Question
To what extent are Muslims allowed to take part in non–Islamic festivals such as Christmas, Halloween, Easter etc?
For example, can Muslims give Christmas cards to non-Muslim neighbours, colleagues and friends or attend Christmas dinners if invited by the local church?
Answer
Answered by Shaykh Salim Giza
There are different rulings for Muslims participating in non Islamic festivals and this depends on whether the festival is a religious cultural or habitual practice.
The following therefore applies; It is Haram for a person to take part in a religious festival belonging to other faiths where practices of Kufr or Shirk take place, i.e. singing statements which worship other deities e.g. ‘Jesus is the son of God’. Or where the act would mean going into a religious place of worship such as Church, Synagogue, Temple etc and then being part of their worship. It is also forbidden to take part in festivals such as Halloween as it entails a medieval pagan festival of the coming of winter.
It is Makrooh (disliked) to participate in festivals where there is no benefit to an individual and money is wasted.
It is permissible for a person to take part in an event which does not entail Haram activities and enables unity and love amongst each other.
A Muslim may not be allowed to take part in another person’s religious festival but must respect other people’s belief and therefore cannot criticise to cause offence to other faiths.
Also, Muslim leaders and scholars may be involved in activities such as multi faith events where the intention is to give the position of the Muslims and to provide Muslims with a positive view in front of other faiths.
Where Muslims take part in dinners or a get together especially if it involves members of their family who are Christians then this is perfectly allowed as long Haram activities as drinking or the presence of Alcohol or Music are not involved. It is important for Muslims to maintain family ties and show love and respect for others. Shaykh Gibril Haddad writes ‘Keeping family ties is an obligation on every Muslim, i.e. with one’s parents. If wine is served then such meals or gatherings are devoid of blessing and one should neither condone nor participate in them except for the minimum presence that filial respect demands’.
Sending Christmas cards to non-Muslims can be permissible if the intention is to promote good character of a Muslim but again this should not be done in general circumstances as it is a waste of money and time.
Of course Allah knows best.
Comments
Salam
Christmas is a beautiful time in which everyone should take part.
Its the birthday of Jesus Christ.
Jesus was our Prophet too.
I think muslims and christians should get together and celebrate birth of Jesus.
Omrow
Yes
but
you do realise that 25 Dec is NOT the actually birth date for prophet Isa pbuh
Do you when Jesus was born?
If not, then how can you say what you had said.
He was born in the middle of summer. Christmas, as it is, is actually a pagan festival to celebrate the end of this year and the coming of the new year and the days that are getting longer.
Chin up, mate! Life's too short.
The Qur'an says that Maryam (as) took shelter under a date palm while in labour with 'Isa (as), and ate fresh dates.
Dates ripen in the summer.
Q.E.D.
Don't just do something! Stand there.
And we participate in Christian/Pagan celebrations Why, To compensate for something missing from our own faith?
Its what we call fickle.
Organic
oooooooooooooh
ur so clever!!!
anyhoo
yes!
Isa as was not born in the winter
25 december isn egyptian festival
for the Sun god!
much of christian symbols are actually pagan!
so HA omrow!
Salam
No body has still answered my question.
If you dont know, just say so,
There is no shame in saying "I dont know".
Omrow
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
I do not think giving a Christmas card has any reflection on good character of a Muslim.
How can we send out Christmas cards, when the whole premise is that of Shirk?
To greet someone with "Merry christmas", is condoning it as a legitimate celebration. Whether or not someone believes in it or not.
There are plenty of other fatawa on this issue, rather than that of mumayi'een.
you're no allowed to celebrate christmas as it's not part of islam .. and doing so will be bid'a, adding somthing to our religion.. the porphet said we should not celebrate any religious festivals except for the two eids.. we shouldnt even celebrate his milad as he didn't celebrate it either
you need to provide a more exact quote of that hadith please - I doubt it said what you say it said. Afterall every friday is also an eid.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
but we dont have parties on fridays we worship allah same goes for ashura. i'll try and find it inshallah
"to allah we belong and to him we return"