Regarding the principle that if Muslims imitate the Christians and the imitation becomes widespread, the cause is removed, can we respond to him with a doubt that since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away
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The questioner : Shaykh, regarding the principle you mentioned that if Muslims imitate the Christians and the imitation becomes widespread among them, the cause is removed, well, does this mean we respond to him or does it create a doubt? For example, it may have been known since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, after a period, that the scholars and those who held fast to the Sunnah were a minority. For example, let us take distant lands, we do not specify, there were scholars from the people of the Sunnah who forbade the people from dressing like the Christians, and the Christians were occupying this country, and the people, because they were open sinners and people of intoxicants and such, most of them dressed like the Christians, and these people of the Sunnah remained with the old dress they had known from their fathers and grandfathers. Is it said now, do we say to the people of the Sunnah, since most Muslims changed, you change like them because the cause was removed?
The Shaykh : No, we do not say change like them, but we say we did not forbid them from this because now this has become the dress of Muslims and non-Muslims.
The questioner : And their forbidding them initially, was it not...
The Shaykh : The thing that contradicted [the norm] was removed. If it had been [the case] that the people left what they were forbidden from and it no longer existed among them, such that it existed only among the disbelievers, the ruling would remain.
The questioner : The evidence, O Shaykh, just so one can visualize it?
The Shaykh : Yes, the evidenceSunan Abi Dawud 4031Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani) Now, if we look, for example, at this type of dress or this type of food, we find that there is no imitation, everyone uses it, the Muslim and the disbeliever. The ruling revolves with its cause in existence and absence. This principle was mentioned by the author of al-Fath regarding Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him), and it is a correct principle. As long as the cause of the prohibition is imitation and this thing is removed, then the ruling is removed, except for what is forbidden in itself, then the prohibition remains.
The questioner : O Shaykh, if for example a person was sitting in a gathering with these people and one of them said, speak about this dress, and he said, this is our dress, and said... this is not our dress, rather we took it from the West, would he be truthful?
The Shaykh : Yes, we took it from the West, but there is no imitation now because Muslims are wearing it now. Even if its origin is from them, there is no imitation. The imitation is removed now. The reason for that is that it should be that the Muslim has a distinction from the disbeliever, so that for example, if you come to the market, you do not know whether this is a disbeliever or a Muslim. If the matter is equal and the people are sharing [in it], the imitation is removed. Yes, you did not take it, O Muhammad, you did not take it, come on.
The Shaykh : No, we do not say change like them, but we say we did not forbid them from this because now this has become the dress of Muslims and non-Muslims.
The questioner : And their forbidding them initially, was it not...
The Shaykh : The thing that contradicted [the norm] was removed. If it had been [the case] that the people left what they were forbidden from and it no longer existed among them, such that it existed only among the disbelievers, the ruling would remain.
The questioner : The evidence, O Shaykh, just so one can visualize it?
The Shaykh : Yes, the evidence
He who copies any people is one of them.
من تشبه بقوم فهو منهمThe questioner : O Shaykh, if for example a person was sitting in a gathering with these people and one of them said, speak about this dress, and he said, this is our dress, and said... this is not our dress, rather we took it from the West, would he be truthful?
The Shaykh : Yes, we took it from the West, but there is no imitation now because Muslims are wearing it now. Even if its origin is from them, there is no imitation. The imitation is removed now. The reason for that is that it should be that the Muslim has a distinction from the disbeliever, so that for example, if you come to the market, you do not know whether this is a disbeliever or a Muslim. If the matter is equal and the people are sharing [in it], the imitation is removed. Yes, you did not take it, O Muhammad, you did not take it, come on.