Imitating Non-Muslims in Celebrations

(From Salafipublications.com Article ID: IBD150001 )

The evidence from the Qur aan and the Sunnah is quite clear in that eids are distinctive features for every nation. Allaah (T) said (what means): To every people we have appointed [its own] rites and ceremonies. [al-Hajj (22) 34/67] And it was shown in the previous section that eids are purely religious occasions for Muslims.

As discussed earlier, Allaah (T) and His Messenger (S) have warned us against following or imitating non-Muslims in things which are characteristic of their religions or beliefs. This is more emphasized in the case of their eids or occasions, which always hold some religious or ideological non-Islaamic meanings, and on which the kuffaar indulge in many evil practices. Differing from them on such occasions includes the following:

Staying completely away from the kuffaar's celebrations. This means to avoid places where they perform their holiday practices and to avoid participating with them in such practices (Christmas and New Year parties, Halloween trick-and-treat nonsense, Thanksgiving celebration and dinner, Fourth of July fireworks, First of April lies, birthday parties, anniversaries, etc).
Avoiding doing, ourselves, things which pertain to the practices of the kuffaar on such occasions (allowing Christmas trees in our homes or offices, inviting our friends to a Turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day, allowing members of our families to purchase or borrow Halloween attires, holding birthday or anniversary parties for our family members, etc).
Avoiding to congratulate the kuffaar on their occasions. For, How can we bring ourselves to congratulate or wish people well for their disobedience to Allaah (T)? Thus expressions such as: happy Thanksgiving, happy birthday, happy New Year, etc, are completely out. The only possible happiness is in true imaan!
Avoiding to celebrate our eids in a way which is meant to copy the ways of the kuffaar (mingling and shaking hands between men and women, improper cover for both genders, etc).
Avoiding to initiate certain occasions or eids in imitation to theirs (the Day of the Earth, the Day of Iowa Muslims, etc.)

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Celebrating Mothers Day

Question: Every year we have a holiday on a particular day and it is called Mother's Day. It occurs on March 21. All the people gather and celebrate that day. Is this permissible or forbidden?

Response: Every holiday or celebration that differs from the Sharee'ah celebrations is a newly-invented innovation that was not known during the time of the Pious Predecessors. Furthermore, it may have begun as an imitation of the non-Muslims. Therefore, in addition to it being an innovation, it may also be an act of resembling the enemies of Allaah. The Sharee'ah holidays are well-known among the Muslims. These are the `Eed al-Fitr, `Eed al-Adhha and the weekly `Eed [Fridays]. There is no holiday or festival in Islaam other than those three. Every holiday that is invented besides them is to be rejected as an innovation and falsehood in the Sharee'ah. This is because the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) said:

((Every deed introduced into our affair that does not belong to it is rejected)).

That is, it is rejected from that person and it will not be accepted by Allaah. Another wording of the hadeeth states:

((Whoever does a deed that is not what our affair is upon, will have it rejected)).

Since that is clear, the holiday that is mentioned by the questioner, known as Mother's Day, is not allowed. It is not allowed to have during such a day any kind of public display and celebration, happiness, giving of presents and so forth. It is obligatory upon a Muslim to have pride and honor in his religion. He should also limit himself to what Allaah and His Messenger (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) have restricted this upright religion to. This is the religion that Allaah is pleased to have His servants follow. There can be no addition or subtraction from this religion.

Furthermore, a Muslim should not be a kind of weak person that follows every Tom, Dick and Harry. Instead, his personality should be that defined by the Law of Allaah, such that he is followed and not a follower, such that he becomes an example and not a disciple. This should be the case because the law of Allaah, praise be to Allaah, is complete and perfect in all aspects. Allaah says in the Qur.aan:

{This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion}, [Soorah al-Maa.idah, Aayah 3].

Furthermore, the mother has much more right than to have just one day in the year as a celebration for her. In fact, the woman has a right upon her children, that they will care for her, look after her, obey her in anything which is not sinful, during all times and at all places.

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen
Fataawa al-Mar.ah

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Celebrating birthdays and anniversaries

Question: What is the ruling regarding celebrating children's birthdays or marriage anniversaries?

Response: There are no (legislated) celebrations in Islaam except the day of Jumu'ah which is the 'Eed of the week, and the first day of Shawwaal is the day of 'Eed al-Fitr and the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah is the day of 'Eed al-Adhaa. And often the day of 'Arafah is called 'Eed for the people of 'Arafah (the ones performing Hajj) and the days of Tashreeq (11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) are also the days of 'Eed following on from 'Eed al-Adhaa.

As for birthdays of people or children or marriage anniversaries and the like, then all of these have not been legislated and are an innovation.

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen
al-Bid'u wal-Muhdathaat wa maa laa Asla lahu - Page 224;
Fataawa fadheelatush-Shaykh Muhammad as-Saalih al-'Uthaymeen - Volume 2, Page 302

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