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non-Muslim
Religious Celebrations and Ruling on participataing
The conflict between truth and falsehood
is ongoing and will last as long as this world remains. The fact that some
groups among the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
are following the people of falsehood such as the Jews, Christians,
Zoroastrians, idol-worshippers and others, whilst a group is remaining steadfast
to the truth despite the pressures, is all part of the decreed system of the
universe. But this does not mean that we should give in and follow the ways of
those who are astray, because the one who told us that this would inevitably
happen also warned us against following this path, and he commanded us to adhere
firmly to Islam no matter how many people deviate from it and no matter how
strong they become. He told us that the blessed one is the one who adheres
steadfastly to the truth no matter what the distractions, at a time when the one
who does righteous deeds will earn the reward of fifty men whose deeds are like
those of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) – as was reported in the
hadeeth of Abu Tha’labah al-Khushani (may Allaah be pleased with him).
Among the Ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) there
will be people who deviated from the truth and went towards falsehood, changing
and altering things. Their punishment will be that they will be kept away from
the Hawd (Cistern) whilst those who adhered to the Straight Path will come and
drink from it. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:
“I will precede you to the Cistern, and men from among you will be brought to
me, and when I stretch forth my hand to them, they will be pulled away. I will
say, ‘O Lord! My followers!’ and it will be said: ‘You do not know what they
innovated after you were gone.’”
According to another report: “I will say: ‘May he be doomed, the one who changed
(the religion) after I was gone.’”
One of the most obvious manifestations of this altering of Islam and
disdainfully treating the religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) is the way in which people follow the enemies of Allaah – may He be
exalted – in everything, major or minor, in the name of development, progress
and civilization, under the banners of peaceful coexistence, human brotherhood,
new world order, globalization and other dazzling but deceitful slogans. The
caring Muslim can spot this dangerous problem among the majority of Muslims,
except for those on whom Allaah has mercy, to such an extent that they even
follow them in their religious rituals and in their most unique traditions and
customs, such as the festivals which are part of their belief systems. Allaah
says (interpretation of the meanings):
“and follow not their vain desires, diverging away from the truth that has come
to you. To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way” [al-Maa’idah
5:48]
“For every nation We have ordained religious ceremonies which they must follow”
[al-Hajj 22:67] – which means, a festival which is for them alone.
Many Muslims have been led astray by the dazzling attractions of the enemies of
Allaah, especially the Christians with their major festivals such as the
celebration of the birth of the Messiah (peace be upon him) – i.e., Christmas –
and the Christian New Year. They attend Christian parties on these occasions in
their (Christians’) countries, and some of them have brought these things back
to Muslim countries – we seek refuge with Allaah. A great disaster is the huge
preparations which are being made on an international scale and at the level of
the major Christian countries to celebrate the end of the second millenium and
the beginning of the third millenium since the birth of the Messiah, son of
Maryam (peace be upon him). If the world is teeming with Christian celebrations
during a regular New Year, how will it be at the end of a Christian century (the
twentieth century) and the end of a millenium (the second millenium)? It is a
major event for which the Christians are preparing in a manner appropriate to
its huge significance.
This Christian event will not be like a usual New Year’s Eve celebration taking
only in the Christian countries and in their focal point, the Vatican.
Preparations are afoot to make the focal point of the celebrations in Bethlehem,
the place where the Messiah – peace be upon him – was born. The political and
religious leaders of the Christians will go there – evangelicals and moderates
alike, and even the secularists, to celebrate this millenium of which the world
press is talking more and more as it approaches day by day. It is expected that
more than three million people will be present in Bethlehem, led by the Pope
John Paul II. Some of the neighbouring Muslim countries are also taking part in
this global event, on the grounds that some of the symbols or major events of
the Christian festival took place in their land – namely the baptism of the
Messiah (peace be upon him), when he was baptized by John the Baptist (Yahyaa,
peace be upon him) in the River Jordan. Indeed, many Muslims will also take part
in these celebrations on the basis that they are an international event which
concerns all the inhabitants of the earth. These people do not know that
celebrating this millenium is a celebration of a Christian religious festival
(the birth of the Messiah, i.e. Christmas, and the Christian New Year), and that
taking part in it involves taking part in the rituals of their religion, and
that rejoicing in it means rejoicing in the symbols of Kufr when they are made
manifest and they prevail. This poses a great danger to the ‘aqeedah (belief) of
the Muslim, because “Whoever imitates a people is one of them” as was reported
in a saheeh hadeeth from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him). So how about one who actually joins in with them in the rituals of
their religion?! This obliges us to discuss the rulings on the festivals of the
kuffaar, how the Muslim should deal with them and how they should differ from
them – which is one of the basic principles of this pure religion of ours.
Moreover, we need to know some details about their festivals and rituals so that
we can avoid them and warn others about them.
Why do we need to know about the festivals of the kuffaar?
One of the things that the scholars agreed on is that the Muslim does not need
to concern himself with the ways of the kuffaar, or their rituals and customs
(unless he wants to call them to Islam), except when their customs and rituals
are becoming widespread ignorant Muslims, whether deliberately or
unintentionally. In such cases Muslims need to know about them so that they can
avoid them. In recent times this has become more of an issue for the following
reasons:
More mixing with the kuffaar, because Muslims go to their countries to study,
take vacations, do business or for other reasons. Those who go there witness
some of their rituals and they may like them, so they follow them. This is
especially the case with those who are suffering from an inferiority complex and
who look at the kuffaar with strong admiration which robs them of the power to
resist, corrupts their hearts and weakens their commitment to religion. In
addition to this, many westernized, educated people regard the kuffaar as
advanced, progressive and civilized even in their most mundane customs and
habits. Or else this comes about through the open celebration of these festivals
in Muslim countries by some groups and non-Muslim minorities, so some ignorant
Muslims are influenced by this.
The matter is made more serious by the media which can transmit everything with
sound and living pictures from the farthest corners of the earth. No doubt the
media of the kuffar is stronger and more capable of transmitting their rituals
to the Muslims than the other way round. Many satellite channels broadcast the
rituals of other religions’ festivals – especially Christian festivals. The
matter becomes more serious when the secular systems in some Muslim countries
have adopted the celebrations of the kaafirs and some of the people of bid’ah
and the Arabic satellite channels broadcast this to the world, so some Muslims
are deceived by the fact that this is coming from a Muslim country.
Throughout their history, the Muslims have suffered from the problem of being
influenced by the rituals of others through mixing with them. This prompted the
imaams (scholars) of Islam to warn the Muslim masses against imitating others in
their festivals and rituals. Among these scholars are Shaykh al-Islam ibn
Taymiyah, his student al-‘Allaamah Ibn al-Qayyim, al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi and al-Haafiz
ibn Katheer. They lived at the same time, when there was a lot of mixing between
Muslims and others, especially Christians, and ignorant Muslims were influenced
by their (Christians’) religious rituals, especially their festivals. So these
scholars spoke a great deal about these things throughout their books, and some
of them devoted books to the particular topic, such as Ibn Taymiyah (Iqtidaa’
al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem li Mukhaalafat Ashaab al-Jaheem) and al-Dhahabi (Tashbeeh
al-Khasees bi Ahl al-Khamees), and others.
Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) spoke at length about their
festivals and what they do on those occasions, and he described the extent to
which the ignorant Muslims were influenced by this. He described their various
festivals and the rituals and customs that were involved - which Muslims do not
ordinarily need to know about, but now it is necessary because many Muslims are
following the People of the Book in those rituals.
Shaykh al-Islam described their festivals and discussed them in the context of
warning against them. After speaking in detail about them, he said: “Our aims
are not limited just to knowing the details of their falsehood, but it is
sufficient for us to know what is munkar (evil) in such a way that we can
distinguish between it and that which is mubaah (permissible), ma’roof (good),
mustahabb (encouraged) and waajib (obligatory), so that by means of this
knowledge we will be able to protect ourselves and avoid it, just as we know
(and avoid) other things that are haraam, as we are obliged to do. Whoever does
not know about what is munkar, either in general terms or in details, will not
be able to avoid it. A general knowledge is sufficient, unlike with waajibaat
(duties) [where it is essential to know details – translator].”
He also said:
“I have counted so many things that are munkar in their religion when I noted
that some groups of Muslims are influenced by some of them, and many of them do
not know that this comes from the Christian religion which is cursed, it and its
followers. I do not know all the things that they do, but I have mentioned what
I have seen Muslims doing, which is taken from them.”
4. Some of their festivals nowadays revolve around large gatherings, and still
bear some of the features of their ancient festivals. Many Muslims take part in
these events without realizing that. This is the case with the Olympic Games,
whose roots lie in a festival that was celebrated by the Greeks, then the
Romans, then the Christians; and with the “Mahrajaans” (“festivals”) which are
organized to promote trade, culture etc., even though the Mahrajaan was
originally a Persian festival. Most of those who organize these gatherings and
call them “Mahrajaan” are unaware of this.
Knowing evil is a means of avoiding it and keeping away from it. Hudhayfah (may
Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The people used to ask the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about good things, but I used
to ask him about bad things, fearing that I may fall into them.” It is a great
problem that Muslims fall into observing some of the rituals of the disbelievers
without realizing that this is part of their rituals and unique customs, which
we have been commanded to avoid because it is an abomination and misguidance.
There are so many calls made by the strong voices of hypocrisy who want to cut
the Ummah off from its roots, destroy its identity and assimilate it into the
methodology of the kuffaar, and want people to follow them step by step, under
the banners of humanity, globalization, universalism, openness towards others
and receptiveness towards other cultures. This makes it essential for us to know
about the others’ (the kaafirs’) misguidance and deviation so that we can expose
it and point out the faults that lie beneath the attractive exterior that covers
these abhorrent ideas,
“so that those who were to be destroyed (for their rejecting the Faith) might be
destroyed after a clear evidence, and those who were to live (i.e. believers)
might live after a clear evidence” [al-An’aam 8:42 – interpretation of the
meaning] – and so that proof may be demonstrated to the followers of Muhammad
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), so that they will not be cheated or
deceived.
Festivals of the Pharaohs
Among the Pharaonic festivals is the festival of Shimm al-Naseem (lit. “smelling
the breeze”), which involves venerating some days as a good omen or drawing nigh
to the gods who were worshipped instead of Allaah – may He be exalted. Shaykh
Mahfooz – during his own time – mentioned some of the shameful and immoral
practices that would make one's hair stand on end, whereby farms and open spaces
were filled with groups of immoral people of bad conduct, and groups of young
and old, men and women, went to the orchards and rivers to commit zinaa
(fornication, adultery) and to drink intoxicating substances, thinking that on
that day all evil actions were permissible for them.
Among the superstitions connected to this festival was the placing of onions
beneath the head of a sleeping person, or hanging them in doorways, claiming
that this would take away laziness and sloth. This event is counted as one of
the Pharaonic festivals, and it was said that it was invented by the Copts;
there is nothing to suggest that it did not belong to both of them, and that it
was not passed down from the Pharaohs to the Copts. Many Egyptians – especially
the Copts – still celebrate this festival, and many Muslims join in with them.
In recent years a number of secular writers have called for it to be made an
official holiday, in order to revive the Pharaonic legacy, at the time when they
describe the rituals of Islam as being backward, reactionary and uncivilized!
The festivals of the Greeks
The months of the Greek year were many, and were named after the festivals. The
costs of these festivals were financed by the rich among them. Most of their
festivals were connected to the rituals of their pagan religion which was based
on polytheism. They had so many festivals which were aimed at reducing the
tedium of daily life, and it reached the extent that no month was free of one or
more festivals, except for one month which was called Mamkitrion.
Their festivals were characterized by obscenity, promiscuity, drunkenness and
giving free rein to their animalistic desires, so that they did whatever they
wanted, as is reflected in many of their misguided myths, such as their claim
that they summoned the souls of the dead, then they sent them back or expelled
them again after the festival was over. The most important of their festivals
included the following:
The festival of the Olympiad, or the Olympic feast. This was held in Elis every
four years. It was first officially recognized in 776 BCE. The Olympiad was one
of their most important festivals and seasonal gatherings. From that far-off
date, these games were historically called the Olympiad. It has nationalistic
features and aims, so much so that it was said that the Greeks used to boast
about their Olympic victories more than their conquests on the battlefield. This
was the greatest festival of the Greeks at that time.
