بِِسْمِ
اللَّهِ
الرَّحْمَنِ
الرَّحِيمِ
Celebrating the festivals of the Kuffar is Haraam
uploaded 30 Dec 2003
From amongst the non-Muslims the Christians celebrate the
days leading up to what they believe is the birthday of ‘Isa
b. Maryam (peace be open them both) and the New
Year. It saddens the heart of the Muslim to see the sons of the Muslims
participating in the celebrations of the Christians, imitating them and
showing regard to their traditions. But they neither realise
the linkage of these festivals and traditions with the fabricated and
misguided beliefs of the Christians nor the Sharee’ah
rule regarding such participation.
The Sharee’ah has fixed the days of the
Muslims’ festivals, which are specific to them, and they are ‘Eid ul-Fitr and ‘Eid ul-Adha. An-Nasaa`i narrated from Anas that
he said: “When the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) migrated from Makkah to Madinah, the people
of Madinah used to have two festivals. On those two
days they had carnivals and festivity. The Prophet (sallAllahu
alaihi wasallam) said:
الله بهما
خيراً منهما :
يوم النحر
ويوم الفطر
'Instead of
those two days, Allah has appointed for you two other days, which are better,
the days of ‘Eid ul-Fitr
and ‘Eid ul-Adha.'”
This
is a statement from the Messenger (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) stating that
the Muslims have only two festivals: ‘Eid ul-Fitr and ‘Eid ul-Adha. These two festivals have repudiated all the
festivals of Jahiliyyah. The two ‘Eids are linked to the ‘Aqeedah
of the Muslims in terms of the Tawheed (Oneness) of
Allah in worship, obedience and adherence to His commands.
As for the Christmas celebration of the Christians generally and the
Westerners in particular it is a celebration emanating from their fabricated
beliefs regarding ‘Isa b. Maryam
(peace be upon them both), and mixed with them are the ancient Hellenistic
and Roman traditions. Not a single Muslim doubts their deviation or the Kufr of those who believe in such things. He (subhanahu wa ta'aala) said:
لَقَدْ
كَفَرَ
الَّذِينَ
قَالُوا
إِنَّ اللَّهَ
ثَالِثُ ثَلاَثَةٍ
“Surely,
disbelievers are those who said: ‘Allah is the third of the three (in a
Trinity)’” [TMQ
5: 73].
And
He ‘Azza wa jalla said:
لَقَدْ
كَفَرَ
الَّذِينَ
قَالُوا
إِنَّ اللَّهَ
هُوَ الْمَسِيحُ
ابْنُ
مَرْيَمَ
‘Surely, in
disbelief are they who say that Allah is the Messiah, son of Maryam (Mary).’ [TMQ 5: 17].
In
their celebrations the Christians decorate their homes, stores, schools and
streets. They have public and private celebrations in Churches and elsewhere.
They exchange gifts and sing hymns to celebrate the occasion.
The Sharee’ah has forbidden the
Muslims from imitating the Kuffar Jews and
Christians and others in their religions matters and symbols. Al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih
that Abu Saeed Al-Khudri
(ra) reported that Allah’s Messenger (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said:
لتتبعن سنن
الذين من
قبلكم شبراً
بشبر
وذراعلاً
بذراع حتى لو
دخلوا جحر ضب
لإتبعتموهم :
قلنا يارسول
الله اليهود
والنصارى :
قال فمن
“‘You will indeed follow the ways of those before you, hand span by hand
span, and cubit by cubit even if they were to enter into a lizard’s hole, you
will follow them.’ We asked, ‘Is it the Jews and the Christians?’ He (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) replied, ‘Who else!’”
Hence
the Prophet (sallAllahu alaihi
wasallam) forbade us from following Jews and
Christians and rebuked those who followed them in their way of life and
imitated their customs, traditions and symbols. This is an
explicit evidence prohibiting their imitation by the Muslims. The Sharee’ah emphasized this prohibition to the
extent that it described the one who imitates them as being one of them. He (sallAllahu alaihi wasallam) said:
من تشبه
بقوم فهو
منهم
“Whoever
imitates a people, he is one of them.” Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawood.
