Forbidden to Celebrating Christmas and New Year in Islam

[shaikh_samee]

Celebrating Non-Muslim Festivities


Two festivities of the People of the Book are looming these days, i.e Christmas and the New Year. We have become used to those festivities being celebrated in companies, organisations, societies, etc. We are also used to some Muslims participating, joining, and attending these gross events of falsehood, behaving in a way not befitting those who belong to this magnificent religion.

In Ibn Taymiyah’s words, is that nothing should be done at all. This means that we, as Muslims, should not do anything we do not usually do on such days. It should be just another day with nothing special about it, as if they (People of the Book) are not celebrating. In this way Muslims make themselves different.

Allah azwajal has indicated to us the hostility of the infidels in many verses, including: "Verily, the disbeleivers are ever unto you open enemies" [4:101]. Allah azwajal also called them the party of Satan and Satan’s allies, etc.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘You will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit (i.e., inch by inch) so much so that even if they entered a hole of a lizard, you would follow them.’ We said, ‘O Allah's Apostle! (Do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?’ He said, ‘Whom else?’

Joining the People of the Book in their festivities is more, or at least as forbidden, as joining idolaters other than the People of the Book. No one should argue that it is only the idolaters who are meant and that the People of the Book have common grounds with Muslims that are not applicable to others.

Shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyah has proved the prohibition of celebrating the Christmas, Persian festivities such as Neyrouz, Jewish festivities and festivities of others as well, by stating that they all come under the same ruling. Since we should not imitate them in festivities, Muslims who do this must be forbidden from doing so, let alone approve and support them. We should not answer invitations from Muslims who invite us specifically on such occasions. If a Muslim holds an unusual celebration that coincides with one of the People of the Book’s festivities we do not have to answer the invitation although otherwise a Muslim should answer an invitation from a fellow Muslim as in the Prophet (peace be upon him) ’s tradition.

Indeed, Allaah The Almighty sent upon the Muslims the best of Messengers and revealed to them the finest of religions, the most perfect of laws and the most complete of messages, as confirmed by His Statement The Almighty (that means):{This day I Have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and Have approved for you Islam as religion.} [Quran 5:3]

Some weak-minded people of this Ummah (Muslim nation) may forget these facts and incline at times to aspects of Judaism and to aspects of Christianity at others. They resort to the East and to the West, adopting some of the aspects of their religions, laws, values, customs and way of life in general. It is no longer strange to see parents encouraging their children to wear the clothing of the West, speak the language of the West, and even celebrate the feasts of the West.

Many Muslims have been led astray by the dazzling attractions of the enemies of Allaah, especially the Christians with their major festivals such as the celebration of the birth of the Messiah (peace be upon him) – i.e., Christmas – and the Christian New Year. They attend Christian parties on these occasions.

The word Christmas is derived from the Old English Cristes maesse, "Christ's Mass." :

( There is no certain tradition of the date of Christ's birth. Christian chronographers of the 3rd century believed that the creation of the world took place at the spring equinox, then reckoned as March 25; hence the new creation in the incarnation (i.e., the conception) and death of Christ must therefore have occurred on the same day, with his birth following nine months later at the winter solstice, December 25).

According to a Roman almanac, the Christian festival of Christmas was celebrated in Rome by AD 336 (It was first celebrated in 336 CE)

( The reason why Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25 remains uncertain, but most probably the reason is that early Christians wished the date to coincide with the pagan Roman festival marking the "birthday of the unconquered sun" ) (natalis solis invicti); this festival celebrated the winter solstice, when the days again begin to lengthen and the sun begins to climb higher in the sky. The traditional customs connected with Christmas have accordingly developed from several sources as a result of the coincidence of the celebration of the birth of Christ with the pagan agricultural and solar observances at midwinter. In the Roman world the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of merrymaking and exchange of gifts. December 25 was also regarded as the birth date of the Iranian mystery god Mithra, the Sun of Righteousness. On the Roman New Year (January 1), houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor.

The Christian New Year celebration: this has become a major celebration in these times, which is celebrated by Christian countries and by some Muslim countries. TV broadcasts of these celebrations are transmitted live to all parts of the world, they appear on the front pages of newspapers and magazines, and they occupy a large part of the news broadcasts on satellite channels. The Christians have many false beliefs and myths about New Year’s Eve (December 31), as is the case with all their festivals.

It indicates that it is Haraam (prohibited) to do this for many reasons, because Allaah, The Most Exalted, has called it 'falsehood'. Allaah Almighty condemns the one who speaks falsehood even if no one else is harmed by it, as in the verse forbidding Thihaar [a form of divorce in which the man says to his wife "You are to me like the back of my mother"], where He Says (what means): "… And indeed, they are saying an objectionable statement and a falsehood…" [Quran 58:2]

Allaah Almighty also Says (what means): "… So avoid the uncleanliness of idols and avoid false statement…" [Quran 22: 30] So the one who says or practices falsehood is condemned in this fashion.

Anas Ibn Maalik radiallahu anhu said: "The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam, came (to Madeenah) and they (inhabitants of Madeenah) 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 (pre-Islamic period)." The Messenger of Allaah, said: "Allah taala has given you something better instead of them: Yawm Al-Adh-ha ('Eed Al-Adh-ha) and Yawm Al-Fitr ('Eed Al-Fitr)." [Abu Daawood]

This indicates clearly that the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam, definitely forbade his Ummah (Muslim Nation) to celebrate the festivals of the disbelievers and he strove to wipe them (non-Islamic festivals) out by all possible means.

We ask Allaah azwajal, the One, Singular God, with no partners or sons, the God of all creation and mankind, to guide us all to the path of guidance and sincerity.

[*resham*]

jazak ALLAH khair....