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Qarqīʿān: An innovated festival celebrated in the Gulf and surrounding regions with varying names such as Qaranqasho in Oman, Girgian/Gergaan in Kuwait, Gergaoun in Bahrain, Qarqīʿān/Gargee’an/Al-Nāṣifāʾ in Saudi Arabia, Ḥag Al-Layla in UAE and similar names in other neighboring countries like Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan.
This word (القرقيعان) does not exist in the Arabic dictionaries rather it is a colloquial word derived from the act of “knocking of doors”.
It is celebrated during mid-Shaʿbān or mid-Ramaḍān, in some cases during Ayyām Al-Bīḍ.
The origins of this festival is vague, however, it coincides with the celebrations of the Rafiḍī Shīʿah on occasion of the birth of their acclaimed ‘awaited Mahdī’ Muḥammad al-Ḥasan al-ʿAskarī corresponding to 15th of Shaʿbān 232H and on occasion of the birth of al-Ḥasan bin ʿAlī bin Abī Ṭālib رضي الله عنهما corresponding to 15th of Ramaḍān 2H.
– Extracts from the treatise “al-Qarqīʿān – The Innovation of Mass Begging”, Shaykh Muḥammad bin Ramzān Āl-Ṭāmī al-Hājirī
Q: It has become customary in the Gulf countries and Eastern part of the Kingdom (of Saudi Arabia) for there to a festival ‘Al-Qarqīʿān’. This takes place in the middle of Ramaḍān or prior to it. The children go about it, roaming around the houses, chanting Nashīds and some people give them sweets or dry fruits or some money There was no restriction placed over it up until at present interest is shown towards it and celebrations are held in certain locations and schools and other places. And now it is no more restricted to children alone and they even collect money for it
A: Celebrating the fifteenth night of Ramaḍān or any other day as the festival of Al-Qarqīʿān is an innovation (bidʿah) for which there is no basis in Islam, and every innovation is going astray. So we should not do this and we should warn others against it. It is not permissible to celebrate it anywhere, whether in schools, institutions or anywhere else. What is prescribed on the nights of Ramaḍān in addition to offering the obligatory prayers, is to strive in praying qiyām (i.e., Tarāwīh), to recite Qurʾān and to make duʿāʾ. Allāh is the Granter of success.
May Allāh grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muḥammad, his family, and Companions.
– The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Iftāʾ, Fatwa no. 15532
• Chairman: Shaykh ʿAbdul-ʿAzīz bin ʿAbdullāh ibn Baz -may Allāh have mercy on him-
• Members: Shaykh ʿAbdul-ʿAzīz bin ʿAbdullāh Āl ash-Shaykh, Shaykh ʿAbdullāh bin Ghudayyān, Shaykh Bakr bin ʿAbdullāh Abū Zayd, Shaykh Ṣāliḥ bin Fawzān Al-Fawzān -may Allāh have mercy on them all and preserve those alive-
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
سئلت اللجنة الدائمة ما حكم الاحتفال بالقرقيعان؟
وهو يصادف الأيام البيض في رمضان (13-14-15) حيث يتم توزيع الحلوى والمكسرات على الأطفال، وله تسميات مختلفة في باقي بلدان الخليج (قرنقعو).
الجواب:
الحمد لله، الاحتفال في ليلة الخامس عشر من رمضان أو في غيرها بمناسبة مهرجان القرقيعان بدعة لا أصل لها في الإسلام (وكل بدعة ضلالة) فيجب تركها والتحذير منها ولا تجوز إقامتها في أي مكان لا في المدارس ولا في المؤسسات أو غيرها، والمشروع في ليالي رمضان بعد العناية بالفرائض الاجتهاد بالقيام وتلاوة القرآن والدعاء. فتوى رقم (15532).
