Ruling on attending Easter celebrations
Since 2008-07-01
I would like to know if it is haram to
go to the Sydney royal Easter show. Although it is called the
Easter show it really has nothing to do with easter. I like to go
for the craft, fruit, animal shows; they all have nothing to do
with Easter.
Praise be to
Allaah.
It is not permissible for a Muslim to
take part in the festivals and innovated celebrations of the
kuffaar, such as Easter, Christmas and so on, because taking part
and attending is helping in this evil, and increasing their
numbers, and imitating them, all of which is not allowed. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning):
{Help you one another in Al-Birr and
At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one
another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is
Severe in punishment.} [al-Maa'idah 5:2]
{وَتَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى
ٱلْبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ
وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ شَدِيدُ
ٱلْعِقَابِ} المائدة: 2
Transliteration: wataAAawanoo AAalaalbirri
waalttaqwa wala taAAawanoo
AAala alithmi waalAAudwani
waittaqoo Allaha inna Allaha
shadeedu alAAiqabi
And the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of
them." [Narrated by Abu Dawood (4031); classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Irwa' al-Ghaleel (5/109)].
«من تشبه بقوم فهو
منهم» رواه أبو
داود وصححه الألباني
Ibn al-Qayyim
said:
It is not permissible for the
Muslims to attend the festivals of the mushrikeen, according to the
consensus of the scholars whose words carry weight. The fuqaha' who
follow the four schools of thought have stated this clearly in
their books… Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a saheeh isnaad from 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab that
he said: "Do not enter upon the mushrikeen in their churches on the
day of their festival, for divine wrath is descending upon them."
And 'Umar also said:
"Avoid the enemies of Allaah on their festivals." Al-Bayhaqi
narrated with a jayyid isnaad from 'Abd-Allaah ibn 'Amr that he
said: "Whoever settles in the land of the non-Arabs and celebrates
their New Year and festival and imitates them until he dies in that
state, will be gathered with them on the Day of Resurrection."
(Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah,
1/723-724)
The Standing
Committee for Issuing Fatwas was asked about Argentinean national
celebrations and celebrations that are held in their churches such
as Independence Day, and Christian Arab celebrations such as
Easter.
They
replied: It is not
permissible for Muslims to hold such celebrations or attend them or
participate in them with the Christians, because that is helping in
sin and transgression, and Allaah has forbidden that. And Allaah is
the Source of strength. End
quote from Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa'imah
(2/76).
To sum
up: It is not permissible
to celebrate the festivals of the kuffaar or to participate in
them, whether they do any religious practices in them or limit it
to play and entertainment, because just celebrating it is a haraam
innovation, but attending their religious rituals is more
haraam.
The Muslim should spend this day like
any other day, and not have any special food or drink on it, or do
anything else to show happiness that is done by those who celebrate
this festival, such as going out to parks, funfairs and so on, so
as to disavow himself of the sins of approving or taking
part.
And Allaah knows
best.
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