Ruling on Participating in the Festivals of the Christians and Other Disbelievers
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Our brother says: It is observed that some Muslims participate with the Christians in the celebration of Christmas, as they call it, and he requests guidance?
Answer: It is not permissible for a Muslim man or woman to participate with the Christians, the Jews, or other disbelievers in their festivals; rather, it is obligatory to leave that behind. This is because “whoever imitates a people is one of them,” and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) warned us against imitating them and adopting their character traits.
Therefore, the believer man and the believer woman should beware of this and not assist in establishing these festivals in any way; because they are festivals that contradict the law of Allah, and they are established by the enemies of Allah. It is not permissible to participate in them, nor to cooperate with their people, nor to assist them in any way, whether with tea, coffee, or any of the matters such as utensils and the like.
Also, Allah the Exalted says: [Al-Ma'idah: 2]. Therefore, participating with disbelievers in their festivals is a type of cooperation in sin and transgression. It is obligatory for every Muslim man and woman to leave that alone, and it is not befitting for a person of reason to be deceived by people in their actions. It is obligatory to look at the Islamic Shari'ah and what it brought, and to obey the command of Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and not to look at the matters of people, for most of creation do not care about what Allah has prescribed. As Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said in His great Book: [Al-An'am: 116]. He the Exalted said: [Yusuf: 103]. So, customs that contradict the Shari'ah are not permissible to follow, even if people do them.
And the believer weighs his actions and his words, and weighs the actions and words of people, by the Book and the Sunnah, by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So whatever agrees with them or one of them is what is accepted, even if people leave it, and whatever contradicts them or one of them is what is rejected, even if people do it. May Allah grant all of you success and guidance.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Answer: It is not permissible for a Muslim man or woman to participate with the Christians, the Jews, or other disbelievers in their festivals; rather, it is obligatory to leave that behind. This is because “whoever imitates a people is one of them,” and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) warned us against imitating them and adopting their character traits.
Therefore, the believer man and the believer woman should beware of this and not assist in establishing these festivals in any way; because they are festivals that contradict the law of Allah, and they are established by the enemies of Allah. It is not permissible to participate in them, nor to cooperate with their people, nor to assist them in any way, whether with tea, coffee, or any of the matters such as utensils and the like.
Also, Allah the Exalted says:
And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِAnd if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allah
وَإِنْ تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ فِي الأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِAnd most of the people, although you strive [for it], are not believers.
وَمَا أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَAnd the believer weighs his actions and his words, and weighs the actions and words of people, by the Book and the Sunnah, by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So whatever agrees with them or one of them is what is accepted, even if people leave it, and whatever contradicts them or one of them is what is rejected, even if people do it. May Allah grant all of you success and guidance.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.