Therefore,
it is not allowed for Muslims to celebrate the Kuffar’s
festivals such as Christmas and the New Year celebrations, which are specific
to Christians. It is not allowed to participate in any way whatsoever,
whether these celebrations were public or private, whether they were held in
the Church, school or any other place. This includes everything linked to
these occasions in terms of the their expressions and symbols, which shows
that the Muslim is celebrating it, such as exchanging gifts, cards and
decoration of houses and shops.
The primary reason why some Muslims copy the Westerners is the inferiority
complex present in the minds of the imitators. The source of the inferiority
complex is the intellectual and emotional defeatism suffered by the imitators
owing to the lack of awareness of the greatness of the Islamic ‘Aqeedah, its thoughts and rules and how only these will
ensure justice, happiness and contentment for mankind. Similarly they do not
realize the corruption of the Western culture, its values, traditions and the
creed and way of life on which it is based. He (subhanahu
wa ta'aala) said:
فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُمْ
مِنِّي
هُدًى
فَمَنْ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ
فَلاَ
يَضِلُّ
وَلاَ
يَشْقَى
وَمَنْ
أَعْرَضَ
عَنْ
ذِكْرِي
فَإِنَّ
لَهُ مَعِيشَةً
ضَنكًا
“And if there
comes to you guidance from Me, then whoever follows My Guidance shall neither
go astray, nor fall into distress and misery. But whosoever turns away from
My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur’an
nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship.” [TMQ 20: 123-124]
O
Muslims. In your ‘Eids the lofty values and sublime
meanings become manifest. So in ‘Eid ul-Fitr you celebrate the end of the blessed month of
Ramadan, the month of obedience and worship of Allah (subhanahu
wa ta'aala). It is the
month of giving Sadaqah and strengthening
the bonds and closeness between the Muslims. It is the month of Taqwa and virtue in which the Muslims compete to
do the good and pious actions. Just as they compete to stay away from what
Allah has forbidden in terms of the evil and abominable actions. In your ‘Eid, the values of mercy and compassion for the orphans
and the needy, which Islam has encouraged, manifest themselves.
As for the blessed ‘Eid of ul-Adha,
it is from the Manaasik (rites) of Hajj
where the Muslims rush to the sacred House of Allah to glorify Allah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) and purify themselves from sins and free
themselves from the Shirk. In this ‘Eid we see the
most sublime meanings of obedience and sacrifice in the path of Allah, where
the Muslims emulate their father Ibraheem
(as). Both ‘Eids embody the unity of the Muslims
from one corner of the earth to another despite the borders and barriers set
up by the Kafir colonialists to tear up the
body of the Ummah.
As for the non-Muslims’ celebration of Christmas and the New Year, these
embody the rotten western culture. It is the season of infidelity, drinking
of alcohol, shameless parties in which the cross of Shirk with Allah is
raised and the people compete in committing vile acts and chastity and virtue
are trampled upon and when the greed for sex is set at liberty. In addition
all spiritual, humanitarian and high moral values are wiped from the minds of
people. Is there anything in this that invites a human being—any human
being—to imitate and copy? Let alone a person who believes only in Allah (subhanahu wa ta'aala) as his Lord and in the Qur’an
as the revealed book of Allah and in Islam which is a system and Message to
the whole of mankind!
O Muslims; those who have charged with the
responsibility of carrying the Message of Islam as guidance for the people:
Allah has blessed you with the blessing of Islam so that you apply it in all
affairs of life. And He obliged you to convey the Message of Islam to save
the people from the misery of the western culture and the injustice of
capitalist and democratic systems. Attain success in the Dunya
and Akhirah. Do not turn the Kuffar away from your deen
by following their way of life, adopting their values and imitating their
traditions, symbols and showing regard for them over your own. Rather you
should be ambassadors for Islam and its state, the Khilafah
state, which is coming soon by Allah’s leave. Then you shall be happy and the
people will be happy with the light and justice of Islam.
