To You Be Your Celebrations, And To Me Mine
Creator: Abu Abdillaah Muhammad Al-Jibaaly
Date: 2008-02-15
Format: text
Identifier: http://www.qss.org/articles/eidukum.html
Language: en
Subject: eid
Title: To You Be Your Celebrations, And To Me Mine
Created on: Thu Oct 04 14:06:41 -0400 2007
Updated on: Fri Feb 15 15:28:08 -0500 2008
Version: 3
Abstract: ... s chosen, and land him in Hell: What an evil abode! [An-Nisaa (4:115)]. And a true Muslim is very anxious to be distinctive and different from the non-believers. This attitude follows from the repeated instructions of the Messenger (S): Be different from the Jews and the Christians [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim], Be different from the disbelievers [Al- Bukhaaree and Muslim], and: Whoever imitates a people is one of them. [Authentic; narrated by Ahmad] Why is it so important to be distinctive and different from the disbelievers? For the following reasons: a) We Muslims are blessed with the best guidance. The Guidance from the Lord of lords, from Allaah (T). This gives us true dignity and pride that no one else has a claim to: Honor belongs to Allaah, to the Messenger, and to the Believers. [Al- Munaafiqoon (63) 8] b) The disbelievers are misguided, and their ways are based on sick or deviant views concerning their societies, the universe, and their very existence. Their actions frequently reflect their deviant opinions. Why then would anyone ever think of imitating them? Yet Muslims sometimes do just that - they imitate them in their most unintelligible acts! The Messenger (S): You [Muslims] will [in future times] follow the ways of those [disbelieving] nations who preceded you very closely; even if they enter into the hole of a lizard you would follow them into it. [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim] c) There is a substantial amount of evidence in Islaam leading to the important rule: external agreement or similarity results in real similarity and agreement of the hearts. Thus, resembling disbelievers is Satan's first step in leading Muslims to behave and believe like the kuffaar(9).Differing from the kuffaar is of different levels or types, some of which are more important than others. They can be broadly classified as follows: Islaam requires us to be different from non-Muslims in matters which are particular to their beliefs or worships, such as: wearing a cross, attending their religious services, wearing monks' attires, displaying or valuing their idols, etc. Imitating the kuffaar in such matters constitutes a major sin which is most possibly a form of disbelief that leads to permanent abode in the Hell Fire (may Allaah (T) save us). Islaam requires us to be different from the kuffaar in matters which are representative of them or are characteristic of their identity, even if the religious aspect were not apparant in such matters. Examples of this type of requirements: growing beards and trimming moustaches, dying white hair, not to totally abandon women in their menses, etc. Matters which can be classified under the above two types should be treated similarly, even if there is no specific text to require such treatment. Examples: wearing the Western hat or wedding bands, carrying pictures of family members, walking dogs, wasting time in watching sports games and soap operas, etc. As for other matters which are done by the kuffaar but are not specific to them, the above texts inform us that we should still try to be distinctive from them as much as possible. What is stated above should not be taken to mean, for instance, that we should not learn the sciences or use technology because the kuffaar are currently its leaders. Islaam requires us to learn and benefit from such forms knowledge, and this does not have to do with the subject of being different from the disbelievers. Holidays Are Part of the Complete Deen After the above lengthy discussion which, as stated earlier, is meant to provide general guidelines concerning celebrations and other related matters, we come back to apply what we have learnt so far to the subject at hand. Prophet Muhammad (S) once saw the Ansaar celebrating a certain day. He inquired about that and was informed: This is one of two days that we used to celebrate in Jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic ignorance) and we continue to do so. He replied: Nay! Allaah has substituted for you two better days: the day of al-Fitr and the day of al-Adhhaa. [Authentic; narrated by Ahmad, an-Nasaaee, and others] In addition to these two days, the Jumu ah (Friday) is an eid day. The Prophet (S) said: This is a day which Allaah has designated as an eid for Muslims. [Authentic] From this and the previous hadeeth, we conclude that Muslims have only three eid days, a weekly eid every Friday, and two annual eids, al-Fitr and al-Adhhaa. Also, Islaam instructs us as to how to celebrate our eids. No fasting is allowed on these days (Friday is excepted under certain conditions). On eid days, Muslims take a bath and wear their best clothes. They avoid all forms of sinning which people tend to commit when they are in a state of rejoice. The major part of the celebration is not eating or drinking. Rather, it is a prayer which gathers Muslims together to r... [Full Article...]