These games are still held and supported by the Christian nations under the same
ancient name and with the inherited rituals such as lighting the Olympic flame
in Athens and bringing it to the country where the Games are being held, and so
on. Unfortunately many Muslim countries also take part in these games and boast
about doing so. Many of them do not know that their origin lies in the festivals
of the kuffaar and the sacred days of their pagan religion. We seek refuge with
Allaah from deviation, misguidance and blind following.
The Greeks also had other major festivals such as the festivals of the Hellenic
league, the Ionic league and others.
The festivals of the Romans
One of the nations which had the most festivals was the Romans. They had more
than one hundred holy days in the year, days which they regarded as festivals,
including the first day of each month. Some festivals were devoted to the
sanctification of the dead and the souls of the underworld, and on many of their
festivals celebrations were held to placate the dead and appease their anger –
or so they claimed.
As it is known, the Roman Empire prevailed after the Greeks, so they inherited
many of the Greek rituals, customs and festivals.
Among the most famous Roman festivals:
The festival of love, which they celebrated on February 14 each year, as an
expression of what they believed, in their pagan religion, to be divine love.
This festival was invented more than 1700 years ago, at the time when paganism
was still prevalent among the Romans. Whilst their state was still idolatrous,
they executed Saint Valentine, who had converted to Christianity after having
been a pagan. When the Romans converted to Christianity, they made the day of
his execution an occasion to celebrate the martyrs of love. This festival is
still celebrated in America and Europe, to declare feelings of friendship and to
renew the covenant of love between spouses and lovers. This festival now has
great social and economic significance.
It seems that another practice stemmed from the concept of this feast, which is
the anniversary celebrated by spouses or friends who love one another, where the
couple celebrate the anniversary of their marriage each year, to confirm the
love between them. This custom has passed to the Muslims because of their mixing
(with the non-Muslims), so that couples celebrate the night of their marriage in
a special way in many Muslim countries, imitating the kuffaar. Laa hawla wa laa
quwwata illaa Billaa il-‘Aliy il-‘Azeem (there is no strength and no power
except with Allaah, the Exalted and Almighty).
The festivals of the Jews
The (Jewish) New Year, which is called the festival of Heesha [Rosh Hashanah].
This is the first day of Tishreen al-Awwal. They claim that it is the day on
which the sacrifice Ishaaq (peace be upon him) was ransomed. This is according
to their mistaken belief – in fact the one who was to be sacrificed was
Ismaa’eel, not Ishaaq. This festival has a similar status to that of ‘Eid al-Adhaa
for Muslims.
The festival of Sumaria or Yom Kippur, which for them is a day of forgiveness.
The feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) on the fifteenth of Tishreen. On this day they
stay in the shade of the branches of trees. It is also called the Festival of
the Fast of the Virgin Mary.
The Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is the Passover, on the fifteenth of Nisan.
This commemorates the flight of the Children of Israel from slavery in Egypt in
the thirteenth century BCE. This story is told in the twelfth chapter of the
Book of Exodus. The festival lasts for eight days in occupied Palestine, and the
Reform Jews celebrate it in their own countries for seven days. During this
festival they have a celebration called the Seder, where they read the story of
the flight of the Children of Israel in a book called the Haggadah and they eat
unleavened bread, as a reminder that when the Children of Israel fled, they ate
this kind of bread, because they did not have time to make leavened bread. The
Jews still eat unleavened bread during this festival to this day.
The Feast of Weeks or Pentecost (Shavuot). They claim that this is the day on
which Allaah – may He be exalted – spoke to Moosa (peace be upon him).
The Day of Atonement, in the tenth month of the Jewish year, when a person goes
into seclusion for nine days to worship and fast, This is called the days of
repentance.
The new moon. They used to celebrate the birth of each new moon, when they used
to blow trumpets in Jerusalem and light fires in celebration.
The Jubilee, which is described in the Book of Leviticus.
They also have other festivals, among which the most well known are: the
festival of victory, or Purim, and the festival of Hanukkah, which is also known
as the festival of blessing.
The festivals of the Christians
The festival of the resurrection, which is called Easter. This is the most
important annual Christian festival, which is preceded by the long fast (Lent)
which lasts for forty days before Easter Sunday. This festival commemorates the
return of the Messiah (peace be upon him) or his resurrection after his
crucifixion, two days after his death – according to their claims. It marks the
end of many different kinds of rituals, which include:
The onset of the long fast of Lent, which lasts for forty days before Easter
Sunday. They start fasting on a Wednesday known as Ash Wednesday, where ash is
placed on the foreheads of those present and they repeat the words, “From dust
we came and to dust we shall return.”
Fifty days after Easter Sunday, they end with the Feast of Pentecost or
Whitsuntide.
The Week of Sorrows (or Holy Week), which is the last week of the fasting period
of Lent, which refers to the events that led up to the death and resurrection of
Jesus (peace be upon him) – as they claim.
Palm Sunday, which is the Sunday before Easter. This is a commemoration of the
triumphal entry of the Messiah into Jerusalem.
Maundy Thursday, which is a commemoration of the Last Supper of the Messiah, and
his arrest and imprisonment.
Good Friday (“the Friday of Grief”), which is the Friday before Easter, which
refers to the death of Jesus on the cross – or so they claim.
Easter Saturday (the “Saturday of Light”), which comes before Easter and refers
to the death of the Messiah. It is a day of watching and waiting for the
resurrection of the Messiah on Easter Sunday. The Easter festivities conclude
with the Thursday of Ascension, when the story of the Messiah’s ascension into
heaven is recited in all the churches. They have different kinds of celebrations
and festivals, according to the different denominations in different Christian
countries. The Thursday and Friday before Easter are known as the Great Thursday
and the Great Friday, as was mentioned by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may
Allaah have mercy on him). This is the Thursday (al-Khamees) referred to in the
book of al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi (may Allaah have mercy on him): Tashbeeh al-Khasees
bi Ahl al-Khamees. This Thursday is the last day of their fast, and is also
known as the Thursday of the Table or the Feast of the Table. It is mentioned in
Soorat al-Maa’idah where Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“‘Eesaa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), said: “O Allaah, our Lord! Send us from
the heaven a table spread (with food) that there may be for us — for the first
and the last of us — a festival and a sign from You…” [al-Maa’idah 5:114]
They also do many strange things during these festivals, as was mentioned by
many historians, such as gathering the leaves of trees, soaking them, then
washing with the water, or putting kohl on their eyes. The Copts of Egypt used
to bathe in the Nile on certain days, claiming that this was healing. Easter is
the day when they break their long fast. They claim that on this day, the
Messiah (peace be upon him) was resurrected three days after the crucifixion,
and Adam was saved from Hell, and other myths. Shams al-Deen al-Dimashqi al-Dhahabi
mentioned that the people of Hama would stop working for six days on this
occasion, and they would dye eggs and make ka’k [a kind of biscuit], and other
kinds of corrupt deeds and mixing that they engaged in at that time. He said
that the Muslims used to join in that as well, and that they outnumbered the
Christians. We seek refuge with Allaah.
Ibn al-Haaj mentioned that they openly committed immoral actions and engaged in
gambling, but no one denounced them for doing so. This is probably what prompted
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) to denounce what he
saw of Muslims imitating Christians in their festivals and rituals, for he
mentioned a great deal of this in his excellent book al-Iqtidaa’ . Al-Dhahabi
also wrote a book on this topic, as mentioned above.
Until the present, all the Christians celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after
the moon become full in spring, in the period between March 22 and April 25. The
Eastern Orthodox Christians observe it later than the other Christians. Its
rituals, fasts and days occupy an entire season in the Christian year.
2. The festival of the birth of the Messiah (may peace be upon him). The
Europeans call this Christmas, and it is on December 25 for the majority of
Christians. For the Copts it is the day which corresponds to the twenty-ninth of
Keehak (the fourth month of the Coptic year). This celebration is ancient and
was mentioned in the books of the historians. Al-Maqreezi said: The time of
Christmas came whilst we were in Cairo, and it is a major event in all the
regions of Egypt, when they sell candles in the shape of flowers, which they
call lanterns.
For Christians, this festival is an annual reminder of the birth of the Messiah
(peace be upon him). They have many rituals and acts of worship at this time,
when they go to the church and hold special prayers and services. The story of
the birth of the Messiah is mentioned in their Gospels – Luke and Matthew. It
was first celebrated in 336 CE. The festival is influenced by pagan rituals,
when the Romans used to celebrate the god of light and the god of the harvest.
When Christianity became the official religion of the Romans, Christmas became
the most important festival in Europe. Saint Nicholas became a symbol of
gift-giving at this festival in the European countries, then Father Christmas
(Santa Claus) took the place of Saint Nicholas as a symbol of the giving of
gifts, especially to children (1). Many Muslims in different countries have been
influenced by these rituals and customs, and the giving of gifts by Santa Claus
has become well known in many Muslim-owned stores and shops. How many houses
have these gifts entered, and how many Muslim children know about Santa Claus
and his gifts! Laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaa il-‘Aliy il-‘Azeem (there
is no strength and no power except with Allaah, the Exalted and Almighty).
The Christians have many rituals on this day. The Christians of Palestine and
neighbouring regions gather on the night of this festival in Bethlehem, the city
where the Messiah (peace be upon him) was born, to attend Midnight Mass. Among
their other rituals, they celebrate the nearest Sunday to the date of November
30, which is the feast day of Saint Andrew. This is the first day of Advent –
the advent of the Messiah (peace be upon him). The festival reaches its peak
when they stay up for Midnight Mass, when the churches are decorated and the
people sing Christmas carols. The Christmas season ends on January 6. Some of
them burn part of the trunk of the Christmas tree, then they keep the part that
is not burned, believing that this burning will bring them good luck. This
belief is widespread in Britain, France and the Scandinavian countries.
The feast of the Epiphany (ghattaas), which is on January 19. For the Copts it
is on the eleventh of Toobah. The origin of this festival, according to them, is
that Yahyaa ibn Zakariya (peace be upon them both), whom they know as John the
Baptist, baptized the Messiah son of Maryam (peace be upon him) in the River
Jordan, and when he was washed, the Holy Spirit came upon him. Because of this,
the Christians dip their children in water on this day, and all of them immerse
themselves in the water. Al-Mas’oodi mentioned that this day – during his time –
was a major event in Egypt, attended by thousands of Christians and Muslims, who
would bathe in the Nile, believing that this offered protection from sickness
and was a healing. This is what is celebrated by the Orthodox churches, but the
Catholic and Protestant churches have a different concept of this festival,
whereby they commemorate the “adoration of the Magi”, where the three men who
came from the east venerated the infant Jesus.
The origin of the word ghattaas (baptism) is Greek, meaning “emerging.” It is a
religious term, referring to the emergence of an invisible being. It was
mentioned in the Tawraat that Allaah – may He be exalted – appeared to Moosa
(peace be upon him) in the form of a burning bush – exalted be Allaah far above
what they say.
The Christian New Year celebration: this has become a major celebration in these
times, which is celebrated by Christian countries and by some Muslim countries.
TV broadcasts of these celebrations are transmitted live to all parts of the
world, they appear on the front pages of newspapers and magazines, and they
occupy a large part of the news broadcasts on satellite channels. It is
noticeable that many Muslims in whose countries these Christian celebrations are
not held travel to Christian countries to attend them and enjoy the forbidden
things that are involved in them, unaware of the sin committed by indulging in
the rituals of those who disbelieve.
The Christians have many false beliefs and myths about New Year’s Eve (December
31), as is the case with all their festivals. We hear of these beliefs from the
makers of modern civilization and those who are described as civilized, those
whom the hypocrites among our people want to follow in even the smallest detail,
even in their myths, so that we can be assured of a position in the ranks of
those who are advanced and civilized and earn the approval of those who have
blond hair and blue eyes!
