The Cross festivals
In the name of Allah the most Gracious the most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah,
the One the Self-Sufficient Master Who does not beget nor was He
begotten. And Prayers of Allah be upon His prophet Muhammad and his
family and companions.
Among the gravest sins, which
are committed by the followers of Islam, is to celebrate the
holidays of the infidels and the worshippers of the cross. Indeed
it is an evil act against the fundamentals of the religion and the
testimony of 'There is no God except Allah'. When I saw this evil
act spread gradually, I decided to write this article as
fulfillment to the obligation of advice and enjoining the good and
forbidding the evil, as teaching to who does not know, as a
reminder to who forgot and as setting this issue right before its
intensiveness.
Christmas is a
religious holiday for the worshippers of the cross:
The first thing that should be
acknowledged is that these holidays are religious holidays invented
by the Christians; they celebrate these days because they think
that Jesus was born in them. Actually, the holiday's appearances
and traditions manifest this, because they are based upon their
nullified creeds. The Muslim is requested, according to the laws of
the Shari'ah, to abstain from sharing their holiday, because they
think that Allah Almighty begot the Christ in this day. To us, it
is the holiday of inventing lies against Allah and wronging Him.
Therefore, how could a Muslim, consider His Lord too exalted and
declares His oneness, feel joy in a day in which Allah Almighty is
accused and a son and wife are ascribed to Him?! Allah Almighty
said in the Qudsi Hadeeth: "Son of Adam had invented a lie against
me with no reason for him to do so and insulted me with no reason
for him to do so. As for his inventing lie against me; he said: 'He
will not return me as He initiated me', indeed recreating to Me is
easier than initiating (a creature). As for his cursing Me; he
said: 'Allah has begotten a son', indeed I am the One the
Self-Sufficient and I did not beget nor was I begotten and there is
none co-equal or comparable unto Me" (Reported by
Al-Bukhari).
If we supposed that it is a
national holiday has nothing to do with the birth of the Christ in
their creed, we would not be allowed to celebrate it, because we
are ordered to be dissimilar to them. The Prophet (prayers and
peace of Allah be upon him) said: "O Abu Bakr, there is a holiday
for each nation, and this is ours" (Agreed upon).
Actually, holidays are one of
the most prominent things that distinguish the nations and make
them feel honored.
Evidences of
the prohibition of celebrating the holidays of the
infidels:
1- Their
holydays are null and void:
Allah almighty said: {And
those who do not bear witness to falsehood, and if they pass by
some evil play or evil talk, they pass by it with dignity} [Surat
Al-Furqan: 72].
Transliteration:
Waallatheena
la yashhadoona alzzoora waitha
marroo biallaghwi marroo
kiraman
Ibn Abbas,
Sa'eed Ibn Jubair, Ad-Dahaak, Mujahid and Ibn Siriin said:
"Falsehood is the holidays of
the polytheists, and this is not contrary to the saying of who said
that falsehood is singing, because the holidays of the infidels are
falsehood and singing is falsehood and because the holidays of the
infidels surly include singing."
2- The Prophet
(prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) nullified the holidays of
the pre-Islamic period:
The Prophet (prayers and peace
of Allah be upon him) found the people of Al-Medina celebrating
some holidays; so, he nullified them and substituted them with the
first Eid and the second Eid. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him)
said: "when the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be
upon him) came to Al-Medina while they had two festivals from the
days of the pre-Islamic period; so he said: "Allah Almighty
substituted them to you with better days; the first Eid (Fitr) and
second Eid (Al-Addha)" [Reported by Abu Dawud and declared
authentic by Al-Albani].
Indeed the holidays of the
Christians are more dangerous than the holidays of extinct pagan
religion.
3- The Prophet
(prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) cared for abstaining from
the holidays of the infidels:
It is narrated that a man took
a vow to slaughter a camel at Buwanah. So he came to the Prophet
(prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: I have taken a
vow to sacrifice a camel at Buwanah. The Prophet (prayers and peace
of Allah be upon him) asked: "Did the place contain any idol
worshipped in pre-Islamic times?" He (the man) said: No. Then the
Prophet asked: "Was any pre-Islamic festival observed there?" The
man replied: No. Whereupon, the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah
be upon him) said: "Fulfill your vow" [Reported by Abu
Dawud].
Actually, there is no
difference between abstaining from them in regard to time or
place.
4- The
prohibition of taking the infidels as Awliya` (i.e. friends,
protectors, helpers):
Allah almighty said: {O you
who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliyâ'
(friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Auliyâ' of each other.
And if any amongst you takes them (as Auliyâ'), then surely he is
one of them} [Surat Al-Maidah: 51].
Transliteration:
Ya ayyuha
allatheena amanoo latattakhithoo
alyahooda waalnnasaraawliyaa
baAAduhum awliyao baAAdin waman yatawallahum
minkum fainnahu minhum
The ruling of this is either
prohibition or infidelity. Indeed celebrating their holidays is one
of the greatest forms of taking them as Awliya'; whoever shares
them their holiday, because of loving their religion, being
satisfied with it or desiring manifesting their rituals, is infidel
and apostate. On the other hand, whoever shares them their holiday
as a kind of imitation or courtesy is indulged in a grave
prohibited act and opened to himself a gate of grave evil, because
tolerating such prohibited acts may lead to falling in the acts of
taking them Awliya` which turn the Muslim to be
infidel.
5- Enjoining
being dissimilar to them in general:
The Prophet (prayers and peace
of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates (a group of) people,
is (considered) one of them" [Reported by Abu Dawud].
This means imitating them in
something of their distinguished characteristics. Abdullah Ibn Amr Ibn Al-'Aas (may Allah be
pleased with him) said: "Whoever built a house in the
countries of the polytheist people and celebrated their holidays
and festivals till his death would be resurrected with them on the
Day of Judgment" [Ibn Al-Qayim, with authentic chain of
transmission].
The prophet (prayers and peace
of Allah be upon him) enjoined being dissimilar to them in the
appearances; so, imagine how it is with the acts of creed! He
enjoined clipping the moustaches and letting the beards grow. Also,
he said that "the Jews and Christians do not dye their hair; so,
you should be dissimilar to them." [Agreed upon]
6- Scholars
consensus:
Ibn Al-Qayim
(may Allah mercy him) said in Ahkam Ahl Az-Zimah (1245/3):
"As they are not allowed to
manifest their holidays, it is not allowed for Muslims to have
partiality with them, support them or share them. This is agreed
upon by the scholars and is declared by the jurists of the four
juristic schools in their books." This opinion is quoted by Ibn Taymiah in Iqtida' As-Sirat Al-Mustaqim
(215), and he mentioned opinions include the judgment of
Omar concerning the non-Muslims who enjoy Muslims' protection:
"They should not declare their festivals and rituals; otherwise
there is no protection for them." (And
this is quoted by Ibn Al-Hajj Al-Maliki in
Al-Madkhal).
Kinds of the
Prohibited participation:
1- Going to
the places of celebration:
Omar Ibn
Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Do not enter the places of the
Christians on their holiday because wrath and discontent descend
upon them."
Ibn Al-Habib
Al-Maliki said: "Ibn
Al-Qasim was asked about riding the ships that the Christians ride
to go to their holidays; and he hated it lest wrath descends upon
them because of the polytheism that they agreed upon."
Actually; watching the
programs (e.g. movies, parties, sessions, competitions) which are
prepared for this occasion has the same ruling.
2-
Congratulating the infidels in their holidays:
Ibn Al-Qayim
said in Ahkam Ahl Az-Zimah (441/1): "As for presenting congratulations
for the rituals of disbelief; it is unanimously prohibited. This is
like congratulating them for their holidays and fasting by saying:
'Happy holiday' or 'Be pleased with this' or any other phrase. If
the one who says such phrases escaped from infidelity, he would
have committed an evil act. It is like congratulating the
polytheist for prostrating himself for the cross; rather it is more
detested and graver, in the eyes of Allah, than congratulating them
for drinking wine, killing innocent self, committing illegal sexual
intercourse and such acts. Actually, many of those who have
nonchalance toward religion commit this and do not feel the gravity
of their doing. Indeed whoever congratulates a servant for
committing a sin, new creation in the religion or act of infidelity
has made himself subject to the wrath and discontent of Allah."
This is about whoever congratulates the Christians for their
holidays and the same is applied to congratulating the Muslim for
the holidays of the Christians, because he is participant in the
evil. Also, this is applied to saying 'Happy New Year' and
exchanging the congratulations.
3- Exchanging
the gifts:
Ibn Habib
said: "Ibn Al-Qasim
hated presenting a gift to the Christian in his holiday as reward
for him, and he counted it as glorifying to his holiday and
supporting to his infidelity." Furthermore, it is mentioned in the
books of the Hanafi scholars that whoever presents to them, in
their holiday, a watermelon as glorification to their holiday is
infidel. Ibn Hajar said in
Al-Fath: "Sheikh Abu Hafs Al-Kabir An-Nasafi, the Hanafi
scholar, exaggerated the issue and said that whoever presents an
egg, in this day, for a polytheist as glorification to the day is
infidel disbelieved in Allah Almighty." Ibn Taymiah said in Iqtida' As-Sirat
Al-Mustaqim (245): "No gift should be presented to a Muslim
in these holidays on the account of the holiday, especially if it
was something facilitates resembling them."
4- Buying new
clothes for the Children:
Buying new clothes for the
Children has the same above mentioned ruling, because it is a sign
of joy in this day and one of the holidays' characteristics. Ibn Taymiah said (329/25): "Muslims
are not permitted to imitate them in anything relating to their
holidays; whether it is food, clothes, having wash, setting fire,
stopping one of the acts of life (e.g. making it a vacation day),
specifying worship in it or any other thing. Also, it is not lawful
to make banquet, present gift, sell something facilitates the
celebration, give the children opportunity to play the games of the
holidays or have decorations."
5- Making
candies and selling them:
Making the candies and what is
prepared especially for the New Year's festivals is prohibited in
the Islamic Shari'ah, because it is a kind of helping one another
in sin; rather it is helping one another in plain polytheism. Allah
Almighty said: {Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwâ
(virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in
sin and transgression. And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Severe in
punishment} [Surat Al-Maidah: 2].
Transliteration:
wataAAawanoo
AAalaalbirri waalttaqwa wala
taAAawanoo AAala alithmi
waalAAudwani
Also, the Muslim should not
accept any gift or food had been prepared for such occasions. Sheikh Ibn 'Uthaymin said in Fatawi Al-Aqida
(247): "Also, it is prohibited for Muslims to imitate the
infidels by having parties for this occasion, exchanging the gifts,
distributing candies and food, stopping work and such acts, because
the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever
imitates (a group of) people, is (considered) one of them"
[Reported by Abu Dawud].
Hence, you should abstain from
accepting or eating any food prepared for this
occasion."
6- Selling the
instruments and renting the auditoriums:
Ibn Habib
said: "Muslims are not
allowed to sell to the Christians something relates to their
holiday (i.e. meat, food, clothes) or lend them riding animal or
help them in anything relates to the holiday, because this implies
glorifying their polytheism and supporting their infidelity.
Furthermore, the rulers should prevent the Muslims from this. This
is the saying of Malik and others and I know no one who said
something against it."
Ibn Taymiah
said: "Also, the Muslim
should not sell what facilitates for Muslims imitating them in the
holiday (i.e. food, clothes, etc,) because this is help for doing
evil acts."
7- Resembling
Santa Claus:
Among the gravest appearances
of disbelief is to resemble Santa Claus in his clothes and white
beard for taking pictures or acting and pleasing the children.
Every photographer does this, every father presents to his children
candies and gifts claiming that they are brought by Santa Claus,
and every person fixes his picture should know that he is caller to
infidelity and Christianity."
Epilogue:
O Muslim, you say: {Guide us
to the Straight Way. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed
Your Grace , not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (i.e.
those who knew the Truth, but did not follow it) nor of those who
went astray (i.e. those who did not follow the Truth out of
ignorance and error)} [Surat Al-Fatiha: 6-7],
Transliteration:
Ihdina
alssirata
almustaqeema (6)Sirata
allatheena anAAamta AAalayhim ghayri almaghdoobi
AAalayhim wala
alddalleena
And you know that who earned
Allah's anger are the Jews and who went astray are the Christians;
therefore, you stay away from their way. Indeed their holiday is
part of their way.
O Muslim, you know that Islam
is to surrender to Allah by declaring monotheism and subject
yourself to Him by obedience and declaring freedom from polytheism
and its people. Therefore, you should declare freedom from all
obligations toward the Christians and their religious and secular
holidays.
Do you feel pleasure for
sharing the Christians their joys while they engage holy wars
(according to their creed) against you and your brothers; they are
afflicting them with the worst torment, killing their sons and
violating the chastity of their women?
O Muslim, if you want honor,
you should go in its way. Actually, following the infidels and
imitating them is one of the reasons of humiliation and
ignominy.
You should know that honor
lies in adhering to the religion and renouncing the enemies; Allah
Almighty said: {Those who take disbelievers for Auliyâ' (protectors
or helpers or friends) instead of believers, do they seek honour,
power and glory with them? Verily, then to Allâh belongs all
honour, power and glory} [Surat An-Nisa: 139).
Transliteration:
Allatheena
yattakhithoona alkafireena awliyaa min dooni
almumineena ayabtaghoona AAindahumu alAAizzata fainna alAAizzata
lillahi jameeAAan
Glorified You Allah, and
praise is due to You. I bear witness that there is no God except
You, I seek Your forgiveness and I repent to You.
Muhammad Hajj
Eisa Al-Jazaeri
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