Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah [May Allaah have Mercy on him] answered when he was asked about the ruling on celebrating the festivals of the Kuffaar:
All Praises are for Allaah.
It is not permissible for the Muslims to imitate the Kuffar in the slightest, neither in their festivals, or their food (that are specific to them or their religion), or their clothes, or the type of incense they use (i.e. the ones they use for their acts of worship), or anything that is connected to their lifestyles or acts of worship etc. It is not permissible to imitate them in having gatherings like them or in the way they give gifts, nor is it permissible to aid them in any of this.
It is not permissible to let our children play with the toys that are specific to them and their festivals, nor is it permissible to adorn oneself the way they do on the days of their festivals.
In general terms, it is not permissible to use what they use or imitate them in things that are specific to their festivals; rather the days of their festivals for the Muslims are mere normal days. There is nothing specific about the days of their festivals…
What has been mentioned here, all the scholars (i.e. that include all the different schools of thought) are all agreed upon. Rather, some of the scholars even held the opinion that those who celebrate the festivals of the Kuffaar have committed an act of Kufr (disbelief which may take one outside of al-Islaam). They held this opinion based on the argument that those who celebrate these festivals are in fact honouring the symbols of Kufr (beliefs that are disbelief in al-Islaam).
Some of the scholars held the opinion that those who slaughter an animal on the days of their festivals, is like someone who slaughtered swine.
‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin ‘Aas (May Allaah be Pleased with him) said, “Whoever lives in the lands of the Kuffaar (i.e. happy to live with them) and celebrates their festivals, then they have imitated them, until if they die in that state then they will be raised with them on the Day of Judgement”.
It is narrated in Sunnan Aboo Dawood that a man swore a vow to slaughter a camel in a place called Bawaanah, so he came and asked the Messenger of Allaah (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) if he should fulfil his vow. The Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked if there were idols there being worshipped in times of Jaahilliyyah (i.e. the days of pre-Islaamic ignorance). The man responded in the negative and then the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) asked if it was a place where their festivals were celebrated. The man responded in the negative once again. So then the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) responded to him by saying, “Then fulfil your vow because your vow doesn’t involve any form of disobedience to Allaah.”
So here the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) didn’t permit this man to do the slaughtering in a place where the festivals of the Kuffaar is celebrated, despite the fact that fulfilling vows in al-Islaam is an obligation. So we understand from this, that if this was a place where the Kuffaar celebrated their festivals it would not be permissible to go there, then how about taking part in celebrating them?
Moreover, the Leader of the Believers, ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab (May Allaah be Pleased with him) placed a condition on the Kuffaar whilst they were living under his leadership that they were not allowed to openly celebrate their festivals. This also came with agreement of the rest of the Companions (May Allaah be Pleased with them all) and the scholars of al-Islaam. They were allowed to celebrate them privately in their quarters. So how about if the Muslims themselves celebrate them openly?
To the extent that ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab (May Allaah be Pleased with him) said, “Do not learn their languages which are foreign to us, do not enter the temples of the Mushriks on the days of their festivals because divine anger is upon them.”[1]
To be continued....
[1] The Messenger of Allaah (Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Surely, Allaah has put the truth on his tongue and placed it on his heart (about ’Umar bin al-Khattab al-‘Adawee).“ Ibn ‘Umar (May Allaah be Pleased with him) said, “There was never a new issue that effected the people except that ‘Umar had a say in it and that the Quraan would be revealed confirming the view of ‘Umar.” [Narrated by at-Tirmidhee (3682) and classed as authentic by al-Albaanee]
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