Bismillah is an occasion celebrated by South Indian Muslims (Hyderabadi) in which a party is held to celebrate the starting of reading of the Holy Quran by a child. Please tell me the exact age of a child when he or she should start reading the Quran. At this ceremony, the child who is at the age of 4, for whom this function is held, repeates the ayyats of ‘Iqra Bismi rabbi kallazi …’ after an elderly person, or a hafiz, or maulvi, imam etc any respected person, and then later on food and sweet is served to celebrate this happy occasion. I want to know if it is permissible to hold such an event? I think it is similar to the ‘Ameen’ function you have declared permissible, i’m just afraid of it falling under the category of “Innovations in Islam” strictly prohibited by our Beloved Rasulullah (Sallallaaahu Álayhi Wasallam)
If the ?Bismillah? function is held to encourage the child in becoming a Haafiz, it is commendable.
However, this function should be within the confines of the Shari?ah. No un-Islamic events should take place like intermingling between men and women, etc. Secondly, this practice should not be considered as a Sunnah of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam), but just a happy occasion to encourage the child.
and Allah Ta’ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai