Participating in Holidays of the Disbelievers
Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo
In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most
Merciful
Is it permissible for Muslims to celebrate or participate in
holidays such as Halloween, birthdays, and Christmas
functions?
Answer (By J. Zarabozo)
The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) made it very clear that
in Islam there are two festivals or holidays. These are the Eid
festivals. The celebrations and holidays of a people are from among
the actions that most distinguish one people from another. In a
Hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud, the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam) said, "Whoever imitates (or resembles) a people
is one of them."
«من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم» رواه
أبو داود
Therefore, it is not allowed for Muslims to participate in the
holidays or celebrations of the non-Muslims.
Shaikh al-Islam ibn Taimiya wrote in Iqtidha al-Sirat al-Mustaqeem
(vol.1, p.470), "There are a number of points that must be
considered when discussing (the non-Muslims') festivals and
holidays. First, festivals and holidays are from the wide range of
laws, ways, and rites that Allah (Subhaanu wa ta'ala) describes in
the verse, {And for every nation We have appointed religious
ceremonies,} [Al-Hajj 22:34]
{وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا
مَنسَكًا} الحج: 34
Transliteration: Walikulli ommatin jaAAalna mansakan
such as facing the Qiblah, prayer and fasting. There is no
difference between joining them in their festivals and joining them
in their other rites. Agreeing to their holiday is agreeing to
infidelity (Kufr), and agreeing to some minor aspects (of their
religion) is like agreeing to a branch of infidelity. In fact, the
holidays and festivals are one of the major items that
distinguishes their customs and laws, and are one of the most
obvious of their rites. Agreeing to it is agreeing to one of the
most specific of the acts of infidelity and one of the most blazon
of their rituals. There is no doubt that agreeing to or being in
accord with something of that nature can only lead to apostasy, in
general, given its conditions"
Indeed, beyond that, the scholars have even stated that it is not
allowed for Muslims to congratulate the non-Muslims on their
holidays or festivals. Ibn al-Qayyim in Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimma (vol.
1, p. 205) writes, "Giving congratulations on the special events
that are specific to the disbelievers, such as congratulating them
on their holidays by saying, "Blessed holiday for you" or other
similar greetings, is considered forbidden by the agreement of the
scholars. Even if the one who states it is free from any aspect of
apostasy, it is still a forbidden act and it is the same as
congratulating them upon their prostrations to the crucifix. In
fact, that is one of the greatest sins in Allah's (Subhaanu wa
ta'ala) sight. That is a greater sin than congratulating them for
drinking wine, having illegal sexual intercourse and so on. Many of
them who are not very religious do such things and they do not know
how evil what they are doing really is. Whoever congratulates
another human for any sin, heresy, or act of apostasy has exposed
himself to the punishment and anger of Allah (Subhaanu wa ta'ala).
The pious people from the early scholars would avoid congratulating
the oppressors when they received positions of authority or the
ignorant when they were given judicial or teaching positions in
order to avoid the punishment of Allah (Subhaanu wa ta'ala) and
falling from His Grace. If a person would be compelled to go to
such people to repel any evil that he expected from him, only to
speak well to him and to ask Allah (Subhaanu wa ta'ala) to guide
him, there is nothing wrong with that."
Ibn al-Qayyim has included a beneficial section mentioning the
opinions of the scholars concerning this matter (Ahkam Ahl
al-Dhikmma, vol. 2, p. 722). It shall be reproduced here with some
abridgment: "In the same way that is not allowed for them to
publicly (celebrate their holidays), it is not allowed for the
Muslims to assist them for the holidays or to help them or to
attend (their ceremonies) with them according to the agreement of
the people of knowledge. In fact, the jurists who follow the four
legal schools have made this clear in their books. Abu al-Qasim
al-Tabari wrote, "It is not allowed for Muslims to attend their
(the disbelievers') holidays and festivals because they are a type
of evil falsehood. If the people of good mix with the people of
evil without putting an end to what they are doing then they become
like those who are pleased and influenced by the evil. And we fear
falling into Allah's (Subhaanu wa ta'ala) anger because of their
gathering."
Then he stated relying on Abu Hatim's narration, that Amir ibn
Murra said about the verse, {And those who do not witness
falsehood}
{وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ
ٱلزُّورَ} الفرقان: 72
Transliteration: Waallatheena la yashhadoona alzzoora
that "they do not assist the pope of idolatry in their idolatry nor
do they associate with them." And al-Baihaqi recorded with a Sahih
chain that Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "Do not learn the lingo of the
foreigners and do not enter the polytheists' churches on the days
of their holidays for (Allah's) anger descends upon them."
«قال عمر : لا تعلموا رطانة الأعاجم، ولا تدخلوا على المشركين في
كنائسهم يوم عيدهم ، فإن السخطة تنزل عليهم» رواه البيهقي
And he also recorded with a Sahih chain that Abdullah ibn Umar
stated, "Whoever stays in the lands of the foreigners and
celebrates their New Year's Days (of the festivals of the
disbelievers) and behaves like them until he dies, he shall be
resurrected with them on the Day of Resurrection."
«عن عبد الله بن عمرو قال: من بنى ببلاد الأعاجم، فصنع نيروزهم
ومهرجانهم، وتشبه بهم حتى يموت وهو كذلك، حشر معهم يوم القيامة» رواه
البيهقي
And ibn al-Qayyim said, "Ibn al-Qasim disliked for a Muslim to give
a Christian a present during his (the Christian's) holiday; he
considered this action as honoring his (the Christian's) holiday
and assisting him in disbelief. In the same way, it is forbidden
for Muslims to sell Christians anything they may use in their
holidays of meat, blood, or clothing, nor should he loan him an
animal to ride on, nor help him with anything concerning his
festival because all of that would be a way of dignifying their
idolatry and helping them in their Kufr. It is a must for the
rulers to prevent Muslims from doing such deeds. This is the
opinion of Malik and others. And I do not know of any difference of
opinion concerning this matter." These are his words from
al-Wadhiha. And in the books of the students of Abu Hanifa it
states, "Whoever gives them a present, during their holidays, of a
watermelon, meaning by that to honor their holiday has committed
act of Kufr (apostasy)."
Courtesy Of: Islaam.com
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