From: Salieu Abdulai bangura [mailto:salbangs2005@yahoo.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 23, 2010 3:42 AM
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Subject: Fw: Celebrating non-Islamic festivals
—– Forwarded Message —-
From: abdiaziz sheikh abdi <abdiazizsheikh4738@yahoo.com>
Sent: Tue, December 21, 2010 7:47:18 AM
Subject: Celebrating non-Islamic festivals
إنَّ الحَمدَ لِلَّهِ رَبِ العالَمين نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ، وَنَعُوذُ بالله مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئاتِ أَعْمَالِنا ، إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلا مُضِلَّ لََهُ ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِل فَلا هَادِيَ لَهُ. وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهَ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ، وأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُه .
{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اتَّقُواْ اللّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلاَ تَمُوتُنَّ إِلاَّ وَأَنتُم مُّسْلِمُونَ }
آل عمران102
{يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُواْ رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالاً كَثِيراً وَنِسَاء وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءلُونَ بِهِ وَالأَرْحَامَ إِنَّ اللّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيباً } النساء1
{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَقُولُوا قَوْلاً سَدِيداً {70 } يُصْلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَمَن يُطِعْ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَقَدْ فَازَ فَوْزاً عَظِيماً } [الأحزاب71،70 ].
أما بعد :
فَإِنَّ أَصْدَقَ الحَدِيثِ كِتَابُ اللهِ ، وَخَيرَ الهَديِ هَدْيُ نَبِيِّنا مُحَمَّدٍ r ، وَشرَ الأُمُورِ مُحْدَثاتُها ، وَكُلَّ مُحْدَثَةٍ بِدْعَة ، وَكُلَّ بِدْعَةٍ ضَلالَة ، وَكُلَّ ضَلالةٍ في النَّار(1)
Celebrating non-Islamic festivals
All praise is due to Allah, the Beneficent and the Merciful. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and companions.
Fear Allah! Servants of Allah, for everything we do will be accounted for, each soul is going to come to an end at a prescribed time, and you will be dealt with according to your deeds.
Allah has granted the Muslim nation no more than two religious festivals, as the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam confirmed while he was prohibiting the Ansaar (i.e., the residents of Madeenah) from celebrating the festivals which they used to celebrate during the pre-Islamic era:
“Allah has replaced them for you with two days which are better, the day of ‘Eed Al-Fitr and ‘Eed Al-Adh-haa” (Abu Daawood, Nasaa’i & Ahmad).
Anas Ibn Maalik, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allah sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam came (to Madeenah) and they had two days in which they would (relax and) play‘. He said, “What are these two days?” They said, ‘We used to play (on these two days) during the Jaahiliyyah.’ The Messenger of Allah sallAllahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Allah has given you something better instead of them: Yawm al-Duhaa (Eid al-Adha) and Yawm al-Fitr (Eid al-Fitr).” (Abu Daawood).
There are many evidences in Islam which prohibit Muslims from resembling disbelievers in general and warn against taking part in the celebration of their religious festivals in particular. Amongst the evidences which prohibit the resemblance of disbelievers are the followings:
· In the hadith the prophet (SAW) saying “Every people has its festival, and this is our festival” implies exclusivity, that every people has its own festival, as Allah says (which means): “For every nation there is a direction to which they face (in their prayers)…” (Al-Baqarah: 148) and “… To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way…” (Al-Maa’idah:48).
This implies that each nation has its own ways. So if the Jews have a festival and the Christians have a festival, it is just for them, and we should not have any part in it, just as we do not share their qiblah (direction of prayer) or their laws.
· Allah says that which means:
“Guide us to the straight path – The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favour, not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.” (Al-Faatihah: 6-7).
· Allah says that which means: “They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be alike. So do not take from among them allies…” (An-Nisaa’: 89).
· The Prophet sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “He who imitates a people will be from among them (on the Day of Judgement).” (Abu Daawood & Ahmad).
The following texts specifically warn against joining the disbelievers in their religious festivals or celebrations:
· Allah described His devout slaves with that which means: “And [they are] those who do not testify to falsehood…” (Al-Furqaan: 72) Mujaahid, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: "This verse refers to any of the festivals of the infidels."
· ‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “The one who builds (i.e., settles) in the lands of the infidels and participates in their (religious) festivals and resembles them until he dies, will be resurrected along with them on the Day of Resurrection.” (Bayhaqi).
The wisdom behind the prohibition of resembling infidels is that if a person resembles them in worldly issues, he will eventually incline towards them and feel love and loyalty towards them, “one finds that people from the same occupation or profession feel more inclined towards one each another than they do to others." If this is the case for worldly resemblance, then for religious issues these feelings will certainly be stronger, and having such feelings and inclinations conflict with the belief of a Muslim.
There are many Islamic texts which command Muslims to differ from infidels in both religious and worldly matters; such as the following:
· The Prophet sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “The Jews and Christians do not dye their grey hair, so differ from them (by doing so).” (Bukhaari & Muslim
· The Prophet sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “Grow your beards, cut your moustaches (just short of shaving) and thereby differ from the Jews and the Christians.” (Bukhaari & Muslim).
