Ruling on Celebrating National Holidays

Question:
You have spoken about the rulings regarding innovated festivals. What is your opinion regarding what is happening in our present time, namely the National Day, the celebration of it, and the congratulations offered for it? Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
This National Day is an imitation of the enemies of Allah. National days are a form of imitation. It occurred out of good intention and independent legal reasoning, but in our view, it is not prescribed, nor is it something that should be done. Rather, it involves imitating the enemies of Allah. If one does not intend worship, that is one matter; but if one intends worship, it becomes a religious innovation. However, if one does not intend worship, but rather intends congratulations and displaying what the state has established and what it has provided, then this is considered of the same kind as the days that the Jews, the Christians, and their like establish for remembrance or for other reasons. It is not permissible to imitate them, neither in this nor in anything else.