Answer
عَنْ إِبْرَاهِیمَ بْنِ عُمَرَ الْیَمَانِیِّ عَمَّنْ ذَکَرَهُ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ فِی قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ ما کانَ صَلاتُهُمْ عِنْدَ الْبَیْتِ إِلَّا مُکاءً وَ تَصْدِیَةً قَالَ التَّصْفِیرُ وَ التَّصْفِیقُ
📚 Ma'ani al-Akhbar, p. 297
Translation: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said regarding the saying of Allah: 'And their prayer at the House (Ka'bah) was nothing but 'muka' and 'tasdiyah,'' (meaning) whistling and clapping (verse 35 of Surah Al-Anfal).
✅ According to the above verse and narration, the polytheists would whistle and clap around the House of Allah instead of praying and supplicating, and thus they were condemned.
✅ Clapping in celebratory gatherings is considered a form of 'lahw' (amusement/vain activity), and 'lahw' and 'amusement' are widely condemned in numerous hadiths. Pay attention to a few examples:
قَالَ امیرالمؤمنین صلوات الله علیه :اللَّهْوُ یُسْخِطُ الرَّحْمَنَ وَ یُرْضِی الشَّیْطَانَ وَ یُنْسِی الْقُرْآنَ
📚 Bihar, Vol. 78, p. 9
Translation: The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said: 'Lahw and amusement bring the wrath of Allah, the Most Gracious, and satisfy and please Satan, and cause the Quran to be forgotten.'
The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said: 'Avoid amusement, for you were not created for a vain purpose to amuse yourself, and you will never be left aimlessly to engage in useless and vain activities.'
📚 Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 460
Translation: The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said: 'Avoid amusement, for you were not created in vain to amuse yourself, and you will never be left aimlessly to engage in useless and vain activities.'
The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) said: 'Gatherings of amusement corrupt faith.'
📚 Ghurar al-Hikam, p. 461
Translation: 'Gatherings of amusement and entertainment corrupt and destroy faith.'
✅ Note: It has not been narrated in any hadith, narration, or history that, God forbid, the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) ever clapped or applauded in religious celebrations or wedding ceremonies.
✅ Note: Clapping and applauding in the celebrations of the birth of the Ahl al-Bayt or in wedding and celebratory gatherings have not been commanded in any narrational source.
✅ Note: Clapping, applauding, dancing, and singing are famous and well-known as one of the invalid and filthy customs and worships of the misguided Sufi sect, may Allah curse them all.
✅ In conclusion, pay attention to the following narration:
عَنْ عَلِیِّ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِیلَ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلی الله علیه و آله :کُلُّ لَهْوِ الْمُؤْمِنِ بَاطِلٌ إِلَّا فِی ثَلَاثٍ فِی تَأْدِیبِهِ الْفَرَسَ وَ رَمْیِهِ عَنْ قَوْسِهِ وَ مُلَاعَبَتِهِ امْرَأَتَهُ فَإِنَّهُنَّ حَقٌّ
📚 Al-Kafi, Vol. 5, p. 50
Translation: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'Every kind of amusement is false for a believer except for three things: 1- training a horse, 2- archery with a bow, and 3- ...'
✅ Given the absence of a tradition and method from the divine proofs and the specific and general condemnations in the verses and narrations, the use of clapping and applauding in the birth celebrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) has no place.
Likewise, clapping and applauding in wedding ceremonies as a form of amusement without a legitimate religious license is not fitting or worthy for a believer.