"Whoever
imitates a people is one of them."
Have you ever wondered about the issue of
celebrating or partaking in non-Muslim holidays, festivals and celebrations?
What is the Islamic ruling regarding this? Is it permissible, is it disliked,
is it impermissible? Is there a difference of opinion on this matter?
Insha’Allah, in this short article, I hope that all of these (and related)
questions will be clearly answered.
1. Greeting the Kuffaar on Christmas and other
similar holidays of theirs is Haraam by Ittifaaq (consensus of the scholars),
as Ibn al-Qayyim said in Ahkaam Ahl adh-Dhimmah:
Congratulating the Kuffaar on the rituals that
belong to them is prohibited by consensus, as is congratulating them on
their festivals by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’
and so on…”
2. It is prohibited for a Muslim to accept
invitations on such occasions, because this is worse than congratulating them,
as it implies taking part in their celebrations.
3. Similarly, Muslims are forbidden to imitate
the Kuffaar by having parties on such occasions, or exchanging gifts, or
giving out sweets or food, or taking time off work, etc. because the Prophet
Muhammad (saws) said:
مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَومٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ
“Whoever
imitates a people is one of them.”
This Hadith was authenticated by a great deal of
scholars including Abu Dawood, Ibn Hibbaan, Ibn Hajar, Az-Zarqaani,
Adh-Dhahabi, Al-Haythami, Al-’Iraaqi, As-Sakhaawi, As-San’aani, Muhammad
Jaarullaah As-Sa’di, Ahmad Shaakir, Ibn Baaz, Al-Albaani, Ibn `Uthaymeen, and
others.
Ibn Taymiyyah, in his beautiful and monumental book
Iqtidaa’ as-Siraat al-Mustaqeem Mukhaalafatu Ashaab’il-Jaheem (In Pursuit
of the Straight Path by Contradicting the People of the Hellfire), said:
“Imitating them in some of their festivals implies
that one is pleased with their false beliefs and practices, and gives them the
hope that they may have the opportunity to mislead the weak.”
Therefore, whoever does anything of this sort is a
sinner, even if he does it out of politeness, friendliness, shyness, or for
whatever other reason, because this is hypocrisy in Islam and it makes the
Kuffaar feel proud of their ways and festivals.
Please also take note of the following:
1. Remember the hadith of ‘Aa’ishah (ra) in
Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim where she narrated that on the Day of Eid , two
young girls were doing a special performance for her (singing some songs). When
Abu Bakr (ra) came to visit the Prophet (saws) and found these girls with
‘Aa’ishah (ra), he rebuked them harshly. So the Prophet (saws) (who had been
facing the wall), said:
يَا أَبَا بَكْر, إنَّ لِكُلِّ قَومٍ عِيدًا, وهَذَا عِيْدُنَا
Abu Bakr, (know that) every group of people
has its Eid (festival). And this is our Eid.”
Eid is the name given to something which returns
(Ya’ood), and is used to describe gatherings which happens repeatedly on a
regular basis. Therefore, the Prophet (saws) clearly stated that the Eid of the
people of Islam is the Eid (celebration) after Ramadaan and Eid at the end of
the Hajj season. In addition to this, Friday is also considered a Eid for the
Muslims, because it is a weekly gathering and is the best day of the week.
2. The Prophet (saws) also explicitly
expressed his desire to contradict the ways, celebrations, and festivities of
the non-Muslims. In this Hadith that has a good chain of narration, as
stated by Abu Bakr Al-Athram (ra), Umm Salamah Hind Bint Abi Umayyah (ra) said
that,
أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يصوم السبت والأحد ، ويقول : هما عيدان للمشركين فأنا أحب أن أخالفهما
The Prophet (saws) used to fast on Saturdays and on Sundays, and he would say:
“These are two days of Eid for the Mushrikoon. So I love to oppose them
(contradict them, differ from them) in these two.”
So, for the pagans, Saturday and Sunday was a
special holiday for them, a Eid. On these days they would party, celebrate,
relax, enjoy, dance, sing. And in and of itself, there’s nothing wrong
with relaxing on Saturday our Sunday, but the mere fact that
the Pagans used to do this, was enough reason for our
beloved Prophet (saws) to differ from their practice and not imitate
them and fast on these days (to show his indifference and his disregard
for their Eid).
So, just to differ from them, to show that we’re
different, to indicate that he, in no way, is taking part in their Eid, he
would fast on Saturdays and Sundays. It is as if to send a clear message: “I’m
not partaking in the Eid of Non-Muslims. I want to differ from them. I
love to differ from their practice (of relaxing, enjoying, partying) on
these two days.” So, even though it’s permissible to relax on Saturdays and
Sundays, he decided to exert himself and fast on these two days just for this
particular purpose.
Imagine what would Prophet (saws) would have said now
upon seeing Muslims greeting and warmly congratulating the Kuffaar on their
Eids?
What if he saw his Ummah actually having Christmas
trees and lights, imitating the Kuffaar and making these Eids of the
disbelievers a part of their lives?
Fully indulging, forget contradicting and trying to
differ from them, the Muslims are not even shunning their practices, but are
rather completely participating in their traditions! ”Followers” of
Muhammad as they claim, but yet we see them exchanging Christmas cards and
presents with the Kuffaar and making Thanksgiving turkeys. On top of all of
this, they are even allowing their children to go and partake with the Kuffaar
in trick-or-treating and Halloween-related events.
مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَومٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ
“Whoever imitates a people is
one of them.”
So the above Prophetic words do not just apply, as
some ignorant people misunderstand, to normal common things, like wearing a
T-shirt, or tie, or sneakers, or driving a BMW or Mercedes-Benz
SLR. Rather, it also refers to things that are specific for non-Muslims
and are well-known to be widely practiced by Kuffaar. For ‘Eids’ like
Halloween, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, there is no doubt whatsoever that
such Eids fall into this meaning.
3. Ibn al-Qayyim said in his book,
Ahkaam Ahl adh-Dhimmah, “It is not permissible for the Muslims to attend the
festivals of the disbelievers, according to the consensus of the scholars whose
words carry weight."
The Fuqahaa’ who follow the four schools of thought
have stated this clearly in their books. Al-Bayhaqi narrated with an authentic
isnaad from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (ra) that he said:
“Do not enter upon the disbelievers on the day
of their festival, for divine wrath is descending upon them.”
And ‘Umar (ra) also said:
“Avoid the enemies of Allah on their festivals.”
Al-Bayhaqi narrated with an acceptable isnaad from
‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr (ra) 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.”
So yes, most definitely, as the Prophet (saws) told
us, as reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhari:
المرء مع من أحب
“A person will be with the
one whom he loved (on the Day of Resurrection).”
You will be with the one whom you loved. “Love” is
not just saying, ‘I love Allah, I love Islaam, I love Prophet Muhammad (saws).’
Love is not talk. Talk is cheap! Love is striving to imitate, to be like,
and to follow the practices of someone or something.
Now, ask yourselves this: Are you imitating the
Prophet (saws) more in your life, or are you abandoning his Sunnah? Forget
about whether it’s obligatory or recommended. This isn’t a Fiqh issue. It’s an
issue of: Do you really love the Prophet Muhammad (saws) such that you will
strive to imitate him in every aspect of your life? Or are you
imitating the Kuffaar more in your life? Do you imitate their traditions
more than the traditions of your Prophet (saws)? Who do you wish to be
resurrected amongst? You will be with those whom you love.
