Tasfiq (clapping, in prayer and elsewhere)

Tasfiq is striking one palm against the other. ¹

All agree it is recommended to alert the imam to a lapse in prayer; the manner differs. Glorifying God is for men by agreement; clapping is for women according to the Hanafis, Shafiis and Hanbalis, on the hadith «if something happens in your prayer, men should glorify and women should clap». ² The Malikis dislike clapping for women, since the words «whoever is troubled in his prayer should say God is glorified» are general. ³

A man turns back one passing in front by glorifying God or by a gesture, as the Prophet ﷺ did with the two sons of Umm Salama. A woman does so by a gesture or by clapping the back of the right hand's fingers on the palm of the left, which is the recommended manner for the Hanafis; the Shafiis and Hanbalis do not prescribe glorifying for men or clapping for women in this case, but the worshipper repels with what he can. ^{3 4}

All agree that a man's clapping in prayer is disliked in every case. The hadith of Abu Bakr, when the people clapped as the Prophet came and the Prophet rebuked them without ordering the prayer repeated, is cited. ^{4 5}

The Malikis and Shafiis allow alerting another worshipper; for the Malikis by glorifying in every case, and for the Shafiis glorifying for men and clapping for women. The Hanafis and Hanbalis dislike it. ⁵

The Shafiis and one Hanbali view hold that clapping in play invalidates prayer even when little; the other Hanbali view invalidates it only if much. The Hanafis hold that what is done with two hands is a large act, and the Malikis count it idle play that breaks prayer like speech. ⁵

For women the Hanafis and Shafiis have two forms; the well-known Hanafi form is to strike the backs of the fingers of the right hand on the palm of the left, and the Hanbalis strike the palm of one hand on the back of the other. ⁶

Clapping during the sermon is forbidden according to the majority, since it breaks the duty to listen, and more so in the mosque. ⁶ Clapping outside prayer and the sermon is allowed for a real need, such as seeking permission, alerting someone, improving a chant, or a mother playing with her child; without a need some jurists forbade it and others disliked it. ^{6 7}