The Festival of Flowers
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All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions. After that: Many questions have been received regarding the ruling on what is called the Festival of Flowers , whether it is held under this name or another. After research and study, the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta responded as follows:
The clear evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, and upon which the Salaf agreed,
The Ummah: that the festivals in Islam are only two, namely: 'Id al-Fitr and 'Id al-Adha. This is indicated by the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:. It was narrated by Abu Dawud . Any other festivals, for whatever reason, are festivals that are not permissible for the people of Islam to perform or to approve of. If it is added to that that it is a festival of non-Muslims, then the sin is even greater; because it is imitating them and a type of loyalty to them. And Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has forbidden His believing servants from imitating them and being loyal to them. He said, the Exalted: [Al-Ma'idah 5:51], and He said, the Exalted: [Al-Mumtahanah 60:13], and it is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: Sunan Abi Dawud 4031Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani). It was narrated by the Imam
Ahmad , and Abu Dawud . The Festival of Flowers is of the same kind as what has been mentioned; because it is one of the festivals inherited from the old pre-Islamic religions. The following was stated in (The World Arabic Encyclopedia, Volume 12, page 708): "The May Day Festival: Many countries celebrate it to welcome the spring, and it represents the revival of life in the early spring after the winter has passed. Some people believe that the celebration of May Day began at the hands of the tree worshippers, who belonged to the Druids , while others trace it back to the celebrations of the ancient Egyptians and Indians for their spring festivals. The English people and other peoples who were subjected to Roman conquest derived the celebration of spring festivals from their celebration of the Flower Festival, where the Romans used to gather flowers in April; to celebrate the spring festival and to appease the gods of flowers: 'Flora'." Based on the foregoing, it is not permissible to hold the Festival of Flowers; because it is originally from the deeds of non-Muslims, so it is imitating them. It is obligatory to leave it and avoid it; in obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). It is also not permissible for a Muslim to participate in this festival or any other of the innovations in Islam; because that is from cooperating in sin and transgression. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has forbidden that by His saying:[Al-Ma'idah 5:2].
And let it be known that changing names does not change rulings. So naming the innovated festivals as celebrations or festivals or otherwise does not change anything of their ruling; because the criterion is the realities and meanings, not the words and structures, as is established among the scholars.
The clear evidence from the Book and the Sunnah, and upon which the Salaf agreed,
The Ummah: that the festivals in Islam are only two, namely: 'Id al-Fitr and 'Id al-Adha. This is indicated by the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madinah and they had two days in which they played. He said: What are these two days? They said: We play in them in the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, Allah has replaced them for you with something better than them: the Day of Sacrifice and the Day of Fitr.
قدم رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - المدينة ولهم يومان يلعبون فيهما ، فقال : ما هذان اليومان ؟ قالوا : نلعب فيهما في الجاهلية ، فقال رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - : إن الله قد أبدلكم بهما خيرًا منهما يوم الأضحى ويوم الفطرO you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you - then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.
يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَّخِذُوا الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاءَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَO you who have believed, do not make allies of a people with whom Allah has become angry
يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لاَ تَتَوَلَّوْا قَوْمًا غَضِبَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْHe who copies any people is one of them.
من تشبه بقوم فهو منهمAhmad , and Abu Dawud . The Festival of Flowers is of the same kind as what has been mentioned; because it is one of the festivals inherited from the old pre-Islamic religions. The following was stated in (The World Arabic Encyclopedia, Volume 12, page 708): "The May Day Festival: Many countries celebrate it to welcome the spring, and it represents the revival of life in the early spring after the winter has passed. Some people believe that the celebration of May Day began at the hands of the tree worshippers, who belonged to the Druids , while others trace it back to the celebrations of the ancient Egyptians and Indians for their spring festivals. The English people and other peoples who were subjected to Roman conquest derived the celebration of spring festivals from their celebration of the Flower Festival, where the Romans used to gather flowers in April; to celebrate the spring festival and to appease the gods of flowers: 'Flora'." Based on the foregoing, it is not permissible to hold the Festival of Flowers; because it is originally from the deeds of non-Muslims, so it is imitating them. It is obligatory to leave it and avoid it; in obedience to Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). It is also not permissible for a Muslim to participate in this festival or any other of the innovations in Islam; because that is from cooperating in sin and transgression. Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has forbidden that by His saying:
And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِAnd let it be known that changing names does not change rulings. So naming the innovated festivals as celebrations or festivals or otherwise does not change anything of their ruling; because the criterion is the realities and meanings, not the words and structures, as is established among the scholars.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.