The Ruling on Participating in the Festivals of the Polytheists

The Shaykh : It is obligatory for us to disavow the gods of the polytheists, to disavow the festivals of the disbelievers, and to be wary of them. We must not be pleased with them, and we must make our ignorant, foolish brothers aware that it is not permissible to participate with the disbelievers in their festivals. This is because being pleased with disbelief is feared to lead its owner to disbelief, may Allah protect us from that. Are you pleased that the rituals of disbelief are established and that you participate in them? No Muslim is pleased with this. For this reason, Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him), who was one of the prominent students of the Shaykh al-Islam, said: "Indeed, the one who participates with these people in their festivals and congratulates them on them, if he has not committed something of disbelief, if he has not committed disbelief, then he has certainly committed a forbidden act without a doubt". And he spoke the truth, may Allah have mercy on him. For this reason, it is obligatory for us to warn our Muslim brothers against participating with the disbelievers in their festivals. Because participating with them in their festivals, or congratulating them on them, saying "May Allah bless you on the festival" or the like, is without a doubt being pleased with the rituals of disbelief, may Allah protect us from that.