḥurmat al-Laṭm wa-l-Taṭbīr, ḥadīth 10175)
Translation: Beating the face and tearing clothes is not part of our religion.
➐ Imām Muḥammad al-Bāqir (رحمه الله)
"النياحة من عمل الجاهلية، ولا تجوز في الإسلام"
(al-Wasāʾil al-Shīʿah 27/93)
Translation: Wailing is from the practices of Jāhiliyyah, and it is not permissible in Islam.
❖ Scholarly Consensus
➑ Ruling of the Jurists
The consensus of the majority of scholars is:
❝ Zanjīr zani, qamah zani, and all forms of self-harm are ḥarām and an evil innovation. ❞
(see Fatāwā Ibn Taymiyyah 24/221; al-Fatāwā al-Kubrā by Ibn Bāz 1/153)
❖ Summary
| Practice | Ruling |
|---|---|
| Zanjīr zani, qamah zani | Ḥarām, major sin |
| Wailing, screaming, lamentation | Ḥarām, act of Jāhiliyyah |
| Ahl al-Bayt’s true position | Forbade self-harm and wailing |
| Position of Companions | Punished and forbade such acts |
| Prophet ﷺ’s statement | Declared free from such people |
❖ Final Advice
﴿ قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَن زَكَّاهَا، وَقَدْ خَابَ مَن دَسَّاهَا ﴾
(al-Shams 91:9–10)
Translation: Indeed, successful is the one who purifies his soul, and doomed is the one who corrupts it.
True love for Ḥusayn (RA) and Ahl al-Bayt lies in following the Sunnah, not in committing bidʿah and self-destructive acts.
