festivals by saying Kul sanah wa antum tayyibeen (roughly equivalent
to "many happy returns"), wishingthem well and hoping that they will
be good, i.e., that they will not annoy us with regard to our
religion, and not with the aim of congratulating them on their shirk,
as some shaykhs think?.
Praise be to Allaah.
What is forbidden with regard to congratulatingthe Christians on the
occasion of their festivals is expressing joyto them, being overly
polite and showing approval of their actions, even if that is only
expressed outwardly without feeling it inwardly.
The prohibition concerns those who show any kind of participation or
approval, such as giving gifts, verbal greetings, taking time off
work, making food, going to places of leisure, and other customs of
celebration. Having any intention other than what is said (when
congratulating them) does not make it permissible. The outward
appearance of these actions is sufficientto say that it is prohibited.
It is well known that most of those who take a lenient attitude
towards such matters donot intend to join the Christians in their
shirk; rather what motivates them in some cases is showing politeness,
and in other cases it is shyness, but politeness with regard to
falsehoodis not permissible; ratherwhat is required is to denounce the
evil and strive to change it.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said in
Majmoo' al-Fataawa (2/488):
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,
lightingfires 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 thathelp 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.
In general, (Muslims) are not allowed to single outthe festivals of
the kuffaar for any of these rituals or customs. Rather the day of
their festivals is just an ordinary day for the Muslims, and they
shouldnot single it out for any activity that is part of what the
kuffaar do on these days.
As for what the Muslims do deliberately, that wasregarded as makrooh
bya number of the earlier and later generations. Asfor singling out
(such days) for the things mentioned above, there is no dispute
concerningthat among the scholars;in fact some of the scholars are of
the view that the one who does these things is a kaafir, because it
involves venerating the symbols of kufr. And some of them said that
the one who slaughters a sheep on the day of their festival, it is as
if he slaughtered a pig.
'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'Aas said: The one who follows the tradition
of non-Muslimsand observes their Nawrooz and Mahrajaan(festivals), and
imitates them until he dies like that, will be gathered with them on
the Day of Resurrection.
Ameer al-Mu'mineen 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab, the Sahaabah and all
theimams of the Muslims stipulated that they should not celebrate
their festivals openly in the lands of the Muslims; rather they should
do that privately in their houses.
One of the early generations said concerning the verse in which Allah,
may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning): "And those
who do not witness falsehood" [al-Furqaan 25:72]: (This refers to) the
festivals of the kuffaar; if that has to do with witnessing them, and
not actually doing anything, then how about doing things that are
unique to those festivals? It was narratedfrom the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him) in al-Musnad and as-Sunan that he
said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." According to another
version he said: "He is not one of us who imitates others." This is
ajayyid isnaad. If this is the case with regard to imitating them, and
if this has to do with customs, then how about imitating them in
matters that are more serious than that? The majority of imams regard
it as makrooh, either in the sense of it being prohibited or in the
sense of it being discouraged, to eat meatthat they slaughter at the
time of their festivalsand sacrifices, and they include that under the
heading of that which is sacrificed for something other than Allah and
thatwhich has been sacrificed on stone altars(for idols). Similarly
they also forbade helping them in their festivals bygiving gifts or
selling to them, and they said: It is not permissible for the Muslims
to sell to the Christians anything for the purpose of their festivals,
whether that be meat, blood or garments; they should not hire out any
mounts to them or help them with any of their religious affairs,
becausethat comes under the heading of venerating their shirk and
helping them in their kufr. Thosein positions of authority should
forbid the Muslims to do that, because Allah, may He beexalted, says
(interpretation of the meaning): "Help you oneanother in Al-Birr and
At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one
another in sin and transgression"[al-Maa'idah 5:2]. Moreover, it is
not permissible for the Muslim to help them in drinking alcohol by
pressing the juice and soon, so how about helping in that which is one
of the symbols of kufr?! If it is not permissible for him to help them
himself, then how about if he is the one who is actually doing that?!
End quote.
In several answers on our website we have discussed this matter and
explained the reason for the prohibition.
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