Among their beliefs (with regard to New Year’s Eve) is that the one who drinks
the last glass of wine from the bottle after midnight will have good luck, and
if he is single, he will be the first one among his friends who are present to
get married. It is regarded as bad luck for a person to enter the house at New
Year without bringing a gift; sweeping out the dirt at New Year means that one
is also sweeping away good luck; washing clothes and dishes on this day will
bring bad luck; they try to keep the fire burning all night on New Year’s Eve so
that it will bring good luck… and other such myths and superstitions.
They also have other festivals, some of which are ancient and others have been
invented recently. Some of them were taken from the Greeks and Romans who came
before them, and others were part their religion but have now vanished. Some of
these festivals are of major significance to them, and others are of limited
importance, being confined to a few churches or denominations.
Each denomination and church has festivals which are unique to them, and are not
celebrated by other denominations. The Protestants do not believe in the
festivals of the other churches, but they do agree on the major festivals such
as Easter, Christmas, New Year and the Epiphany, even though they differ as to
the rituals and practices involved, or some of the reasons and details, or the
time and place.
Festivals of the Persians
1. The festival of Nawrooz. The word ‘Nawrooz’ means new. The festival lasts for
six days, when at the time of Chosroes they used to fulfil the needs of other
people in the first five days, and the sixth day was devoted to themselves and
the people to whom they were closest. This day was called the great Nawrooz, and
was the most important of their festivals. The book Ashaab al-Awaa’il mentioned
that the first one to celebrate Nawrooz was Jamsheed the king, in whose time
Hood (peace be upon him) was sent, after the religion had been changed. When the
king Jamsheed renewed the religion and established justice, the day on which he
had ascended the throne was named Nawrooz. When he reached the age of seven
hundred years, and he had never gotten ill or suffered a headache, he became an
oppressive tyrant. He made an image of himself and sent it to the provinces for
it to be venerated, and the masses worshipped it and made idols in its image.
Al-Dahhaak al-‘Alwaani, one of the Amaaliqah (Amalekites) attacked him in the
Yemen and killed him, as is stated in the books of history. Some of the Persians
claim that Nawrooz is the day when Allaah created light. Nawrooz is considered
to be the festival marking the Persian solar New Year. It coincides with the
twenty first of March in the Gregorian calendar. The masses used to light fires
on this night and sprinkle water in the morning.
Nawrooz is also celebrated by the Baha’is, coming at the end of their fast which
lasts for 19 days, on March 21. (3). Nawrooz is also the first day of the year
for the Copts, who call it Shimm al-Naseem. For them it lasts for six days,
starting on the sixth of June. We have already discussed Shimm al-Naseem under
the heading of Pharaonic festivals above. It is possible that the Copts took it
from the Pharaonic legacy, since they were all in Egypt.
2. The festival of Mahrajaan. The word Mahrajaan is composed of two words: mahar,
meaning loyalty, and jaan meaning authority or power. So the word means, the
authority of loyalty. The origin of this festival was the celebration of the
victory of Afridoon over al-Dahhaak al-‘Alwaani, who killed Jamsheed, the king
who has started Nawrooz. It was also said that it was a celebration of the onset
of cooler weather in the fall. It is possible that it originally started for the
reason mentioned above, but as that coincided with the onset of cooler weather
in the fall, so they continued to celebrate that. It is celebrated on the
twenty-sixth of the Syriac month of Tishreen al-Awwal. Like Nawrooz, it lasts
for six days, the sixth of which is the Great Mahrajaan. On this occasion and on
Nawrooz they used to exchange gifts of musk, amber, Indian ‘ood [a kind of
perfume or incense], saffron and camphor. (5). The first person to make this
exchange of gifts official in Islamic times was al-Hajjaaj ibn Yoosuf al-Thaqafi,
and this continued until it was abolished by the rightly-guided Khaleefah ‘Umar
ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez (may Allaah have mercy on him).
One of the greatest problems that the Muslims are suffering from is the use of
the word Mahrajaan (festival) to describe many social, cultural and economic
gatherings, celebrations and events. The word is even used to describe da’wah
events. So people speak of mahrahjaan al-thaqaafah (cultural festival),
Mahrajaan al-tasawwuq (marketing festival), Mahrajaan al-kutub (book festival),
mahrahjaan al-da’wah (da’wah festival) and so on, as we see in advertisements
and hear in many phrases which use this idolatrous term. Mahrajaan is the name
of the festival of the fire worshippers.
Hence using this idolatrous Persian term to describe Muslim gatherings is
clearly one of the things that are prohibited. We must avoid doing this and tell
others not to use this word. There are sufficient permissible expressions that
we do not need to use this word, for the Arabic language is the richest of all
languages in words and meanings.
Definition of imitation.
Imitation (tashabbuh in Arabic) means resembling. If we say that someone
imitates someone else, we means that he looks like him and acts like him.
Likening a things to something else (tashbeeh) means saying that it is like it.
The word tashabbuh has many counterparts in Arabic which carry meanings such as
being like, imitating, looking like, following, agreeing with, taking as an
example, copying, etc. They all have shades of meaning of their own, but they
also overlap with the meaning of tashabbuh. In terms of the terminology of Fiqh,
al-Ghuzzi al-Shaafa’i defined tashabbuh as describing a person’s attempt to be
like the one whom he is imitating, in appearance, characteristics, wqualities
and attributes. It implies making an effort to achieve this and deliberately
taking action for that purpose.
The ruling on imitating the kuffaar
One of the most important basic principles of our religion is that of al-walaa’
wa’l-baraa’, loyalty (walaa’) to Islam and its people, and diavowal (baraa’) of
kufr and its people. One of the essential features of this disavowal of kufr and
it’s people is that the Muslim should be distinct from the people of kufr, and
he should feel proud of his religion and of being a Muslim, no matter how strong
and advanced and civilized the kuffaar may be, and no matter how weak and
backward and divided the Muslims may be. It is not permissible under any
circumstances to take the strength of the kuffaar and the weakness of the
Muslims as an excuse for imitating and resembling them, as some hypocrites and
defeatist Muslims claim. The texts which forbid imitating the kuffaar do not
make any distinction between whether Muslims are strong or weak, because the
Muslim can be distinct in his religion and be proud of being Muslim even when he
is in a weak position.
Allaah calls us to be proud of Islam, and considers this to be the best of
speech and the best kind of pride, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And who is better in speech than he who [says: “My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness),” and then stands firm (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to
Allah’s (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: “I am one of
the Muslims.” [Fussilat 41:33]
Because it is so important for the Muslim to be distinguished from the kaafir,
the Muslim is commanded to pray to Allaah at least seventeen times each day to
help him to avoid the path of the kaafireen and to guide him to the Straight
Path:
“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, nor of those who went
astray” [al-Faatihah 1:6-7 – interpretation of the meaning].
There are very many texts in the Qur’aan and Sunnah which forbid us to imitate
them, and which clearly state that they are misguided; whoever imitates them,
imitates them in their misguidance. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meanings);
“Then We have put you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) on a (plain) way of (Our)
commandment [like the one which We commanded Our Messengers before you (i.e.
legal ways and laws of the Islâmic Monotheism)]. So follow you that (Islâmic
Monotheism and its laws), and follow not the desires of those who know not.”
[al-Jaathiyah 46:18]
“Were you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) to follow their (vain) desires after
the knowledge which has come to you, then you will not have any Walî (protector)
or Wâq (defender) against Allâh” [al-Ra’d 13:37]
“And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear
proofs had come to them” [Aal- ‘Imraan 3:105]
Allaah calls the believers to remember Him with humility and to recite His
Verses, then He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“lest they become as those who received the Scripture [the Taurât (Torah) and
the Injeel (Gospel)] before (i.e. Jews and Christians), and the term was
prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were
Fâsiqûn (the rebellious, the disobedient to Allâh)” [al-Hadeed 57:16]
No doubt imitating them is one of the grestes indications that a person has
befriended them and loves them, and this contradicts the idea of diavowal [baraa’]
of the kufr and its people. Allaah has forbidden the believers to take them as
friends, and He has stated that taking them as friends causes a person to become
one of them – Allaah forbid. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“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” [al-Maa’idah 5:51]
“You (O Muhammad ) will not find any people who believe in Allâh and the Last
Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad
), even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their
kindred (people)” [al-Mujaadilah 58:22]
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Imitation
generates friendship and love, and regarding them as allies in the inside, just
as loving them on the inside generates imitating them on the outside.”
And he also said, commenting on the aayah from Soorat al-Mujaadilah: “Allaah
tells us that there is no (true) believer who takes a kaafir as a friend, for
whoever takes a kaafir as friend is not a believer. Imitation on the outside
implies that a person loves (the one whom he imitates), and so it is forbidden.”
It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Libaas, 1204; Ahmad, 2/05. Shaykh al-Islam classed
its isnaad as jayyid in al-Iqtidaa’, 1/042. See also al-Fataawaa, 25/133. Al-Haafiz
provided corroborating evidence in al-Fath, with a mursal report whose isnaad is
hasan (6/89). Al-Suyooti classed it as hasan, and al-Albaani classed it as
saheeh in Jamee’ al-Saheeh, 5206).
Shaykh al-Islam said: “This hadeeth at the very least implies that it is haraam
to imitate them, even if it is only in external appearance, and it implies that
the one who imitatest hem is a kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): ‘And if any amongst you takes them (as Auliyâ’), then surely, he is
one of them’ [al-Maa’idah 5:51].” (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/732).
Al-San’aani said: “If a person imitates the kaafir in his dress, and believes
that by doing so he will be like him, then he is a kaafir. If he does not belive
this, then there is a difference of opinion among the fuqahaa’ in this case.
Some of them say that he is a kaafir, which is the apparent meaning of the
hadeeth; others say that he is not a kaafir, but he should be disciplined.” (Subul
al-Salaam, 8/842).
Shaykh al-Islam said: “The reason why the religion of Allaah and its rituals is
vanishing, and kufr and sin are prevailing, is because of imitation of the
kaafireen, just as the means of preserving all good is by following the ways and
laws of the Prophets. “ (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/413).
There is much that could be said about imitation of the kuffaar, but what we
have said above is sufficient.
The forms of imitating the kuffaar in their festivals
The various sects and groups of the kuffaar have many kinds of festivals, some
of them have a religious basis whilst others have been newly invented. Some of
their festivals are like customs and events for which they have invented
festivals, such as national holidays and the like. Their festivals may be
grouped into different categories as follows:
Firstly:
religious festivals by means of which they seek to draw nearer to Allaah, such
as the Epiphany, Easter, Passover, Christmas, etc. They ways in which the
Muslims imitate them in these festivals are two:
Joining in with them in these festivals, such as when some non-Islamic groups or
minorities in Muslim countries celebrate their festivals, and some Muslims join
in with them. This happened at the time of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and al-Haafiz
al-Dhahabi, and it is what is happening now in many of the Muslim countries.
What is even worse than that is what some Muslims do by travelling to the kaafir
countries for the express purpose of attending these festivals and joining in
the celebrations, whether the motive is to fulfil their physical desires or in
response to the invitation of some of the kuffaar – as some Muslims do who live
in kaafir countries and are invited to join the celebrations, or some other who
have capital to invest or are owners of large companies, so they accept these
invitations for the sake of being friendly to the person who invited them, or
for a worldly interest such as winning a contract, and so on. All of this is
haraam, and there is the fear that it may lead to kufr, because of the hadeeth,
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” And the one who does this is aiming
to join in some of the rituals of their religion.
Beinging the celebration to the Muslim countries. Those who attend the festivals
of the kuffaar in their countries and who like them because they are ignorant
and have weak faith and little knowledge, may be prompted to bring some of those
festivals and rituals to the Muslim countries, as is happening now in many
Muslim countries, where the Gregorian New year is celebrated. This category is
worse than the former one for one reason, which is that the people whodo this
are not content merely to join the kuffaar in their rituals, but they want to
bring them to the Muslim lands as well.
