On Clapping Hands and the Dancing of the Sufis
Imam Al-Qurtubi, Imam Ibn Rajab :
Allah Ta’ala says:
وما كان صلاتهم عند البيت إلا مكاء وتصدية فذوقوا العذاب بما كنتم تكفرون
“Their Salât (prayer) at the House (of Allâh, i.e. the Ka‘bah at Makkah) was nothing but whistling and clapping of hands. Therefore taste the punishment because you used to disbelieve.” (al-Anfal, 8:35)
Imam al-Qurtubi, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
المكاء ضرب بالأيدي، والتصدية صياح . وعلى التفسيرين ففيه ردعلى الجهال من الصوفية الذين يرقصون ويصفقون ويصعقون . وذلك كله منكر يتنزه عن مثله العقلاء، ويتشبه فاعله بالمشركين فيما كانوا يفعلونه عند البيت
Al-Muka’ is the clapping of hands, and Al-Tasdiyah is shouting. According to both interpretations, this is a rebuttal against those ignorant among the Sufis who dance, clap, and fall into ecstatic faints. All of that is reprehensible behavior that rational people keep themselves above; whoever does such things resembles the polytheists in what they used to do at the Sacred House (the Kaabah). 1
Imam Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
فَمَنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَى اللَّهِ بِعَمَلٍ لَمْ يَجْعَلْهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ قُرْبَةً إِلَى اللَّهِ، فَعَمَلُهُ بَاطِلٌ مَرْدُودٌ عَلَيْهِ، وَهُوَ شَبِيهٌ بِحَالِ الَّذِينَ كَانَتْ صَلَاتُهُمْ عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ مُكَاءً وَتَصْدِيَةً، وَهَذَا كَمَنْ تَقَرَّبَ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى بِسَمَاعِ الْمَلَاهِي، أَوْ بِالرَّقْصِ.
Whoever seeks to draw closer to Allah through an act that Allah and His Messenger have not ordained as a means of closeness, then his deed is void and rejected. Such a person is similar to those whose prayer at the Sacred House (the Kaabah) was nothing but whistling and clapping. This is like one who seeks to draw closer to Allah, the Exalted, by listening to musical instruments or by dancing. 2
See also : The Scholars condemning the Sufi dancing
Source : Tafsir al-Qurtubi 7/400, Jami' al-Ulum wal-Hikam 1/178 Link