He
(subhanahu wa ta'aala) said:
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ
أُمَّةً
وَسَطًا
لِتَكُونُوا
شُهَدَاءَ
عَلَى
النَّاسِ
وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ
عَلَيْكُمْ
شَهِيدًا
“Thus We have
made you a just (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and
the Messenger (Muhammad) be a witness over you.” [TMQ 2:143].
Hizb ut-Tahrir Scandinavia, 25 Shawwal 1424 Hijri / 18 December
2003
==============================
VALENTINE'S DAY -
History and Islamic Perspective
What is it and where did it come
from?
Consider Valentine's
Day, a day that after dying out a well deserved death in most of Europe (but surviving in Britain and United States) has suddenly started to emerge
across a good swath of Muslim countries. Who was Valentine? Why is this day
observed? Legends abound, as they do in all such cases, but this much is
clear: Valentine's Day began as a pagan ritual started by Romans in the 4th
century BCE to honor the god Lupercus. The main
attraction of this ritual was a lottery held to distribute young women to
young men for "entertainment and pleasure"--until the next year's
lottery. Among other equally despicable practices associated with this day
was the lashing of young women by two young men, clad only in a bit of
goatskin and wielding goatskin thongs, who had been
smeared with blood of sacrificial goats and dogs. A lash of the
"sacred" thongs by these "holy men" was believed to make
them better able to bear children.
As usual, Christianity tried, without success, to stop the
evil celebration of Lupercalia. It first replaced
the lottery of the names of women with a lottery of the names of the saints.
The idea was that during the following year the young men would emulate the
life of the saint whose name they had drawn. (The idea that you can preserve
the appearance of a popular evil and yet somehow turn it to serve the purpose
of virtue, has survived. Look at all those people who are still trying,
helplessly, to use the formats of popular television entertainments to
promote good. They might learn something from this bit of history. It failed
miserably) Christianity ended up doing in Rome, and elsewhere, as the Romans
did. The only success it had was in changing the name from Lupercalia to St. Valentine's Day. It was done in CE 496
by Pope Gelasius, in honor of some Saint Valentine.
There are as many as 50 different Valentines in Christian legends. Two of
them are more famous, although their lives and characters are also shrouded
in mystery. According to one legend, and the one more in line with the true
nature of this celebration, St. Valentine was a "lovers'" saint,
who had himself fallen in love with his jailer's daughter.
Due to serious troubles that accompanied such lottery,
French government banned the practice in 1776. In Italy, Austria, Hungry, and Germany also the ritual vanished over the
years. Earlier, it had been banned in England during the 17th century when the
Puritans were strong.
However in 1660 Charles II revived it. From there it also
reached the New
World,
where enterprising Yankees spotted a good means of making money. Esther A.
Howland, who produced one of the first commercial American Valentine's Day
cards called--- what else--- valentines, in the 1840s, sold $5,000
worth--when $5,000 was a lot of money--the first year. The valentine industry
has been booming ever since.
The history of Valentine's Day serves as a powerful lesson
for Muslims. St. Valentine became a Saint trying to resist free sex. Even
though there was an attempt to Christianize it, today St. Valentine's day is
gone back to its roots. No one even knows that the Church even tried to ban
the St. Valentine's Day. Rather, most people think of romance, cupid and his
arrow, which are vestiges of pagan Rome.
Pagan origins of Valentine's Day
The first information about this day is found in pre-Christian Rome, when
pagans would celebrate the "Feast of the Wolf" on February 15, also
known as the Feast of Lupercalius in honour of Februata Juno, the
Roman goddess of women and marriage, and Pan, Roman god of nature.
On this day, young women would place their names in an urn, from which boys
would randomly draw to discover their sexual companion for the day, the year,
and sometimes the rest of their lives. These partners exchanged gifts as a
sign of affection, and often married.
Christian Influence
When Christianity came onto the scene in Rome, it wanted to replace this feast
with something more in line with its ethics and morality. A number of
Christians decided to use February 14 for this purpose. This was when the
Italian Bishop Valentine was executed by the Roman Emperor Claudius II for
conducting secret marriages of military men in the year 270.
Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with
wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young, single men, who made
up his military. Valentine defied Claudius and performed marriages for young
couples in secret. When his actions were revealed, Claudius put him to death.