Secondly:
Festivals whose origins lie in the rituals of the kuffaar, and they have now
become international customs and celebrations. This is like the Olympic
festivals (the Olympiad) in Greece, which nowadays appears to be no more than an
international sporting event in which participation takes two forms:
Taking part in the games with their rituals in the kaafir countries, as many of
the Muslim states do by sending athletes to participate in the different games.
Bringing these festivals to the Muslim countries, such as some of the Muslim
countries asking to host the Olympic Games in their countries.
In both cases, taking part or hosting the games in a Muslim country is haraam,
for the following reasons:
The origin of these Olympic Games is one of the pagan festivals of the Greeks,
as mentioned above. This was the most important festival for the Greek nation,
then it was inherited by the Romans and, in turn, the Christians.
It bears the same name as it was known by when it was a Greek festival.
The fact that it is now no more than a sporting event does not cancel out the
fact that it is a pagan festival, because of its origin and name. The evidence (daleel)
for that is the hadeeth narrated by Thaabit ibn al-Dahhaak (may Allaah be
pleased with him), who said: “At the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), a man vowed to sacrifice some camels in
Bawwaanah. He came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and said, ‘I have vowed to sacrifice some camels in Bawwaanah.’ The
Prophet Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Were there any
idols there that were worshipped during the Jaahiliyyah?’ He said, ‘No.’ He
said, ‘Did they hold any of their festivals there?’ He said, ‘No.’ The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Then fulfil your
vow, for there is no fulfilment of any vow which involves disobeying Allaah, or
with regard to something that the son of Adam does not own.’” (Narrated by Abu
Dawood in al-Aymaan wa’l-Nudhoor, 3133. According to another report, the one who
asked the question was a woman (2133). It was also narrated by al-tabaraani in
al-Kabeer (1431). Shaykh al-Islam said: its isnaad is according to the
conditions of al-Saheehayn. All of its narrators are thiqaat (trustworthy) and
mashhoor (well known), and the chain is intact, with no ‘an’anah (none of the
links of the chain are connected with the word ‘an, meaning ‘from’). See al-Iqtidaa’,
1/634. It was classed as saheeh by al-Haafiz in al-Buloogh, 5041).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) paid attention to the
origins of things, and the origin of this sporting event is a (pagan) festival.
Shaykh al-Islam said: “This implies that the fact that that spot was the place
where their festival was held would have been a reason to forbid him to
sacrifice there, as would also have been the case if had been the place of their
idols. Otherwise, how else can we interpret the hadeeth, of course it would only
have been to venerate the spot which the yvenerated, by holding the festival
there os by joining them in there celebrations there, or reviving the symbols of
their festival and other things that can only be related to that action in that
place or at that time… If merely choosing the place of the festival is
forbidden, then how about the festival itself?” (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/344)
Our issue concerning the Olympic games does not have to do with the time or the
place, but with the event itself and its original name, and the things that are
done during the event, such as the lighting of the Olympic torch, which is one
of the rituals of the games. There is also the timing of the event, because
among the Greeks the games were held every four years, and nowadays too they are
held every four years. This is a festival with regard to its origins, its name,
the things that are done and the timing, so taking part in these games means
taking part in a festival which was pagan and then Christian, and asking to hold
these games in a Muslim country means bringing this pagan festival into a Muslim
land.
Thirdly:
The days and weeks that have been invented by the kuffaar. These may be divided
into two types:
those which have a religious origin and have now become customs connected to
some worldly purpose, such as the workers’ festival (May Day) which was invented
by those who worshipped trees, then it became a pagan festival of the Romans,
then it was adopted by the French who connected it to the church, until
socialism came and propagated it, and it became an international and official
holiday even in many Muslim countries. Undoubtedly it is haraam to adopt this
day as a holiday and let workers take this day off, for the following reasons:
because in its origins and development it is a pagan festival
because it occurs on a fixed day each year, which is May 1.
Because it involves imitating the kuffaar with regard to something that belongs
exclusively tot hem.
Even if an event does not have a religious basis, such as World health Day, or
days for fighting drugs and eradicating illiteracy, and other invented days and
weeks, one of the two following things will still apply:
either it occurs on a fixed day each year and is repeated on the same day each
year, like Bank Holidays and other fixed days. There are two things wrong with
this:
it is a fixed day which recurs on the same date each year
it entails imitating the kuffaar because this is something that they have
invented.
These international days, such as World Health Day and a day for fighting drugs,
contain some benefit for humanity as a whole, which the Muslims cannot avoid
taking part in because they may miss out on some benefits otherwise; they have
nothing to do with religion and only resemble festivals in that they come every
year and they are events that are celebrated and taken notice of – so can they
be tolerated on these grounds? It seems to me that this matter needs research
and ijtihaad to weigh up the pros and cons, because the Muslims are not
consulted concerning these days and their opinion carries no weight, on the
contrary, these things are forced on the entire world and the Muslins are in a
weak and humilated position as is well known.
or it is not a day or week that comes at a fixed time each year, but is moved
according to a particular system or needs. This does not have the character of a
festival which is repeated at a fixed time, but there remains the problem of
imitation, in that it is something that was invented by the kuffaar and them
brought to the Muslims. Does this count as the kind of imitation that is haraam?
Or is it a kind of imitation that is permissible like other matters having to do
with organization, administration, etc., and like the days of annual leave in
companies, institutions, etc.? This too needs research and investigation,
although initially to seems to me that there is nothing wrong with it, for the
following reasons:
It is not fixed on a specific date that is the same each time, so it does not
have that festival-like character.
These days are not called festivals, and they do not have the characteristics of
festivals, such as celebrations and the like.
The purpose of these days is to organize awareness campaigns, to achieve
beneficial goals.
Those who want to stop them would have to stop many events and gatherings that
happen from time to time, and I do not think that anyone would advocate this.
These events are like family meetings, da’wah meetings, workplace meetings, and
so on.
There is nothing in them that would dictate that they be considered haraam,
apart from the fact that they originated with the kuffaar and were brought to
the Muslims, and the problems they deal with are widespread among the kuffaar
and others. So the objection that they belong only to the kuffaar is cancelled
by the fact that these things are also widespread among the Muslims.
In conclusion, These festivals are not part of the religion and beliefs of the
kuffaar, and they do not form part of their exclusive customs and traditions.
There is no veneration or celebration involved, and they are not festivals on
set days which are repeated regularly. They resemble other organizations in that
they serve a useful purpose.
Fourthly:
Another form of imitation of the kuffaar is turning the Eids of the Muslims into
something resembling the festivals of the kuffaar. The Eids of the Muslims are
distinguished by the fact that their rituals point to the expression of
gratitude to Allaah, may He be exalted, and glorifying, praising and worshipping
Him, whilst expressing joy for the blessings of Allaah, and not using these
blessings for sinful purposes. This is in contrast to the festivals of the
kuffaar, which are distinguished by the veneration of their false rituals and
idols which they worship instead of Allaah, whikst indulging in their fobidden
desires. It is most unfortunate that Muslims in many places are imitating the
kuffaar in this way, and they have changed their Eid from an occasion of worship
and thanksgiving into an occasion on sin and ingratitude for the blessings, by
spending the night of Eid listening to musical instruments and singing,
indulging in immoral actions, organizing mixed parties and doing other things
which they think express the celebration of Eid, following the misguided ways in
which the kuffaar spend their festivals engaging in immorality and sin.
Ways in which we must avoid the festivals of the kuffaar
Avoid attending them:
The scholars have agreed that it is haraam to attend the festivals of the
kuffaar and to imitate them in their festivals. This is the madhhab of the
Hanafis, Maalikis, Shaafa’is and Hanbalis. (See al-Iqtidaa’, 2/425; Ahkaam Ahl
al-Dhimmah by Ibn al-Qayyim, 2/227-527; al-Tashabbuh al-Munhaa ‘anhu fi’l-Fiqh
al-Islaami, 533). There is a great deal of evidence (daleel) for this, such as:
All of the evidence which states that it is forbidden to imitate them, some of
which has been quoted above.
The concensus of the Sahaabah and Taabi’een that Muslims should not attend their
festivals, The evidence of this consensus takes for forms:
The Jews, Christians and Magians (Zoroastrians) who lived in the Muslim lands
and paid Jizyah were still observing their own festivals, so the motive for some
Muslims to imitate them was present. No one among the early generations of
Muslims would have refrained from joining them in any part of that, If there had
not been something to stop them from doing so, such as it being either makrooh
(disliked) or prohibited, many of them would have fallen into that, for if the
action and the motive are present and there is nothing to stop them, people will
undoubtedly do the thing. Al-muqtada? Therefore we understand that there was
something stopping them from doing that, and what was stopping them was the
religion of Islam. This is what was stopping them from going along with the
kuffaar and this is the point that we are trying to make here. (al-Iqtidaa’,
1/454).
The conditions set out by ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), which the
Sahaabah and all the fuqahaa’ after them agreed upon, that the Ahl al-Dhimmah
(Jews and Christians living under the protection of Islamic rule in return for
paying a poll tax) should not celebrate their festivals openly in the Muslim
lands. If the Muslims have agreed that they should not celebrate their festivals
openly, then how can it be OK for Muslims to celebrate them? Is it not worse for
a Muslim to do this at all than for a kaafir to do it openly? (al-Iqtidaa’,
1/454).
‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Do not learn the language of the
Persians, and do not enter upon the mushrikeen in their churches on the day of
their festival, for the Divine warth is descending upon them.” (Musannaf ‘Abd
al-razzaaq, 9061; al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi, 9/432).
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “Whoever
settles in the land of the non-Arabs and celebratest heir Nawrooz and their
Mahrajaan, and imitates them until he dies in that state, will be gathered with
them on the Day of Resurrection.” (al-Sunan al-Kubra, 9/432; classed as saheeh
by Ibn Taymiyah in al-Iqtidaa’, 1/754).
Shaykh al-Islam said: Here we see ‘Umar forbidding people to learn their
language and to merely enter their chuch on the festivals, so what about
actually doing some of the things they do, or doing some of the rituals of their
religion? Is not doing the things they do more serious than speaking the same
language? Or is not doing some of the things they do in the festival more
serious than merely entering upon them on the occasion of their festival? If the
Divine wrath comes upon them on the day of their festival because of what they
do, then is not the one who joins them in all or part of that also exposed to
the same punishment? (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/854)
And he commented on the words of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr – “will be gathered with
them” by saying: This implies that this makes him a kaafir by his joining in
what they do, or else it means that this is one of the major sins that doom a
person to Hell, although the former is more apparent from the wording. (1/954).
Avoiding doing the same things that they do.
Some Muslims may not be able to be present at the festivals of the kuffaar, but
they do the same things as they do. This is also a part of the imitation which
blameworthy and forbidden. Shaykh al-Islam said: “It is not permissible for the
Muslims to imitate them in any part of the things that are exclusively part of
their festivals, whether it be food, dress, bathing, lighting fires or changing
their habits with regard to daily living, acts of worship, etc. It is not
permissible to give a feast or give gifts or sell items that will help them to
do that for that purpose, or to allow children and others to do any of that,
whether it is playing, wearing new clothes etc. in conclusion, they should not
make that day special by adopting any of their rituals; for the Muslims, the day
of the kaafirs’ festival should be like any other day.” Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa,
52/923).
Al-Dhahabi said: “If the Christians or the Jews have a fstival that is
exxclusively theirs, the Muslims should not join them in that, just as they do
not join them in their laws or their direction of prayer.” (tashabbuh al-Khasess
bi Ahl al-Khmaees, in al-Hikmah magazine, issue $, p. 391). Ibn al-Turkmaani al-Hanafi
mentioned some of the things that some Muslims did on the occasion of Christian
festivals, such as spending more than usual and taking the family out, then he
said: “Some of the Hanafi scholars said: whoever does any of the things
mentioned here and does not repent, is a kaafir like them.” One of the
companions of Maalik said: “Whoever cuts up a watermelon on the day of Nawrooz,
it is as if he sacrificed a pig.” (al-Lam’ fi’l-Hawaadith wa’l-Bida’, 1/492)
Avoiding using the means of transportation that they use to go to their
festivals
Maalik said: “It is makrooh to travel with them in the boats which they use to
go to their festivals, because the Divine wrath and curse is descending upon
them.” (al-Hawaadith wa’l-Bida’, 1/492).
