Can She Attend Christmas Celebrations In Order To Greet Her Relatives?
Islamic Rulings -
Living Shariah Verdicts
Islamic Questions & Answers
She says: I want to become Muslim, but my family
gather to celebrate Christmas, and I want to go and
greet them. This is not with the intention of
celebrating or joining in, but simply to make the most
of the opportunity of my relatives getting together.
Is this allowed?
We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih
al-‘Uthaymeen,who answered as follows:
No, it is not permitted. If Allaah blesses her with
Islam, then the first thing she must do is to distance
herself from her former religion and its festivals.
And Allaah knows best.
Attending the festivals of the mushrikeen and
congratulating them
Is it permissible to attend the celebrations of
Christian festivals and congratulate them?
Praise be to Allaah.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: it
is not permissible for the Muslims to attend the
festivals of the mushrikeen, according to the
consensus of the scholars whose words carry weight.
The fuqaha' who follow the four schools of thought
have stated this clearly in their books… Al-Bayhaqi
narrated with a saheeh isnaad from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab
that he said: "Do not enter upon the mushrikeen in
their churches on the day of their festival, for
divine wrath is descending upon them." And ‘Umar also
said: "Avoid the enemies of Allaah on their
festivals." Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a jayyid isnaad
from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr that he said: "Whoever
settles in the land of the non-Arabs and celebrates
their new year and festival and imitates them until he
dies in that state, will be gathered with them on the
Day of Resurrection." (Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah,
1/723-724).
With regard to congratulating them on their festivals,
this has already been answered in Question no. 947,
which we advise you to refer to.
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-MunajjidIs Saying To A
Kaafir "I Wish You Well" Or "I Wish You All The Best"
On His Festival Regarded As Congratulating Him?
Islamic Rulings - Living
Shariah Verdicts
Islamic Questions & Answers
I know that congratulating the Christians and
Jews for their feats is haram, as it means approving
to their baatil (wrong) beliefs. Is it permissible for
me to send to whom I know of them messages contain no
congratulation? Like sending " I wish you all good" or
"I wish you the best" with an intention of wishing
guidance for them?.
Praise be to Allaah.
Congratulating the kuffaar on their festivals is
haraam, as you say. Please see question no. 947 and
81977.
It seems that sending a message to those of them who
you know, on the day of their festival, saying "I wish
you well" or "I wish you all the best" is a kind of
congratulations.
But if you send this message on a day other than their
festival, with the intention of calling them to Islam
and hoping that they will be guided, there is nothing
wrong with that.
It was narrated that Abu Moosa said: The Jews used to
sneeze in the presence of the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him), hoping that he would
say to them, "Yarhamakum Allaah (may Allaah have mercy
on you)." But he would say, "Yahdeekum Allaah wa
yuslihu baalakum) (may Allaah guide you and reform
you)."
Narrated by Imam Ahmad (19089), Abu Dawood (5038) and
al-Tirmidhi (2739); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
al-Irwa' (1277).
It says in ‘Awn al-Ma'bood: i.e., he did not say to
them "Yarhamakum Allaah (may Allaah have mercy on
you)" because mercy is only for the believers; rather
he prayed for them as was appropriate, that they be
guided and enabled to believe.
There is nothing wrong with praying for a kaafir to be
guided aright, rather it is proven that this is the
Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him).
And Allaah knows best.
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