The inception of kite flying.
Between the year 1707 and 1759, during the reign of Zakariya Khan, the governor of Punjab, a Hindu by the name of Haqeeqat Rai from Sialkot (one of the districts of the Punjab province of Pakistan) insulted the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and Fatima رضي الله عنها.
This crime was properly investigated. Upon confirmation, this reviler of the honour of the blessed Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was lashed as a punishment and subsequently tied to a post and beheaded. This incident occurred in the year 1734. It is recorded in the books of history that the day Haqeeqat Rai was given the death penalty was the day of Basant. In memory of this reviler of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم the Hindus constructed a mausoleum in Kot Khwaja Saeed, a district in Lahore. According to the historians, a Hindu leader by the name of Kalu raam had a temple built there in his name where idols were placed for the sake of worship. This Hindu leader, Kalu raam, is the one who initiated the festival (mela) of Basant and he is the one who incorporated kite flying as a part of the festivities. From these historical facts, it has become quite clear that Basant is a Hindu festival and the practice of kite flying was established in remembrance of blasphemer of the honour of Rasul صلى الله عليه وسلم.
An occupation of heedless people.
Due to the Hindu environment (in Pakistan) before the formation of Pakistan and also because of following India in (accepting) the movie culture some heedless and weak hearted Muslims have become involved in the festivities of Basant. Without any thought or understanding they take part in the festivities of the day of Basant which was initiated as a day of remembering the Hindu who reviled their noble Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Men and women, who are totally devoid of any sense of shame and modesty and are immersed in the love of Hindu culture, spend the day of Basant amongst the beatings of drums, despicable, indecent sounds of music and immoral songs. Many young people have been lost forever in the valleys of death, due to cutting (kite) strings and stealing kites. So many have broken their legs and have become disabled, forever. So often has electricity been cut off due to the constant use of these strings which are coated with grounded-glass (while flying kites)! In the cities where Basant is celebrated the sick and ill are unable to find any peace and quiet. The worshippers are unable to properly concentrate on their worship. Some wayward people, after cooking a feast, spend the entire day and night making so much noise that it becomes very difficult for the people who live around them. It is then that we realise, that these people are not the residents of any Islamic country, rather, they are the by-products of Indian Kingdoms of old. The interesting thing is that the string and other materials for kite flying are all purchased from India. There is such an insane connection to Basant, that its’ demon has spread from Lahore to other large and small cities of Punjab, such as Gujranwala, Sialkot and Faisalabad. It’s not celebrated on just one day either. Rather, it is celebrated on different days in each major city so that others can come and take part in this demonic festival.
Harms of kite flying
Some of the harms of ‘kite flying’ which Hakeemul Ummat, Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi Sahib رحمه الله تعالى has mentioned in his book ‘Islahe Rusoom’ have been briefly reproduced below.
- Recognize the parallel of ‘kite flying’. Basant (Kite-Flying) has nearly the same harms as playing with pigeons. The one who runs after kites is like the one who runs after pigeons, who was called a devil by the blessed Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.[i]
- To steal the kites of others is clearly prohibited by the hadith of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم wherein he states: “No robber robs, while the people are looking at him, and remains a believer at the time of the robbery.” (Bukhari[ii] and Muslim[iii]). In other words, this trait is against the dictates of Iman.[iv]
- Everyone’s intention is to cut the string of the other’s kite and cause him damage. And to cause harm to a Muslim is haram.
- It causes a person to be neglectful of Salah. This is the same illat (underlying reason) which Allah mentions for the prohibition of alcohol and gambling.
- Flying kites on the roofs of bungalows can often result in accidentally looking at the neighbours in a state of undress.[v]
- At times, children who are flying kites end up falling from the rooftops.[vi]
- There is unnecessary spending of wealth behind these amusements. And unnecessary expenditure is haram, as is established from the Quran.
O nation of the blessed Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, O those who take the name of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, O those who claim to be ready to give their lives for the love of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, ponder for a while! Every year, millions of rupees are spent on this satanic amusement. If only a portion of this exorbitant amount had been spent on the destitute, orphans and the poor, wouldn’t there have been a change for the better? Wouldn’t thousands of unlit stoves be lit? Due to poverty, a lot of poor girls are still waiting to be married. Wouldn’t their parents be able to fulfill their wishes? O slaves of Allah, it is also the responsibility of the government to ban this collective haram act. It is also binding on the parents to stop their children. Else, looking at the scale upon which Basant is being celebrated here, in the future we may even forget that this is a Hindu festival. Then in their ignorance, the Muslims will continue to ecstatically celebrate the memory of this inmate of Hell, who insulted the blessed Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
May Allah, Most High, bless us to not only speak and listen but may he also grant us the divine ability to practice. May Allah grant the correct understanding to those young people who are involved in this haram festival. Aameen.
Maulana Muhammad Nu’man, the son of Mufti Shuaib Ahmad Sahib Bastawi
Student at Jamiah Mazahirul Uloom, Saharanpur UP, India.
Published by Jamiah Mazahirul Uloom.
Translator’s Notes:
[i] It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) saw a man chasing a pigeon and he said: “A devil chasing a she-devil.” [Collected by Ahmed 2/345, Bukhari in Adabul Mufrad #1300, Abu Dawud #4940, Ibn Majah #3764, Ibn Hibban in his Sahih #5874] This hadith is sound. [Arnawut on Abi Dawud] Allamah Sindhi states: “He was branded as a ‘devil’ due to him busying himself in futile play and amusement. This following of Shaitan causes a person to neglect the remembrance of Allah.” [ibid]
[ii] #2475
[iii] #57
[iv] No one should object and state that the people have allowed this usurping of their kites, because the reality is that people have only implicitly allowed it due to cultural pressure. Otherwise, they are not happy with the loss of their kites. The Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said: “Verily another person’s belongings are unlawful [to take] except with his heart’s content.” [Musnad Ahmed #15488, Sunan Darqutni #2886] See Thanvi’s ‘Islah-ur-Rasum’ Pg.19
[v] Women may not be wearing their hijab in the comfort of their homes and yards.
[vi] Due to his concern, the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم has warned us: “Whoever sleeps on the roof of a house, which has no walls (around the roof), is no longer under the protection of Allah.” [Abu Dawud #5041] Meaning, this is irresponsible, so if you do it, then woe to you. How shameful is our condition, that we discard these beautiful teachings of our beloved Rasool. [See Thanvi’s ‘Islah-ur-Rasum’ Pg.20]