Ibn al-Qaasim was asked about travelling in the boats which the Christians ride
in to attend their festivals. He regarded that as makrooh, fearing the descent
of Divine wrath upon them for the shirk which they agreed upon. (al-Iqtidaa’,
2/625).
Not giving them gifts or helping them to celebrate their festvials by either
selling or buying.
Abu Hafs al-Hanafi said: “Whoever gives an egg to a kaafir out of respect for
that day has disbelieved in Allaah, may He be exalted.” (Fath al-Baari li Ibn
Hajar al-‘Asqallaani, 2/315).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “Ibn al-Qaasim regarded it as makrooh for a
Muslim to give a Christian anything on the occasion of his festival to
congratulate him. He saw that as respecting their festival and helping them in
their kufr. Do you not see that it is not permissible for the Muslims to sell
anything to the Christians that helps them to celebrate their festival? No meat,
no food, no dress. They should not loan their riding-beasts to them or help them
in any way with their festival, because that is like honouring their shirk and
helping them with their kufr. The authorities should prevent Muslims from doing
this. This is the view of Maalik and others, and I do not know of any dissenting
opinion on this point.” (2/625-725)
Ibn al-Turkmaani said: “The Muslim is sinning if he sits with them or helps them
to slaughter animals or cook food, or he lends them a riding-beast to take them
to their celebrations or festivals.” (al-Lama’ fi’l-Hawaadith, 1/492)
Not helping the Muslim who wants to imitate them in their festivals to do so
Shaykh al-Islam said: “Just as we should not imitate them in their festivals, so
too we should not help the Muslim who wants to imitate them to do so. It is
forbidden to so this. If a person issues an invitation on the occasion of their
festivals that he would not ordinarily do, his invitation should not be
accepted. If a Muslim gives a gift on this occasion that he would not ordinarily
give at any other time, his gift should not be accepted, especially if it is
something that would help a person to imitate them, as we have already stated. A
Muslim should not sell anything that could help Muslims to imitate them in their
celebrations, such as food, clothing and so on, because be doing so he is
helping them in sin. (al-Iqtidaa’, 2/915-025).
Not congratulating them on the occasion of their festivals
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “As for congratulating them
for the symbols of kufr that belong exclusively to them, this is haraam
according to scholarly consensus, such as congratulating them for their
festivals and fasts, and saying, ‘A blessed festival to you’ and the like. Even
though the person who says this might not become a kaafir by saying this, it is
still forbidden, and it is the same as congratulating them for prostrating to
the cross. Indeed, it is an even greater sin with Allaah and is more hated by
Him than congratulating them for drinking wine, killing people and committing
adultery, and so on. Many of those who do not care about religion do this, and
do not realize how abhorrent their actions are. Whoever congratulates a person
for his sin, bid’ah (innovation) or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger
of Allaah. The pious scholars used to avoid congratulating the tyrants when they
were appointed to official positions, or congratulating the ignorant when they
were appointed as Qaadis, teachers or Muftis, because they sought to avoid the
wrath and anger of Allaah .” (Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah, 1/144-244).
Congratulating the kuffaar on the occasion of their religious festivals is
haraam as Ibn al-Qayyim stated, because this implies approval of their rituals
and beliefs of kufr. Even if a person does not accept this kufr for himself, it
is still haraam for a Muslim to approve of the rituals of kufr for someone else
or to congratulate someone else for them, because Allaah does not approve of
this. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you; He likes not
disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is
pleased therewith for you” [al-Zumar 39:7]
“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you,
and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]
Congratulating them for that is haraam, whether they are taking part with them
in that or not. If they congratulate us on the occasion of their festival, we
should not respond, because it is not our festival and because these are
festivals with which Allaah is not pleased, because they are either innovated in
their religions, or they are prescribed, but they (their religions) have been
abrogated by the religion of islam, with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) to all of mankind. And Allaah says concerning
islam (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of
him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85].
It is haraam for a Muslim to accept an invitation on these occasions, because
this is worse than merely congraulating them, since it involves joining in with
them. Anyone who does any of these things is a sinner whether he does it just to
be friendly, or because he likes them, or because he is too shy to do otherwise,
or for any other reason, because it is a kind of hypocrisy in the religion of
Allaah and is a way of making the kuffaar feel stronger and making tem proud of
their religion. (Majmoo’ Fataawaa wa rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad al-‘Uthaymeen,
compiled by Fahd al-Salmaan, 3/45-46)
Question: What if a Muslim wants to celebrate like they do, but he does it a few
days before or after their festival so that he is not imitating them?
This is a kind of imitation and to is haraam, because the prohibition of a thing
, and the prohibition of celebrating their festivals also covers the days before
and after the festival itself, when they do things that have to do with it. The
prohibition also covers the places in which they do things that have to do with
their festivals or … . The ruling on these things is the same as the ruling on
the festival itself. These things should not be done, even if some people avoid
doing any of thse things on the days of their festival such as the Thursday
(what is referred to here is Maundy Thursday or the Day of Ascension, which is
one of the rituals of Easter for the Christians, who call it the Great Thursday)
or Christmas, but they tell their families, I will do this for you next week or
next month, and their motive is the fact that the kaafirs’ festival is
happening, otherwise they would not have done it at all. This is also one of the
things meant by imitation. (See: al-Iqtidaa’, 2/315).
Avoiding using their words and religious terminology
If it is forbidden to learn their languages unnecessarily for fear of resembling
them, then using the names they give to their festivals and rituals is even more
forbidden. This is like using the word “mahrajaan” (festival) to describe any
large gathering, because this is the name of a religious festival of the
Persians.
Al-Bayhaqi narrated that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) was given a gift
for Nawrooz and he said, What is this?” They said, “O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, this
is the day of Nawrooz.” He said, “Then make every day Fayrooz!” Abu Usaamah
said: “He, may Allaah be pleased with him, did not even want to say ‘Nawrooz.’”
(Reported by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubraa, 9/532).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “ ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) did
not even want to say the same name as they gave to their own festival, so how
abut doing the same things?” (See: al-Iqtidaa’, 1/954).
We have already stated that this is not an Arabic term; the Arabic language is
rich enough not to need such words, and has better words that can be used.
The ruling on accepting gifts on their festivals:
We have already stated above that it is not permissive to give gifts on their
festivals because this is helping them in their falsehood. It is also not
permissible to accept a gift from a Muslim who is imitating them, because by
accepting it one is helping him to imitate them and this implies that one
approves of what he is doing and that one is not rebuking him for doing this
haraam action.
With regard to accepting a gift from a kaafir if he gives something to a Muslim
at the time of the kaafir’s festival, this is like being given a gift at other
times, because it does not involve helping them in their kufr. There is some
difference of opinion with regard to this matter, based on whether one should
accept a gift from a kaafir who is at war with the Muslims as opposed to a
kaafir who is living under the protection of Islamic rule.
It should also be noted that their gifts may be of two types:
1. Gifts other than meat that has been slaughtered for the occasion of their
festival – such as sweets, fruits and so on. There is a difference of opinion
based on the question of accepting gifts from the kaafirs in general. It seems
that it is permissible because it was reported that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased
with him) accepted their gifts, and it was reported that a woman asked ‘Aa’ishah
(may Allaah be pleased with her), “We have some birds [?][ from the Magians
wgich they had during their festival and they gave them to us.” She said, “If
they were slaughtered for that occasion, do not eat them, but eat from their
trees [i.e. fruits etc.].” (Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah in Kitaab al-At’imah in
his Musannaf, 5/521, no. 16342. In al-Iqtidaa’ it says ‘We have some
wet-nurses.’ The editor of al-Iqtidaa’ said: perhaps what is meant by this is
relatives through radaa’ah (breastfeeding)).
Abu Barzah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said that he had Magian tenants [?]
who used to give him gifts on Nawrooz and mahrajaan, and he used totell his
family: ‘If it is, eat it, but if it is anything else, reject it.’ (ibid., no.
26346).
Shaykh al-Islam said: “All of this indicates that refusing to accept their gifts
has no effect on their festival. The ruling on accepting their gifts at the time
of their festival and at other times is the same, because this does not entail
helping them in the rituals of their kufr.” (al-Iqtidaa’, 2/455-555).
2. Or their gift may be of meat that was slaughtered for the occasion of their
festival. This should not be eaten, because of the reports of ‘Aaishah and Abu
Barzah narrated above, and because it has been slaughtered according to the
rituals of kufr.
Singling out the festivals of the kuffaar for fasting so as to be different from
them
The scholars differed with regard to this:
It was said that it is not makrooh to fast on their festivals for the purpose of
being different from them. This view is da’eef (weak).
The correct view is that it is not permissible to single out the days of their
festivals for fasting, because their festivals are occasions which they
venerate, and fasting on these days and not others coincides with them in their
veneration.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Our companions said: it is
makrooh to single out the day of Nawrooz and the day of Mahrajaan to fast,
because these are two days which are venerated by the kuffaarm so fasting only
on these days and not on others is agreeing with them in their veneration of
those days. This is like the case of Saturday, so by analogy this ruling applies
to every festival of the kuffaar and every day which they venerate.” (al-Mughni,
4/924; see also al-Iqtidaa’, 2/975).
This ruling applies in cases where one singles out that day to fast because it
is their festival. But if it happens to coincide with a vow or a voluntary fast,
without intending to fast because it is their festival, then there is nothing
wrong with that.” (See Haashiyat Ibn Qaasim ‘ala al-Rawd al-Murabba’, 3/064).
The guideline in being different from them with regard to their festivals is
that one should not innovate anything at all; one should treat the days of their
festivals as being like any other day. (See al-Iqtidaa’, 2/815). So one should
not take the day off work, or rejoice on that occasion, of single that day out
for fasting, expressing grief, etc.
Shaykh al-Islam mentioned something which may be taken as guidelines with regard
to the matter of imitation. He said: “tashabbuh (imitation) includes those who
do something because they do it, which is rare; and those who follow others
inwhat they do for some purpose of his own even though the action is originally
taken from those others. As for the one who does something that happens to be
done by others as well, but neither of them took it from the other, it is open
to debate as to whether this is is imitation or not. But the person who does
this may be rebuked so that there will be no excuse for imitation, and because
this will reinforce the idea of differing from them.” (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/242).
On the basis of what Shaykh al-Islam has said, actions that happen to coincide
with what they do may be divided into two types:
Imitation of them, which is where the person who imitates them wants to be like
them ,for whatever reason. This is haraam.
Resembling them, which is when a person is not deliberately aiming to be like
them. In this case it should be pointed out to him, then if he stops, all well
and good; otherwise he is guilty of the kind of imitation that is haraam.
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw me
wearing two garments that had been dyed with safflower. He said, ‘This is the
clothing of the kuffaar, do not wear them.’” According to another rport: “He
said, ‘Did you mother tell you to wear this?’ I said, ‘Should I wash them?’ He
said, ‘No, burn them.’” (The two reports were narrated by Muslim in al-Libaas
wa’l-Zeenah, 2077)
Al-Qurtubi said: “This indicates that the reason he told him not to wear them
was that by wearing them he was imitating the kuffaar.” (book title?? 5/399).
It seems from the hadeeth that ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) did
not realize that he was imitating the dress of the kuffaar, but the Prophet
(peace be upon him) still told him off for that and explained the ruling of
sharee’ah on this matter.
If something originated with the kuffaar, And it is done by them and by others,
then this is not imitation, but Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah thought that it
should be stopped so as to leave no room for excuses and so as to protect the
Muslims from falling into imitation of the kuffaar, and because this serves the
purpose of differing from them.