Another version of the story says that Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who helped Christians escape
harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
Valentine was arrested and sent to the prefect of Rome for this. He found that his
attempts to make Valentine renounce his faith were useless, and so
recommended he be beaten with clubs, and later beheaded. This took place on February
14, 270.
According to the Catholic encyclopaedia, there are
at least three different Saint Valentines, all of whom are Christian martyrs
of February 14. One of them is described as a priest from Rome (as mentioned above), another as
bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), and the third from Africa.
It was in the year 496 that Pope Gelasius
officially changed the February 15 Lupercalia
festival to the February 14 St. Valentine's Day to give Christian meaning to
a pagan festival. The holiday become popular in the United States in the 1800's during the Civil
War.
As well, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in
the lottery for young women that would take place during the pagan festival.
Instead of the names of young women, the box would have the names of saints.
Men and women were allowed to draw from the box, and the purpose of this was
to copy the ways of the saint they had selected for the rest of the year.
Valentine's Day Customs
A number of the customs connected to Valentine's Day originate in the
belief in England and France during the middle Ages, that on
February 14, birds began to pair.
Fourteenth and 15th centuries' French and English literatures make indirect
references to the practice. Those who chose each other as husband and wife on
Valentine's Day apparently called each other their Valentines.
In terms of the Valentine's greeting "Your Valentine" which today
you find on a number of Valentine's Day cards, the above-mentioned Roman priest
Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself.
While he was in prison awaiting execution, he apparently fell in love with a
young girl who would visit him. Before he died, he allegedly wrote her a
letter, signed 'From your Valentine,' In terms of the virtually naked,
arrow-shooting cupid character, which shoots people with its arrows to make
them fall in love, this character is a vestige of Roman pagan times. Cupid
was described as the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. You
usually find Cupid's picture on Valentine cards and other paraphernalia
.
Islamic Perspective
We should avoid anything associated with pagan immoral practices - We do not
need to honour or celebrate the death of a
Christian "saint" - Islam does not encourage flirting or
suggestions of romantic relationships before marriage - Love between
families, friends and married people does not need to be celebrated on a day
with such un-Islamic origins.
Question: In recent times, celebration of the Valentine Day
has spread, particularly among female students. It is a Christian
celebration, and it is (manifested) with fully red costumes, clothing and
shoes, and exchange of red roses. What is the ruling on celebrating this holiday ?
Answer:
Celebrating the Valentine Day is not permissible because:
Firstly, it is an
innovated holiday that has no basis in the Sharee`ah.
Secondly, it calls to
love and passion.
Thirdly, it calls to
keeping one's heart busy with nonsense matters which contradict the guidance
of the righteous predecessors, may Allah be pleased with them.
So it is not permissible that anything from the signs of that holiday takes
place on that day, whether it relates to eating, drinking, clothing, giving
gifts, or other than that. It is incumbent upon the Muslim to be proud of
his/her religion and that he/she does not blindly follow every crier. May
Allah the Exalted protect Muslims from every trial, apparent and hidden, and
that He give them protection and guidance. Ameen.
Question
Some people celebrate Yawm
al-Hubb (Valentine's Day)on
February 14 [the second month of the Christian Gregorian calendar] every year
by exchanging red roses as gifts. They also dress up in red clothing, and
congratulate one another (on this occasion). Some sweet shops produce special
sweets - red in colour - and draw hearts upon them.
Some shops advertise their goods which are specially related to this day.
What is the Islaamic view [concerning the
following]: Celebrating this day? Buying from these shops on this day?
Selling - by shop-owners who are not celebrating - the things which are used
as gifts, to those who are celebrating?
Response
The clear evidence from the Qur.aan and Sunnah - and this is agreed upon by consensus (Ijmaa') of the early generations of the Muslim Ummah - indicates that there are only two 'Eeds in Islaam (days of
celebration): 'Eed al-Fitr
(after the fast of Ramadhaan) and 'Eed al-Adhaa (after the
standing at 'Arafah for pilgrimage).
