>From: Malamin Johnson <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Celebrating or Participating in Holidays of the Disbelievers >Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2002 22:43:41 +0000 > >Celebrating or Participating in Holidays of the Disbelievers >Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo >Al-Jumuah Magazine, Vol. 9 Issue 2 Vol. 9 Issue 2 >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Is it permissible for Muslims to celebrate or participate in >holidays such >as Halloween, birthdays, and Christmas functions? > >Answer (By J. Zarabozo) > >The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) made it very clear that >in Islam >there are two festivals or holidays. These are the Eid festivals. >The >celebrations and holidays of a people are from among the actions >that most >distinguish one people from another. In a Hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud, >the >Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, "Whoever >imitates >(or resembles) a people is one of them." Therefore, it is not >allowed for >Muslims to participate in the holidays or celebrations of the >non-Muslims. > >Shaikh al-Islam ibn Taimiya wrote in Iqtidha al-Sirat al-Mustaqeem >(vol.1, >p.470), "There are a number of points that must be considered when >discussing (the non-Muslims') festivals and holidays. First, >festivals and >holidays are from the wide range of laws, ways, and rites that Allah >(Subhaanu wa ta'ala) describes in the verse, "For every nation We >have >established rites that they follow," such as facing the Qiblah, >prayer and >fasting. There is no difference between joining them in their >festivals and >joining them in their other rites. Agreeing to their holiday is >agreeing to >infidelity (Kufr), and agreeing to some minor aspects (of their >religion) is >like agreeing to a branch of infidelity. In fact, the holidays and >festivals >are one of the major items that distinguishes their customs and >laws, and >are one of the most obvious of their rites. Agreeing to it is >agreeing to >one of the most specific of the acts of infidelity and one of the >most >blazon of their rituals. There is no doubt that agreeing to or being >in >accord with something of that nature can only lead to apostasy, in >general, >given its conditions" > >Indeed, beyond that, the scholars have even stated that it is not >allowed >for Muslims to congratulate the non-Muslims on their holidays or >festivals. >Ibn al-Qayyim in Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimma (vol. 1, p. 205) writes, >"Giving >congratulations on the special events that are specific to the >disbelievers, >such as congratulating them on their holidays by saying, "Blessed >holiday >for you" or other similar greetings, is considered forbidden by the >agreement of the scholars. Even if the one who states it is free >from any >aspect of apostasy, it is still a forbidden act and it is the same >as >congratulating them upon their prostrations to the crucifix. In >fact, that >is one of the greatest sins in Allah's (Subhaanu wa ta'ala) sight. >That is a >greater sin than congratulating them for drinking wine, having >illegal >sexual intercourse and so on. Many of them who are not very >religious do >such things and they do not know how evil what they are doing really >is. >Whoever congratulates another human for any sin, heresy, or act of >apostasy >has exposed himself to the punishment and anger of Allah (Subhaanu >wa >ta'ala). The pious people from the early scholars would avoid >congratulating >the oppressors when they received positions of authority or the >ignorant >when they were given judicial or teaching positions in order to >avoid the >punishment of Allah (Subhaanu wa ta'ala) and falling from His Grace. >If a >person would be compelled to go to such people to repel any evil >that he >expected from him, only to speak well to him and to ask Allah >(Subhaanu wa >ta'ala) to guide him, there is nothing wrong with that." > >Ibn al-Qayyim has included a beneficial section mentioning the >opinions of >the scholars concerning this matter (Ahkam Ahl al-Dhikmma, vol. 2, >p. 722). >It shall be reproduced here with some abridgment: "In the same way >that is >not allowed for them to publicly (celebrate their holidays), it is >not >allowed for the Muslims to assist them for the holidays or to help >them or >to attend (their ceremonies) with them according to the agreement of >the >people of knowledge. In fact, the jurists who follow the four legal >schools >have made this clear in their books. Abu al-Qasim al-Tabari wrote, >"It is >not allowed for Muslims to attend their (the disbelievers') holidays >and >festivals because they are a type of evil falsehood. If the people >of good >mix with the people of evil without putting an end to what they are >doing >then they become like those who are pleased and influenced by the >evil. And >we fear falling into Allah's (Subhaanu wa ta'ala) anger because of >their >gathering." > >Then he stated relying on Abu Hatim's narration, that Amir ibn Murra >said >about the verse, "Those who do not witness falsehood," that "they do >not >assist the pope of idolatry in their idolatry nor do they associate >with >them." And al-Baihaqi recorded with a Sahih chain that Umar ibn >al-Khattab >said, "Do not learn the lingo of the foreigners and do not enter the >polytheists' churches on the days of their holidays for (Allah's) >anger >descends upon them." And he also recorded with a Sahih chain that >Abdullah >ibn Umar stated, "Whoever stays in the lands of the foreigners and >celebrates their New Year's Days (of the festivals of the >disbelievers) and >behaves like them until he dies, he shall be resurrected with them >on the >Day of Resurrection." And ibn al-Qayyim said, "Ibn al-Qasim disliked >for a >Muslim to give a Christian a present during his (the Christian's) >holiday; >he considered this action as honoring his (the Christian's) holiday >and >assisting him in disbelief. In the same way, it is forbidden for >Muslims to >sell Christians anything they may use in their holidays of meat, >blood, or >clothing, nor should he loan him an animal to ride on, nor help him >with >anything concerning his festival because all of that would be a way >of >dignifying their idolatry and helping them in their Kufr. It is a >must for >the rulers to prevent Muslims from doing such deeds. This is the >opinion of >Malik and others. And I do not know of any difference of opinion >concerning >this matter." These are his words from al-Wadhiha. And in the books >of the >students of Abu Hanifa it states, "Whoever gives them a present, >during >their holidays, of a watermelon, meaning by that to honor their >holiday has >committed act of Kufr (apostasy)." > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: >http://messenger.msn.com > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > >To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>