The munaafiqoon and the festivals of the kuffaar
1. The socialist Baath party in one of the Arab countries tried to abolish
Udhiyah (sacrifices for ‘Eid al-Adhaa) on the grounds of famine and drought.
Their supporters put up a huge banner on which was written: “For the sake of the
hungry and the poor and the naked, donate the value of the sheep for udhiyah.”
(See al-Istijaabah magazine, vol. 4, Rabee’ al-Thaani 1406 AH).
Eid al-Adhaa came and went, and the Muslims in that country offered their
sacrifices. Then when Christmas and New Year approached, preparaions began to
celebrate them. When Christmas and New year came, they were official holidays in
that country, and there were lavish parties and promiscuous soirees. Foremost
among the people celebrating were the leaders of the scoialist Baath party whose
joy at the Christian festivals made them forget the needs of the poor, hungry
and naked, whose plight they only remembered at the time of the Muslims’ Eids!
2. One of them wrote in his weekly column, under the title of “Tolerance” (see
‘Ukaaz newspaper, 28/8/1418, 5/9/1418, 12/9/1418 AH) words that indicate the
sickness in his heart and the weakness of his religion. The tolerance to which
he referred was with regard to the Christian festivals of Christmas and New
year. Among the things that this pseudo-faqeeh said was: “This human brotherhood
includes all of mankind, and there is no division and enmity except when there
is fighting and when the Muslims are opposed by another group – then there will
be fighting, enmity and legitimate self-defence, despite the fact that some
extremists and terrorist groups are trying to extinguish this light by spreading
interpretations and ideas whiich encourage hatred and boycotting the world. So
they make noise of occasions which are celebrated by the entire world and
consider congratulating others to be a deviation from Islam. But in fact, I tell
you, these occasions spread love, not hatred, and bring people together, not
divide them.” The author went on, in his compliant and defeatist series on
tolerance, which went on for three issues, to cover the Christians festivals for
which his heart overflowed with love. In his second article, he said: “Its
origin is kindness, i.e., tolerance and justice. As for enmity, it is directed
towards those who have declared hostility against us. The matter of difference
of religion is something which will be up to the justice and mercy of Allaah on
the Day of Judgement.
Definition of imitation.
Imitation (tashabbuh in Arabic) means resembling. If we say that someone
imitates someone else, we means that he looks like him and acts like him.
Likening a things to something else (tashbeeh) means saying that it is like it.
The word tashabbuh has many counterparts in Arabic which carry meanings such as
being like, imitating, looking like, following, agreeing with, taking as an
example, copying, etc. They all have shades of meaning of their own, but they
also overlap with the meaning of tashabbuh. In terms of the terminology of Fiqh,
al-Ghuzzi al-Shaafa’i defined tashabbuh as describing a person’s attempt to be
like the one whom he is imitating, in appearance, characteristics, wqualities
and attributes. It implies making an effort to achieve this and deliberately
taking action for that purpose.
The ruling on imitating the kuffaar
One of the most important basic principles of our religion is that of al-walaa’
wa’l-baraa’, loyalty (walaa’) to Islam and its people, and diavowal (baraa’) of
kufr and its people. One of the essential features of this disavowal of kufr and
it’s people is that the Muslim should be distinct from the people of kufr, and
he should feel proud of his religion and of being a Muslim, no matter how strong
and advanced and civilized the kuffaar may be, and no matter how weak and
backward and divided the Muslims may be. It is not permissible under any
circumstances to take the strength of the kuffaar and the weakness of the
Muslims as an excuse for imitating and resembling them, as some hypocrites and
defeatist Muslims claim. The texts which forbid imitating the kuffaar do not
make any distinction between whether Muslims are strong or weak, because the
Muslim can be distinct in his religion and be proud of being Muslim even when he
is in a weak position.
Allaah calls us to be proud of Islam, and considers this to be the best of
speech and the best kind of pride, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And who is better in speech than he who [says: “My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness),” and then stands firm (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to
Allah’s (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: “I am one of
the Muslims.” [Fussilat 41:33]
Because it is so important for the Muslim to be distinguished from the kaafir,
the Muslim is commanded to pray to Allaah at least seventeen times each day to
help him to avoid the path of the kaafireen and to guide him to the Straight
Path:
“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, nor of those who went
astray” [al-Faatihah 1:6-7 – interpretation of the meaning].
There are very many texts in the Qur’aan and Sunnah which forbid us to imitate
them, and which clearly state that they are misguided; whoever imitates them,
imitates them in their misguidance. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meanings);
“Then We have put you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) on a (plain) way of (Our)
commandment [like the one which We commanded Our Messengers before you (i.e.
legal ways and laws of the Islâmic Monotheism)]. So follow you that (Islâmic
Monotheism and its laws), and follow not the desires of those who know not.”
[al-Jaathiyah 46:18]
“Were you (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) to follow their (vain) desires after
the knowledge which has come to you, then you will not have any Walî (protector)
or Wâq (defender) against Allâh” [al-Ra’d 13:37]
“And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear
proofs had come to them” [Aal- ‘Imraan 3:105]
Allaah calls the believers to remember Him with humility and to recite His
Verses, then He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“lest they become as those who received the Scripture [the Taurât (Torah) and
the Injeel (Gospel)] before (i.e. Jews and Christians), and the term was
prolonged for them and so their hearts were hardened? And many of them were
Fâsiqûn (the rebellious, the disobedient to Allâh)” [al-Hadeed 57:16]
No doubt imitating them is one of the grestes indications that a person has
befriended them and loves them, and this contradicts the idea of diavowal [baraa’]
of the kufr and its people. Allaah has forbidden the believers to take them as
friends, and He has stated that taking them as friends causes a person to become
one of them – Allaah forbid. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“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” [al-Maa’idah 5:51]
“You (O Muhammad ) will not find any people who believe in Allâh and the Last
Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad
), even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their
kindred (people)” [al-Mujaadilah 58:22]
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Imitation
generates friendship and love, and regarding them as allies in the inside, just
as loving them on the inside generates imitating them on the outside.”
And he also said, commenting on the aayah from Soorat al-Mujaadilah: “Allaah
tells us that there is no (true) believer who takes a kaafir as a friend, for
whoever takes a kaafir as friend is not a believer. Imitation on the outside
implies that a person loves (the one whom he imitates), and so it is forbidden.”
It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
(Narrated by Abu Dawood, al-Libaas, 1204; Ahmad, 2/05. Shaykh al-Islam classed
its isnaad as jayyid in al-Iqtidaa’, 1/042. See also al-Fataawaa, 25/133. Al-Haafiz
provided corroborating evidence in al-Fath, with a mursal report whose isnaad is
hasan (6/89). Al-Suyooti classed it as hasan, and al-Albaani classed it as
saheeh in Jamee’ al-Saheeh, 5206).
Shaykh al-Islam said: “This hadeeth at the very least implies that it is haraam
to imitate them, even if it is only in external appearance, and it implies that
the one who imitatest hem is a kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): ‘And if any amongst you takes them (as Auliyâ’), then surely, he is
one of them’ [al-Maa’idah 5:51].” (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/732).
Al-San’aani said: “If a person imitates the kaafir in his dress, and believes
that by doing so he will be like him, then he is a kaafir. If he does not belive
this, then there is a difference of opinion among the fuqahaa’ in this case.
Some of them say that he is a kaafir, which is the apparent meaning of the
hadeeth; others say that he is not a kaafir, but he should be disciplined.” (Subul
al-Salaam, 8/842).
Shaykh al-Islam said: “The reason why the religion of Allaah and its rituals is
vanishing, and kufr and sin are prevailing, is because of imitation of the
kaafireen, just as the means of preserving all good is by following the ways and
laws of the Prophets. “ (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/413).
There is much that could be said about imitation of the kuffaar, but what we
have said above is sufficient.
The forms of imitating the kuffaar in their festivals
The various sects and groups of the kuffaar have many kinds of festivals, some
of them have a religious basis whilst others have been newly invented. Some of
their festivals are like customs and events for which they have invented
festivals, such as national holidays and the like. Their festivals may be
grouped into different categories as follows:
Firstly:
religious festivals by means of which they seek to draw nearer to Allaah, such
as the Epiphany, Easter, Passover, Christmas, etc. They ways in which the
Muslims imitate them in these festivals are two:
Joining in with them in these festivals, such as when some non-Islamic groups or
minorities in Muslim countries celebrate their festivals, and some Muslims join
in with them. This happened at the time of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah and al-Haafiz
al-Dhahabi, and it is what is happening now in many of the Muslim countries.
What is even worse than that is what some Muslims do by travelling to the kaafir
countries for the express purpose of attending these festivals and joining in
the celebrations, whether the motive is to fulfil their physical desires or in
response to the invitation of some of the kuffaar – as some Muslims do who live
in kaafir countries and are invited to join the celebrations, or some other who
have capital to invest or are owners of large companies, so they accept these
invitations for the sake of being friendly to the person who invited them, or
for a worldly interest such as winning a contract, and so on. All of this is
haraam, and there is the fear that it may lead to kufr, because of the hadeeth,
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” And the one who does this is aiming
to join in some of the rituals of their religion.
Beinging the celebration to the Muslim countries. Those who attend the festivals
of the kuffaar in their countries and who like them because they are ignorant
and have weak faith and little knowledge, may be prompted to bring some of those
festivals and rituals to the Muslim countries, as is happening now in many
Muslim countries, where the Gregorian New year is celebrated. This category is
worse than the former one for one reason, which is that the people whodo this
are not content merely to join the kuffaar in their rituals, but they want to
bring them to the Muslim lands as well.
Secondly:
Festivals whose origins lie in the rituals of the kuffaar, and they have now
become international customs and celebrations. This is like the Olympic
festivals (the Olympiad) in Greece, which nowadays appears to be no more than an
international sporting event in which participation takes two forms:
Taking part in the games with their rituals in the kaafir countries, as many of
the Muslim states do by sending athletes to participate in the different games.
Bringing these festivals to the Muslim countries, such as some of the Muslim
countries asking to host the Olympic Games in their countries.
In both cases, taking part or hosting the games in a Muslim country is haraam,
for the following reasons:
The origin of these Olympic Games is one of the pagan festivals of the Greeks,
as mentioned above. This was the most important festival for the Greek nation,
then it was inherited by the Romans and, in turn, the Christians.
It bears the same name as it was known by when it was a Greek festival.
The fact that it is now no more than a sporting event does not cancel out the
fact that it is a pagan festival, because of its origin and name. The evidence (daleel)
for that is the hadeeth narrated by Thaabit ibn al-Dahhaak (may Allaah be
pleased with him), who said: “At the time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), a man vowed to sacrifice some camels in
Bawwaanah. He came to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) and said, ‘I have vowed to sacrifice some camels in Bawwaanah.’ The
Prophet Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘Were there any
idols there that were worshipped during the Jaahiliyyah?’ He said, ‘No.’ He
said, ‘Did they hold any of their festivals there?’ He said, ‘No.’ The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Then fulfil your
vow, for there is no fulfilment of any vow which involves disobeying Allaah, or
with regard to something that the son of Adam does not own.’” (Narrated by Abu
Dawood in al-Aymaan wa’l-Nudhoor, 3133. According to another report, the one who
asked the question was a woman (2133). It was also narrated by al-tabaraani in
al-Kabeer (1431). Shaykh al-Islam said: its isnaad is according to the
conditions of al-Saheehayn. All of its narrators are thiqaat (trustworthy) and
mashhoor (well known), and the chain is intact, with no ‘an’anah (none of the
links of the chain are connected with the word ‘an, meaning ‘from’). See al-Iqtidaa’,
1/634. It was classed as saheeh by al-Haafiz in al-Buloogh, 5041).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) paid attention to the
origins of things, and the origin of this sporting event is a (pagan) festival.
