The Criterion for Imitating the Disbelievers
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Your Eminence! There are texts that prohibit and warn against imitating the disbelievers, and it is established that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) spoke the language of the disbelievers in his saying: (This is a habit, a habit, O Umm Khalid) Also, it is established that he dug the trench, which was not known before as a method of the Muslims, so how do you reconcile between the texts?
Imitating the disbelievers is in what is specific to them, not in their language or in taking from their crafts and experiences. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) ordered Zayd ibn Thabit to learn the language of the Jews so that he could read their books and reply to them in their language, and this is not from the category of imitation.Imitation is to imitate what is specific to them, such as: [It is not permissible] to wear their clothing, or to name [one's children] with their specific names, or the like of that. As for imitating them in what is beneficial in crafts and other matters, there is nothing wrong with it.
The questioner: What do you mean by "specific," O Shaykh?The Shaykh: I mean, for example, there is a specific dress code for the disbelievers in their clothing, such that if you see a man, you say, "This is one of the disbelievers." This is forbidden for him. Similarly, if we assume that they style their hair in a specific way, then it is not permissible to imitate them in that. As for what is outside of that, it has no effect and does no harm.
Imitating the disbelievers is in what is specific to them, not in their language or in taking from their crafts and experiences. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) ordered Zayd ibn Thabit to learn the language of the Jews so that he could read their books and reply to them in their language, and this is not from the category of imitation.Imitation is to imitate what is specific to them, such as: [It is not permissible] to wear their clothing, or to name [one's children] with their specific names, or the like of that. As for imitating them in what is beneficial in crafts and other matters, there is nothing wrong with it.
The questioner: What do you mean by "specific," O Shaykh?The Shaykh: I mean, for example, there is a specific dress code for the disbelievers in their clothing, such that if you see a man, you say, "This is one of the disbelievers." This is forbidden for him. Similarly, if we assume that they style their hair in a specific way, then it is not permissible to imitate them in that. As for what is outside of that, it has no effect and does no harm.