Every other 'Eed - whether it is to do with a
person, group, incident or any other occasion - is an innovated 'Eed. It is not permissible for the Muslim people to
participate in it, approve of it, make any show of happiness on its occasion,
or assist in it in any way - since this will be transgressing the bounds of Allaah: " ...and whoever transgresses the bounds of Allaah, he has wronged his own self," [Soorah at-Talaaq, Aayah 1]
If we add to this fabricated 'Eed the fact that it
is one of the 'Eeds of the disbelievers, it is sin
upon sin. This is because it is Tashabbuh (imitation)
of the disbelievers, and a type of Muwaalaat
(loyalty) to them. And Allaah has prohibited the
believers from imitation of them and having love or
loyalty for them in His Mighty Book (Qur.aan). It
is also confirmed from the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam)
that he said: " Whoever
imitates a people is one of them."
'Eed al-Hubb (the
celebration of Valentine's Day) comes under the category of what has been
mentioned here, since it is one of the pagan Christian holidays. Hence it is
not permissible for any Muslim, who believes in Allaah
and the Last Day, to participate in it, approve of it, or congratulate
(anyone on that occasion). On the contrary, it is obligatory to abandon it
and stay far away from it - in response to Allaah
and His Messenger, and to distance oneself from the anger of Allaah and His punishment.
Additionally, it is forbidden for a Muslim to assist or help in this
Valentine's Day, or any other of the forbidden/illegal celebrations in any
way whatsoever - whether by food or drink, selling or buying, production,
gift-giving, correspondence, announcements, etc. All of these things are
considered as co-operating in sin and transgression and disobedience of Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah,
the Glorious and Most High, says:
"... and co-operate with one
another in righteousness and piety, and do not co-operate in sin and
transgression. And fear Allaah! Verily Allaah is severe in punishment," [Soorah al-Maa.idah, Aayah 2]
Likewise, it is obligatory for every Muslim to adhere strictly to the Qur'aan and Sunnah in every
situation - especially in times of temptations and corruption. It is
incumbent that he/she understand, be aware and be
cautioned from falling into the deviations of those whom Allaah
is angry with and those who are astray and the immoral people who have
no fear of punishment - nor hope of reward - from Allaah,
and who give no attention at all to Islaam.
It is necessary for the Muslim to flee to Allaah,
the Most High, seeking His Hidaayah (Guidance) and Thabaat (Firmness) upon the Path. Verily, there is no
Guide except Allaah, and no One Who can Grant
Firmness except Him.
Prepared by Al-Islaah
Publications ( www.everymuslim.com ) from sources:
1. Al- Balagh
2. Fatwa-on-line
3. The Catholic Encyclopedia
4. Catholic Online Saints.
5. http://www.lovestories.com/cupid/history.htm,
the History Channel, and wilstar.com and the video Holiday Myths.
6. Soundvision.com
Courtesy: www.everymuslim.com
==============================
Quotations
Narrated Abu Huraira: The
Prophet (Sallalahu Alaihi
Wasallam) said, "Seven (people) will be shaded
by Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala) by His Shade on the Day of Resurrection when
there will be no shade except His Shade. (They will be), a just ruler, a
young man who has been brought up in the obedience of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta'ala), a man who remembers Allah (Subhanahu
wa ta'ala) in seclusion
and his eyes are then flooded with tears, a man whose heart is attached to
mosques (offers his compulsory congregational prayers in the mosque), two men
who love each other for Allah's Sake, a man who is called by a charming lady
of noble birth to commit illegal sexual intercourse with her, and he says, 'I
am afraid of Allah,' and (finally), a man who gives in charity so secretly
that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given." -
Volume 8, Book 82
------------------------------
The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu
Alaihi Wasallam) said
"If you see my Ummah afraid of telling the
oppressor: You are an oppressor, it is farewell to the ummah"
- [Ahmad, Tabarani, Al-Hakim and Al-Baihaqi]
-----------------------------
Become Muslim and be saved. If not, accept protection from
us and pay the Jizya. If not, I shall come against
you with men who love death as you love to drink wine" - Khalid ibn al-Walid (ra) -letter to the
Persians, 633 CE