Women playing and dancing at weddings

Q: Is it permissible for women to play and dance during weddings in a place far away from the men's area? Likewise, is it permissible for men to play during weddings in a place far away from the women's area?

(Part No. 19; Page No. 118) A: The Prophet (peace be upon him) prescribed that marriage has to be publicized to distinguish it from Zina (sexual intercourse outside marriage). However, such publicizing is to take place through permissible procedures such as having witnesses to the contract of marriage and women playing the tambourine and singing decent songs that do not involve Fitnah (temptation) or intermixing between men and women. The marriage is to be publicized also by inviting people to a Walimah (wedding dinner) and men playing with bayonets and the like which is a means of training to do Jihad (fighting in the Cause of Allah); while they are not intermixing with women. However, publicizing marriage must not be done through impermissible means such as men playing the tambourine, men or women dancing, or using musical instruments other than the tambourine, even if the men and women are in two different places. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.