Celebrating Other Religions (OK?)

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Carrying Candles And
celebrate candles2
Walking Around A Lake?
(Is This OK for Muslims?)

celebrate candles1Question:

OK see, I attended a meeting with a Christian minister and a sheikh with three Muslim sisters were joining a religious celebration by joing along with the Christians and people of other faiths, lighting candles, walking around a lake and then going to a place where their celebration was being held.
What is the ruling on this and how can I prove it to them from Quran & Sunnah.
May Allah reward you, ameen.

ANSWER:
Al Hamdulillah. Celebrations are of various types and rules will vary accordingly, as to whether the celebrations are by Muslims or non-Muslims. Let us observe the following points:

1. It is not permissible for the Muslim to take part in the religious celebrations of the kuffaar and it is not permissible for them to congratulate them on those occasions at all. This is the most serious kind of celebration in terms of sin, because it may lead the one who does that to kufr.

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Congratulating the kuffaar on the rituals that belong only to them is haraam by consensus, as is congratulating them on their festivals and fasts by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’ and so on. If the one who says this has been saved from kufr, it is still forbidden. It is like congratulating someone for prostrating to the cross, or even worse than that. It is as great a sin as congratulating someone for drinking wine, or murdering someone, or having illicit sexual relations, and so on.

Ahkaam Ahl adh-Dhimmah - Adh-Dhahabi said: If the Christians have a festival and the Jews have a festival, then that is exclusively for them, so no Muslim should join them in that as he does not join them in their religion or their direction of prayer Tashbeeh al-Khasees bi Ahl al-Khamees, in Majallat al-Hikmah, issue 4, p, 193

2. The scholars differed concerning the ruling on attending celebrations of the non-Muslims on their special occasions such as marriage, recovering from sickness and return from travel. The most correct scholarly opinion is that it is permissible on condition that it serves a legitimate shar‘i interest, such as opening their hearts to Islam or calling them to the faith.

3. On occasions and celebrations that are unique to the kuffaar, it is not permissible for the Muslim to imitate the kuffaar in dress, eating certain types of food or activities that are exclusive to these occasions. That includes lighting candles and walking around with them.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

It is not permissible for the Muslims to imitate them in any way that is unique to their festivals, whether it be food, clothes, bathing, lighting fires or refraining from usual work or worship, and so on. And it is not permissible to give a feast or to exchange gifts or to sell things that help them to celebrate their festivals, or to let children and others play the games that are played on their festivals, or to adorn oneself or put up decorations.

Generally speaking, Muslims are not permitted to single out the festivals of the people of other faiths, for any of these rituals or customs. Rather, any days of their festivals are just plain, ordinary days for us as Muslims and we must not single it out for any activity that is part of what the non-Muslims do on these days.

4. It is not permissible for the Muslim to attend celebrations of the kuffar or the Muslims in which there is propagation of any false religion or ideology, or in which there is praise for any deviant idea or belief.

5. It is not permissible for the Muslim to attend any celebration of the kuffar or the Muslims if it is done in the manner of a repeated festival every year or every month and so on, like birthdays and Mother’s Day.

6. It is not permissible for the Muslim to attend any celebration of the kuffar or the Muslims that is a haram celebration in terms of the occasion, such as Valentine’s Day, the birthday of an evildoer or tyrant, or the anniversary of the founding of any group or party that is based on kufr or immorality.

7. It is not permissible for the Muslim to attend any celebration of the kuffar or the Muslims in which there is mixing with women, or music, or where haraam food is eaten.

Once you understand what is stated above, it will be clear to you that this gathering is haram, as is what happened in it, because of the mixing and the imitation of the kuffar by lighting candles and walking around with them, as well as veneration of that false religion and propagation thereof, not just because of keeping quiet about it, but also because of joining in and showing respect for its rituals in that haram gathering.

Wa Allahu 'Alim (And Allah knows best)

Islam Q A

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#6 Fatmir 2013-01-20 07:47
Alhamdulilah. I love the answers given in the website, and inshallah we can't deviate from the prophets sunnah, no matter what. Living in the non-muslim majory, its hard to ignore all of this holidays that are not muslim holidays, and it's hard when you are approached by people who do not believe in Allah, especially at work. It is important for all of us to listen and follow our scholars advice and now follow our desires. We can't custom make Islam. We should follow the Islam of rassullahllah. The people who do not believe in Allah would not join us, nor do they want to hear about our events, and they would stay as far as possible away from us. We as muslims, need to work on accepting who we are, and not worry about what others think of us, and try to our best following our way of life, and follow especially the things that we are aware off. Jazak Allahu Hairun. I hope i have not offended anyone by making a statmen here.
#5 Qadra 2013-01-14 22:46
Alhamdulillah I used to live in non-muslim country and i never said happy this or happy that to the non-muslims because i knew in my heart it was not ok to do that but i now live in a muslim land and my kids go to international school and when they are doing non-muslims holiday i just keep my kids home for those days it really makes me made to see so many muslims kids and family getting dressed up for non-muslim holidays in muslim country i ask Allah to make us batter muslims Ameen
#4 osama 2013-01-12 10:58
i undestand but would i do when im living in christian countrey and im even not allowed to say merry chritsmas or new year as a Muslim i feel rude if i dont even gratulate them isnt that a bit a bit too much? and i mean new year even almost all muslims follw the "christ year" astaghifro allah al 3athem if i said something and
salam
#3 sk 2012-12-31 08:34
you should boycott these parties because x-mas is celebrating the birth of christ. some christians beleive that jesus was god or son of god. by celebrating x-mas you are confirming and testifying to the falsehood on which they are upon. if it is not allowed to make the birthday of salallahu alaihi wa sallam, then how can u celebrate anyone else's bithday. re-read the article.
#2 Abdul Hafeez 2012-12-30 13:02
I am little confused. Every year during Christmas every workplace in US and Canada throw office party which is like a company party where all company employees are invited and sometimes with their families. Should Muslims go to those parties or boycott those parties?
#1 Yusuf Estes 2012-12-30 06:16
I always thought it was incorrect to celebrate other religions holidays Now we have the proof.
Al Hamdulillah.

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