Zikr and Mixed Gatherings

Q: There is a group who hold gatherings of zikr where men and women are together. Sometimes they beat a drum whilst making this zhikr. Is this allowed in Shariah?

A: One does not need to be very learned to understand that a mixed gathering is not allowed in Islam. If the gathering is for a Deeni purpose such as zhikr, then it is far more serious to have men and women together. Use of the drum is haraam. The duff that was spoken off in the hadith was used only at the time of nikah, and was beaten by little children, and was used purely as a means of announcing and publicizing the nikah. Today the duff is used to accompany the singing of songs or reciting words of zhikr. This cannot be established from any hadith, not even a weak or fabricated one. How can one gain nearness to Allah, when the means adopted are contrary to His Commands?