· The Prophet sallAllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said: “Pray while wearing your shoes and thereby differ from the Jews who do not do so.” (Abu Daawood & Haakim).
Whoever celebrates these festivals is a sinner, whether he does it out of politeness or friendliness, or because he is too shy to refuse, or for whatever other reason, because it makes the Kuffaar feel proud of their religion.
‘Abdullaah Ibn ‘Amr clearly stated: ‘Whoever lives in the land of the non-Arabs and celebrates their New Year and their festivals, and imitates them until he dies in that state, will be gathered with them on the Day of Resurrection.’
‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, refused to even acknowledge the name of their festivals which were exclusively theirs, so how about actually celebrating them?
أقول قولي هذا وأستغفر الله العظيم لي ولكم فاستغفروه إنه هو الغفور الرحيم
Second part
الحمد لله رب العالمين، ولا عدوان إلا على الظالمين، وأشهد أن
لا إله إلا الله ولي المتقين
، وأشهد أن محمدا عبده ورسوله إمام الأولين
والآخرين
أما بعد
Congratulating them on their festivals
Congratulating the Kuffaar on their religious festivals is Haraam because it implies that one accepts or approves of their rituals of Kufr, even if one would not accept those things for oneself. Allah said which means, "If you disbelieve, then verily, Allah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you" (Az-Zumar: 7(.
He also says:
اليوم أكملت لكم دينكم وأتممت عليكم نعمتي ورضيت لكم الإسلام دينًا [المائدة:3]
"This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion" (Al-Maa’idah: 3(.
So congratulating them is forbidden, whether they are one’s colleagues at work or otherwise.
If they greet us on their festivals, we should not respond, because these are not our festivals, and because they are not festivals which are acceptable to Allah. These festivals are innovations in their religions, and even those, which may have been prescribed formerly, have been abrogated by the religion of Islam, with which Allah sent Muhammad sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam to the whole of mankind.
Allah says which means: "Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers" (Aal ‘Imraan: 85(.
It is Haraam for a Muslim to accept invitations to such occasions, because this is worse than congratulating them, as it implies taking part in their celebrations.
Similarly, Muslims are forbidden to imitate the Kuffaar by having parties on such occasions, or exchanging gifts, or giving out sweets or food, or taking time off work, etc., because the Prophet sallAllahu ‘alaihi wasallam said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said, ‘Imitating them in some of their festivals implies that one is pleased with their false beliefs and practices, and gives them the hope that they may have the opportunity to humiliate and mislead the weak.‘
Whoever does anything of this sort is a sinner, whether he does it out of politeness or friendliness, or because he is too shy to refuse, or for whatever other reason, because this is hypocrisy in Islam, and because it makes the Kuffaar feel proud of their religion.
Allah is the One Whom we ask to make the Muslims feel proud of their religion, to help them adhere steadfastly to it, and to make them victorious over their enemies, for He is the Strong and Omnipotent.
Dua
"اللهم ألِّف بين قلوبنا، وأصلح ذات بيننا، واهدنا سبل السلام، ونجِّنا من الظلمات إلى النور، وجنِّبنا الفواحش ما ظهر منها وما بطن، وبارك لنا في أسماعنا، وأبصارنا، وقلوبنا، وأزواجنا وذرياتنا، وتُب علينا إِنك أنت التَّوَّاب الرحيم، واجعلنا شاكرين لنعمك مثنين بها عليك قابلين لها وأتممها علينا
اللَّهُمَّ يَا مُقَلِبَ الْقُلُوبِ ثَبِّتْ قُلُوبَنَا عَلَى دِيْنِكَ. اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ سَأَلَكَ مِنْهُ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ اسْتَعَاذَكَ مِنْهُ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ مُحَمَّدٌ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
اللَّهُمَّ لا تَدَعْ لَنَا ذَنْبَاً إِلَّا غَفَرْتَهُ وَلا دَيْنَاً إِلَّا قَضَيْتَهُ, وَلا مَحْرُومَاً إِلَّا أَعْطَيْتَهُ وَلا مَرِيْضَاً إلَّا شَفَيْتَهُ , , وَلا غَائِباً إلَّا رَدَدْتَهُ , , وَلا مَيْتَاً إَلَّا رَحِمْتَهُ وَلَا مَدْيُونَا إِلَّا سَدَدْتَ عَنْهُ دَيْنَهُ , وَلا عَاصِيَاً إلَّا هَدَيْتَهُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ ,
اللَّهُمَّ وَأَتْمِمْ لَنَا اللَّذَةَ يَا اللهُ بِالنَّظَرِ إِلَى وَجْهِكَ الكَرِيمِ فِي غَيْرِ ضَرَّاءَ مُضِرَّةٍ وَلَا فِتْنَةٍ مُضِلَّةٍ . سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَبِحَمْدِكَ , أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلهَ إلَّا أَنْتَ , أَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ ,
وَصَلَّى اللهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَسَلِّم
Abdiaziz Sheikh Abdi,
College of Communication Engineering,
Chongqing University,
Chongqing,
China.
Phone No. +8613667649423
TRUE IDENTITY! 