Shaykh al-Islam said: “This implies that the fact that that spot was the place
where their festival was held would have been a reason to forbid him to
sacrifice there, as would also have been the case if had been the place of their
idols. Otherwise, how else can we interpret the hadeeth, of course it would only
have been to venerate the spot which the yvenerated, by holding the festival
there os by joining them in there celebrations there, or reviving the symbols of
their festival and other things that can only be related to that action in that
place or at that time… If merely choosing the place of the festival is
forbidden, then how about the festival itself?” (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/344)
Our issue concerning the Olympic games does not have to do with the time or the
place, but with the event itself and its original name, and the things that are
done during the event, such as the lighting of the Olympic torch, which is one
of the rituals of the games. There is also the timing of the event, because
among the Greeks the games were held every four years, and nowadays too they are
held every four years. This is a festival with regard to its origins, its name,
the things that are done and the timing, so taking part in these games means
taking part in a festival which was pagan and then Christian, and asking to hold
these games in a Muslim country means bringing this pagan festival into a Muslim
land.
Thirdly:
The days and weeks that have been invented by the kuffaar. These may be divided
into two types:
those which have a religious origin and have now become customs connected to
some worldly purpose, such as the workers’ festival (May Day) which was invented
by those who worshipped trees, then it became a pagan festival of the Romans,
then it was adopted by the French who connected it to the church, until
socialism came and propagated it, and it became an international and official
holiday even in many Muslim countries. Undoubtedly it is haraam to adopt this
day as a holiday and let workers take this day off, for the following reasons:
because in its origins and development it is a pagan festival
because it occurs on a fixed day each year, which is May 1.
Because it involves imitating the kuffaar with regard to something that belongs
exclusively tot hem.
Even if an event does not have a religious basis, such as World health Day, or
days for fighting drugs and eradicating illiteracy, and other invented days and
weeks, one of the two following things will still apply:
either it occurs on a fixed day each year and is repeated on the same day each
year, like Bank Holidays and other fixed days. There are two things wrong with
this:
it is a fixed day which recurs on the same date each year
it entails imitating the kuffaar because this is something that they have
invented.
These international days, such as World Health Day and a day for fighting drugs,
contain some benefit for humanity as a whole, which the Muslims cannot avoid
taking part in because they may miss out on some benefits otherwise; they have
nothing to do with religion and only resemble festivals in that they come every
year and they are events that are celebrated and taken notice of – so can they
be tolerated on these grounds? It seems to me that this matter needs research
and ijtihaad to weigh up the pros and cons, because the Muslims are not
consulted concerning these days and their opinion carries no weight, on the
contrary, these things are forced on the entire world and the Muslins are in a
weak and humilated position as is well known.
or it is not a day or week that comes at a fixed time each year, but is moved
according to a particular system or needs. This does not have the character of a
festival which is repeated at a fixed time, but there remains the problem of
imitation, in that it is something that was invented by the kuffaar and them
brought to the Muslims. Does this count as the kind of imitation that is haraam?
Or is it a kind of imitation that is permissible like other matters having to do
with organization, administration, etc., and like the days of annual leave in
companies, institutions, etc.? This too needs research and investigation,
although initially to seems to me that there is nothing wrong with it, for the
following reasons:
It is not fixed on a specific date that is the same each time, so it does not
have that festival-like character.
These days are not called festivals, and they do not have the characteristics of
festivals, such as celebrations and the like.
The purpose of these days is to organize awareness campaigns, to achieve
beneficial goals.
Those who want to stop them would have to stop many events and gatherings that
happen from time to time, and I do not think that anyone would advocate this.
These events are like family meetings, da’wah meetings, workplace meetings, and
so on.
There is nothing in them that would dictate that they be considered haraam,
apart from the fact that they originated with the kuffaar and were brought to
the Muslims, and the problems they deal with are widespread among the kuffaar
and others. So the objection that they belong only to the kuffaar is cancelled
by the fact that these things are also widespread among the Muslims.
In conclusion, These festivals are not part of the religion and beliefs of the
kuffaar, and they do not form part of their exclusive customs and traditions.
There is no veneration or celebration involved, and they are not festivals on
set days which are repeated regularly. They resemble other organizations in that
they serve a useful purpose.
Fourthly:
Another form of imitation of the kuffaar is turning the Eids of the Muslims into
something resembling the festivals of the kuffaar. The Eids of the Muslims are
distinguished by the fact that their rituals point to the expression of
gratitude to Allaah, may He be exalted, and glorifying, praising and worshipping
Him, whilst expressing joy for the blessings of Allaah, and not using these
blessings for sinful purposes. This is in contrast to the festivals of the
kuffaar, which are distinguished by the veneration of their false rituals and
idols which they worship instead of Allaah, whikst indulging in their fobidden
desires. It is most unfortunate that Muslims in many places are imitating the
kuffaar in this way, and they have changed their Eid from an occasion of worship
and thanksgiving into an occasion on sin and ingratitude for the blessings, by
spending the night of Eid listening to musical instruments and singing,
indulging in immoral actions, organizing mixed parties and doing other things
which they think express the celebration of Eid, following the misguided ways in
which the kuffaar spend their festivals engaging in immorality and sin.
Ways in which we must avoid the festivals of the kuffaar
Avoid attending them:
The scholars have agreed that it is haraam to attend the festivals of the
kuffaar and to imitate them in their festivals. This is the madhhab of the
Hanafis, Maalikis, Shaafa’is and Hanbalis. (See al-Iqtidaa’, 2/425; Ahkaam Ahl
al-Dhimmah by Ibn al-Qayyim, 2/227-527; al-Tashabbuh al-Munhaa ‘anhu fi’l-Fiqh
al-Islaami, 533). There is a great deal of evidence (daleel) for this, such as:
All of the evidence which states that it is forbidden to imitate them, some of
which has been quoted above.
The concensus of the Sahaabah and Taabi’een that Muslims should not attend their
festivals, The evidence of this consensus takes for forms:
The Jews, Christians and Magians (Zoroastrians) who lived in the Muslim lands
and paid Jizyah were still observing their own festivals, so the motive for some
Muslims to imitate them was present. No one among the early generations of
Muslims would have refrained from joining them in any part of that, If there had
not been something to stop them from doing so, such as it being either makrooh
(disliked) or prohibited, many of them would have fallen into that, for if the
action and the motive are present and there is nothing to stop them, people will
undoubtedly do the thing. Al-muqtada? Therefore we understand that there was
something stopping them from doing that, and what was stopping them was the
religion of Islam. This is what was stopping them from going along with the
kuffaar and this is the point that we are trying to make here. (al-Iqtidaa’,
1/454).
The conditions set out by ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him), which the
Sahaabah and all the fuqahaa’ after them agreed upon, that the Ahl al-Dhimmah
(Jews and Christians living under the protection of Islamic rule in return for
paying a poll tax) should not celebrate their festivals openly in the Muslim
lands. If the Muslims have agreed that they should not celebrate their festivals
openly, then how can it be OK for Muslims to celebrate them? Is it not worse for
a Muslim to do this at all than for a kaafir to do it openly? (al-Iqtidaa’,
1/454).
‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “Do not learn the language of the
Persians, and do not enter upon the mushrikeen in their churches on the day of
their festival, for the Divine warth is descending upon them.” (Musannaf ‘Abd
al-razzaaq, 9061; al-Sunan al-Kubra by al-Bayhaqi, 9/432).
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said: “Whoever
settles in the land of the non-Arabs and celebratest heir Nawrooz and their
Mahrajaan, and imitates them until he dies in that state, will be gathered with
them on the Day of Resurrection.” (al-Sunan al-Kubra, 9/432; classed as saheeh
by Ibn Taymiyah in al-Iqtidaa’, 1/754).
Shaykh al-Islam said: Here we see ‘Umar forbidding people to learn their
language and to merely enter their chuch on the festivals, so what about
actually doing some of the things they do, or doing some of the rituals of their
religion? Is not doing the things they do more serious than speaking the same
language? Or is not doing some of the things they do in the festival more
serious than merely entering upon them on the occasion of their festival? If the
Divine wrath comes upon them on the day of their festival because of what they
do, then is not the one who joins them in all or part of that also exposed to
the same punishment? (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/854)
And he commented on the words of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr – “will be gathered with
them” by saying: This implies that this makes him a kaafir by his joining in
what they do, or else it means that this is one of the major sins that doom a
person to Hell, although the former is more apparent from the wording. (1/954).
Avoiding doing the same things that they do.
Some Muslims may not be able to be present at the festivals of the kuffaar, but
they do the same things as they do. This is also a part of the imitation which
blameworthy and forbidden. Shaykh al-Islam said: “It is not permissible for the
Muslims to imitate them in any part of the things that are exclusively part of
their festivals, whether it be food, dress, bathing, lighting fires or changing
their habits with regard to daily living, acts of worship, etc. It is not
permissible to give a feast or give gifts or sell items that will help them to
do that for that purpose, or to allow children and others to do any of that,
whether it is playing, wearing new clothes etc. in conclusion, they should not
make that day special by adopting any of their rituals; for the Muslims, the day
of the kaafirs’ festival should be like any other day.” Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa,
52/923).
Al-Dhahabi said: “If the Christians or the Jews have a fstival that is
exxclusively theirs, the Muslims should not join them in that, just as they do
not join them in their laws or their direction of prayer.” (tashabbuh al-Khasess
bi Ahl al-Khmaees, in al-Hikmah magazine, issue $, p. 391). Ibn al-Turkmaani al-Hanafi
mentioned some of the things that some Muslims did on the occasion of Christian
festivals, such as spending more than usual and taking the family out, then he
said: “Some of the Hanafi scholars said: whoever does any of the things
mentioned here and does not repent, is a kaafir like them.” One of the
companions of Maalik said: “Whoever cuts up a watermelon on the day of Nawrooz,
it is as if he sacrificed a pig.” (al-Lam’ fi’l-Hawaadith wa’l-Bida’, 1/492)
Avoiding using the means of transportation that they use to go to their
festivals
Maalik said: “It is makrooh to travel with them in the boats which they use to
go to their festivals, because the Divine wrath and curse is descending upon
them.” (al-Hawaadith wa’l-Bida’, 1/492).
Ibn al-Qaasim was asked about travelling in the boats which the Christians ride
in to attend their festivals. He regarded that as makrooh, fearing the descent
of Divine wrath upon them for the shirk which they agreed upon. (al-Iqtidaa’,
2/625).
Not giving them gifts or helping them to celebrate their festvials by either
selling or buying.
Abu Hafs al-Hanafi said: “Whoever gives an egg to a kaafir out of respect for
that day has disbelieved in Allaah, may He be exalted.” (Fath al-Baari li Ibn
Hajar al-‘Asqallaani, 2/315).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “Ibn al-Qaasim regarded it as makrooh for a
Muslim to give a Christian anything on the occasion of his festival to
congratulate him. He saw that as respecting their festival and helping them in
their kufr. Do you not see that it is not permissible for the Muslims to sell
anything to the Christians that helps them to celebrate their festival? No meat,
no food, no dress. They should not loan their riding-beasts to them or help them
in any way with their festival, because that is like honouring their shirk and
helping them with their kufr. The authorities should prevent Muslims from doing
this. This is the view of Maalik and others, and I do not know of any dissenting
opinion on this point.” (2/625-725)
Ibn al-Turkmaani said: “The Muslim is sinning if he sits with them or helps them
to slaughter animals or cook food, or he lends them a riding-beast to take them
to their celebrations or festivals.” (al-Lama’ fi’l-Hawaadith, 1/492)
Not helping the Muslim who wants to imitate them in their festivals to do so
Shaykh al-Islam said: “Just as we should not imitate them in their festivals, so
too we should not help the Muslim who wants to imitate them to do so. It is
forbidden to so this. If a person issues an invitation on the occasion of their
festivals that he would not ordinarily do, his invitation should not be
accepted. If a Muslim gives a gift on this occasion that he would not ordinarily
give at any other time, his gift should not be accepted, especially if it is
something that would help a person to imitate them, as we have already stated. A
Muslim should not sell anything that could help Muslims to imitate them in their
celebrations, such as food, clothing and so on, because be doing so he is
helping them in sin. (al-Iqtidaa’, 2/915-025).
