Answer
Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
It should be clear that Muslims abide by a certain code of ethics in weddings, gatherings, parties, and all occasions. As far as the question of clapping is concerned, there is nothing in the sources of Shari`ah that prohibits it.
In response to your question, Dr. Rif`at Fawzi, professor of Shari`ah at Cairo University, states:
It should be clear that Muslims abide by a certain code of ethics in weddings, gatherings, parties, and all occasions. Islamic guidelines should be adhered to and no violation to the Shari`ah-based rulings should take place. By doing so, Muslim gatherings and weddings will be blessed by the grace of Allah, Most High.
As far as the question of clapping is concerned, there is nothing in the sources of Shari`ah that prohibits it.
Men are only not allowed to clap their hands in prayer [when the imam makes a mistake].
Therefore, men may clap their hands in weddings provided that this is not surrounded by Islamically forbidden practices. As for the Hadith that states that clapping is confined to women, this is applicable to prayer.”
Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, adds:
Clapping in prayer (for men) or acts of worship is not permitted in Islam since we are not allowed to introduce new ways of worship in Islam. (It’s known that women clap during the prayer if the male Imam makes a mistake.)
If, however, one is resorting to it without any intention of worship, and not as part of worship, but as a way of custom to applaud something or someone, there is nothing in the sources to compel us to declare it as forbidden.
It is worth remembering that, as Imam Ibn Taymiyyah said, all customs are permitted so long as the Shari`ah has not clearly forbidden them. Since there is no text to forbid it, it shall be deemed as permissible.
Allah Almighty knows best.