✦ Attending Gatherings Where Sins Are Committed ✦
Source: Fatāwā Amonpuri by Shaykh Ghulām Muṣṭafā Ẓahīr Amonpuri
❖ The Question
What is the ruling on attending a gathering (invitation/feast) where sinful acts are committed?
❖ The Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
It is not permissible to attend a gathering where sins are committed, such as music, dancing, drinking alcohol, gambling, etc. In fact, avoiding such gatherings is wājib.
❀ Allah ﷻ says:
﴿فَلَا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۚ إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِثْلُهُمْ﴾
(al-Nisāʾ, 4:140)
“Do not sit with them until they engage in some other talk; otherwise, you will be like them.”
❀ Imām al-Qurṭubī رحمه الله (d. 671H) wrote:
﴿إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا مِثْلُهُمْ﴾ فدل بهذا على وجوب اجتناب أصحاب المعاصي إذا ظهر منهم منكر، لأن من لم يجتنبهم فقد رضي فعلهم، والرضا بالكفر كفر.
“The words ‘you will be like them’ indicate that it is obligatory to avoid people of sin when they are committing evil, because whoever does not avoid them has shown approval of their action, and being pleased with disbelief is itself disbelief.”
(Tafsīr al-Qurṭubī, 5/418)
❀ Allah ﷻ also says:
﴿فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَىٰ مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ﴾
(al-Anʿām, 6:68)
“When you are reminded, do not sit with the wrongdoing people.”
❀ Imām Abū al-ʿAbbās al-Qurṭubī رحمه الله (d. 656H) said:
لا يجوز حضورها عند كافة العلماء
“According to all scholars, it is not permissible to attend such sinful gatherings.”
(al-Mufhim, 4/153)
❖ Conclusion
Attending a gathering where sins are committed is ḥarām and must be avoided. Remaining present in such gatherings is considered approval of the sin, which is strictly forbidden in Sharīʿah.
✿ ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب ✿