Not congratulating them on the occasion of their festivals
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “As for congratulating them
for the symbols of kufr that belong exclusively to them, this is haraam
according to scholarly consensus, such as congratulating them for their
festivals and fasts, and saying, ‘A blessed festival to you’ and the like. Even
though the person who says this might not become a kaafir by saying this, it is
still forbidden, and it is the same as congratulating them for prostrating to
the cross. Indeed, it is an even greater sin with Allaah and is more hated by
Him than congratulating them for drinking wine, killing people and committing
adultery, and so on. Many of those who do not care about religion do this, and
do not realize how abhorrent their actions are. Whoever congratulates a person
for his sin, bid’ah (innovation) or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger
of Allaah. The pious scholars used to avoid congratulating the tyrants when they
were appointed to official positions, or congratulating the ignorant when they
were appointed as Qaadis, teachers or Muftis, because they sought to avoid the
wrath and anger of Allaah .” (Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah, 1/144-244).
Congratulating the kuffaar on the occasion of their religious festivals is
haraam as Ibn al-Qayyim stated, because this implies approval of their rituals
and beliefs of kufr. Even if a person does not accept this kufr for himself, it
is still haraam for a Muslim to approve of the rituals of kufr for someone else
or to congratulate someone else for them, because Allaah does not approve of
this. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you; He likes not
disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is
pleased therewith for you” [al-Zumar 39:7]
“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you,
and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” [al-Maa’idah 5:3]
Congratulating them for that is haraam, whether they are taking part with them
in that or not. If they congratulate us on the occasion of their festival, we
should not respond, because it is not our festival and because these are
festivals with which Allaah is not pleased, because they are either innovated in
their religions, or they are prescribed, but they (their religions) have been
abrogated by the religion of islam, with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) to all of mankind. And Allaah says concerning
islam (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of
him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85].
It is haraam for a Muslim to accept an invitation on these occasions, because
this is worse than merely congraulating them, since it involves joining in with
them. Anyone who does any of these things is a sinner whether he does it just to
be friendly, or because he likes them, or because he is too shy to do otherwise,
or for any other reason, because it is a kind of hypocrisy in the religion of
Allaah and is a way of making the kuffaar feel stronger and making tem proud of
their religion. (Majmoo’ Fataawaa wa rasaa’il Fadeelat al-Shaykh Muhammad al-‘Uthaymeen,
compiled by Fahd al-Salmaan, 3/45-46)
Question: What if a Muslim wants to celebrate like they do, but he does it a few
days before or after their festival so that he is not imitating them?
This is a kind of imitation and to is haraam, because the prohibition of a thing
, and the prohibition of celebrating their festivals also covers the days before
and after the festival itself, when they do things that have to do with it. The
prohibition also covers the places in which they do things that have to do with
their festivals or … . The ruling on these things is the same as the ruling on
the festival itself. These things should not be done, even if some people avoid
doing any of thse things on the days of their festival such as the Thursday
(what is referred to here is Maundy Thursday or the Day of Ascension, which is
one of the rituals of Easter for the Christians, who call it the Great Thursday)
or Christmas, but they tell their families, I will do this for you next week or
next month, and their motive is the fact that the kaafirs’ festival is
happening, otherwise they would not have done it at all. This is also one of the
things meant by imitation. (See: al-Iqtidaa’, 2/315).
Avoiding using their words and religious terminology
If it is forbidden to learn their languages unnecessarily for fear of resembling
them, then using the names they give to their festivals and rituals is even more
forbidden. This is like using the word “mahrajaan” (festival) to describe any
large gathering, because this is the name of a religious festival of the
Persians.
Al-Bayhaqi narrated that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) was given a gift
for Nawrooz and he said, What is this?” They said, “O Ameer al-Mu’mineen, this
is the day of Nawrooz.” He said, “Then make every day Fayrooz!” Abu Usaamah
said: “He, may Allaah be pleased with him, did not even want to say ‘Nawrooz.’”
(Reported by al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan al-Kubraa, 9/532).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said: “ ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him) did
not even want to say the same name as they gave to their own festival, so how
abut doing the same things?” (See: al-Iqtidaa’, 1/954).
We have already stated that this is not an Arabic term; the Arabic language is
rich enough not to need such words, and has better words that can be used.
The ruling on accepting gifts on their festivals:
We have already stated above that it is not permissive to give gifts on their
festivals because this is helping them in their falsehood. It is also not
permissible to accept a gift from a Muslim who is imitating them, because by
accepting it one is helping him to imitate them and this implies that one
approves of what he is doing and that one is not rebuking him for doing this
haraam action.
With regard to accepting a gift from a kaafir if he gives something to a Muslim
at the time of the kaafir’s festival, this is like being given a gift at other
times, because it does not involve helping them in their kufr. There is some
difference of opinion with regard to this matter, based on whether one should
accept a gift from a kaafir who is at war with the Muslims as opposed to a
kaafir who is living under the protection of Islamic rule.
It should also be noted that their gifts may be of two types:
1. Gifts other than meat that has been slaughtered for the occasion of their
festival – such as sweets, fruits and so on. There is a difference of opinion
based on the question of accepting gifts from the kaafirs in general. It seems
that it is permissible because it was reported that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased
with him) accepted their gifts, and it was reported that a woman asked ‘Aa’ishah
(may Allaah be pleased with her), “We have some birds [?][ from the Magians
wgich they had during their festival and they gave them to us.” She said, “If
they were slaughtered for that occasion, do not eat them, but eat from their
trees [i.e. fruits etc.].” (Reported by Ibn Abi Shaybah in Kitaab al-At’imah in
his Musannaf, 5/521, no. 16342. In al-Iqtidaa’ it says ‘We have some
wet-nurses.’ The editor of al-Iqtidaa’ said: perhaps what is meant by this is
relatives through radaa’ah (breastfeeding)).
Abu Barzah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said that he had Magian tenants [?]
who used to give him gifts on Nawrooz and mahrajaan, and he used totell his
family: ‘If it is, eat it, but if it is anything else, reject it.’ (ibid., no.
26346).
Shaykh al-Islam said: “All of this indicates that refusing to accept their gifts
has no effect on their festival. The ruling on accepting their gifts at the time
of their festival and at other times is the same, because this does not entail
helping them in the rituals of their kufr.” (al-Iqtidaa’, 2/455-555).
2. Or their gift may be of meat that was slaughtered for the occasion of their
festival. This should not be eaten, because of the reports of ‘Aaishah and Abu
Barzah narrated above, and because it has been slaughtered according to the
rituals of kufr.
Singling out the festivals of the kuffaar for fasting so as to be different from
them
The scholars differed with regard to this:
It was said that it is not makrooh to fast on their festivals for the purpose of
being different from them. This view is da’eef (weak).
The correct view is that it is not permissible to single out the days of their
festivals for fasting, because their festivals are occasions which they
venerate, and fasting on these days and not others coincides with them in their
veneration.
Ibn Qudaamah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Our companions said: it is
makrooh to single out the day of Nawrooz and the day of Mahrajaan to fast,
because these are two days which are venerated by the kuffaarm so fasting only
on these days and not on others is agreeing with them in their veneration of
those days. This is like the case of Saturday, so by analogy this ruling applies
to every festival of the kuffaar and every day which they venerate.” (al-Mughni,
4/924; see also al-Iqtidaa’, 2/975).
This ruling applies in cases where one singles out that day to fast because it
is their festival. But if it happens to coincide with a vow or a voluntary fast,
without intending to fast because it is their festival, then there is nothing
wrong with that.” (See Haashiyat Ibn Qaasim ‘ala al-Rawd al-Murabba’, 3/064).
The guideline in being different from them with regard to their festivals is
that one should not innovate anything at all; one should treat the days of their
festivals as being like any other day. (See al-Iqtidaa’, 2/815). So one should
not take the day off work, or rejoice on that occasion, of single that day out
for fasting, expressing grief, etc.
Shaykh al-Islam mentioned something which may be taken as guidelines with regard
to the matter of imitation. He said: “tashabbuh (imitation) includes those who
do something because they do it, which is rare; and those who follow others
inwhat they do for some purpose of his own even though the action is originally
taken from those others. As for the one who does something that happens to be
done by others as well, but neither of them took it from the other, it is open
to debate as to whether this is is imitation or not. But the person who does
this may be rebuked so that there will be no excuse for imitation, and because
this will reinforce the idea of differing from them.” (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/242).
On the basis of what Shaykh al-Islam has said, actions that happen to coincide
with what they do may be divided into two types:
Imitation of them, which is where the person who imitates them wants to be like
them ,for whatever reason. This is haraam.
Resembling them, which is when a person is not deliberately aiming to be like
them. In this case it should be pointed out to him, then if he stops, all well
and good; otherwise he is guilty of the kind of imitation that is haraam.
‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allaah be pleased with them both) said:
“The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) saw me
wearing two garments that had been dyed with safflower. He said, ‘This is the
clothing of the kuffaar, do not wear them.’” According to another rport: “He
said, ‘Did you mother tell you to wear this?’ I said, ‘Should I wash them?’ He
said, ‘No, burn them.’” (The two reports were narrated by Muslim in al-Libaas
wa’l-Zeenah, 2077)
Al-Qurtubi said: “This indicates that the reason he told him not to wear them
was that by wearing them he was imitating the kuffaar.” (book title?? 5/399).
It seems from the hadeeth that ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah be pleased with him) did
not realize that he was imitating the dress of the kuffaar, but the Prophet
(peace be upon him) still told him off for that and explained the ruling of
sharee’ah on this matter.
If something originated with the kuffaar, And it is done by them and by others,
then this is not imitation, but Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah thought that it
should be stopped so as to leave no room for excuses and so as to protect the
Muslims from falling into imitation of the kuffaar, and because this serves the
purpose of differing from them.
The munaafiqoon and the festivals of the kuffaar
1. The socialist Baath party in one of the Arab countries tried to abolish
Udhiyah (sacrifices for ‘Eid al-Adhaa) on the grounds of famine and drought.
Their supporters put up a huge banner on which was written: “For the sake of the
hungry and the poor and the naked, donate the value of the sheep for udhiyah.”
(See al-Istijaabah magazine, vol. 4, Rabee’ al-Thaani 1406 AH).
Eid al-Adhaa came and went, and the Muslims in that country offered their
sacrifices. Then when Christmas and New Year approached, preparaions began to
celebrate them. When Christmas and New year came, they were official holidays in
that country, and there were lavish parties and promiscuous soirees. Foremost
among the people celebrating were the leaders of the scoialist Baath party whose
joy at the Christian festivals made them forget the needs of the poor, hungry
and naked, whose plight they only remembered at the time of the Muslims’ Eids!
2. One of them wrote in his weekly column, under the title of “Tolerance” (see
‘Ukaaz newspaper, 28/8/1418, 5/9/1418, 12/9/1418 AH) words that indicate the
sickness in his heart and the weakness of his religion. The tolerance to which
he referred was with regard to the Christian festivals of Christmas and New
year. Among the things that this pseudo-faqeeh said was: “This human brotherhood
includes all of mankind, and there is no division and enmity except when there
is fighting and when the Muslims are opposed by another group – then there will
be fighting, enmity and legitimate self-defence, despite the fact that some
extremists and terrorist groups are trying to extinguish this light by spreading
interpretations and ideas whiich encourage hatred and boycotting the world. So
they make noise of occasions which are celebrated by the entire world and
consider congratulating others to be a deviation from Islam. But in fact, I tell
you, these occasions spread love, not hatred, and bring people together, not
divide them.” The author went on, in his compliant and defeatist series on
tolerance, which went on for three issues, to cover the Christians festivals for
which his heart overflowed with love. In his second article, he said: “Its
origin is kindness, i.e., tolerance and justice. As for enmity, it is directed
towards those who have declared hostility against us. The matter of difference
of religion is something which will be up to the justice and mercy of Allaah on
the Day of Judgement.
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