wishing the non-muslims on their festivals

:salam2:
I am a scholar in a country where majority of people are non-muslims , so my colleagues are also non-muslims.
As they always wish me on Eid festival, I need to wish them also on their festivals . can you suggest me whether the things I have been doing are right or wrong. And if they are wrong , what can I do, so that they wont mind it.



May Allah bless us all

:salam2:

Allah azz zawajal gave us Eid ul Fitr and EId Ul Adha as a day of celebration. We celebrate these ones, greet eachother and have fun.

As for the non muslim celebrations, they are not from Allah subhanaahu wa taala. As muslims, we do not recognize these non muslim celebrations as valid days of celebrations. Rather, people made up these festivals when Allah azz zawajal didn't legislate it for them. These festivals in which they openly display their kufr and disobedience of Allah. They have come up with such processions in complete disregard for Allah azz zawajal. How can we as people of Tawheed, congratulate them on their pagan festivals ? How can we greet them for their disobedience to Allah ?

Even if it makes them happy, if we wish them. Do we want them to be happy with their processions of kufr and jahilliyah ? Rather, we should tell them to turn back to Allah azz zawajal and give them dawah. And if we are not in a situation to give dawah to them, we should keep quiet and not greet, wish or show any encouragement to them in their fabricated and pagan festivals.

May Allah azz zawajal guide them and bring them back towards the truth of Islam. Ameen.

Please read this fatwa also :- http://islamqa.com/en/ref/947/

Wasalaamalaykum waa rahmatullahi

I live in Canada, and you should do is wish them Christmas Holiday...etc, in respect.
However, Christmas Holiday may seems myth, but it's our duty to respect their tradition as well.

without any doubt ....its Haram

wishing a person means congratulating them , each and every festival is celebrated under some underlying beleifs(like deity's b day or victory ovr some one etc).......in almost all the cases it clashes with the islamic concept of tawheed

the moment we wish some one like MERRY CHRISTMAS, "HAPPY DIWALI"(in my country) it means "CONGRATULATIONS ON RAM's(hindus god) VICYORY & RETURN AFTER FREEING HIS WIFE FROM RAVAN"


Means wishing them for kufr....
which is their wrongdoing.....

Allah says in Quran chapter 3 that
104. And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong,and those will be the successful.



i can very well understand ur position brother..cz my 90 % interaction is also with non muslims not only this where i live we are the only muslim family out of 200.

i usd to wish bt 2 yrs bk on understanding this stopped......as far as few really close one........i try to use some other term showing my disagreement with the concept behind the celebration like i wish them as "ENJOY THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT" (i knw its not perfectly right and inshaallah will completely stop even saying this).....






MAY ALLAH HELP ME IN STRENGTHENING MY IMAAN

AAMEEN

Salams brother , I found this and hope it helps you understand about this subject you are asking about:

Ruling on celebrating non-Muslim holidays and congratulating them
Can a muslim celebrate a non muslim holiday like Thanksgiving?

Praise be to Allaah.
Greeting the kuffaar on Christmas and other religious holidays of theirs is haraam, by consensus, as Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah: "Congratulating the kuffaar on the rituals that belong only to them is haraam by consensus, as is congratulating them on their festivals and fasts by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’ and so on. If the one who says this has been saved from kufr, it is still forbidden. It is like congratulating someone for prostrating to the cross, or even worse than that. It is as great a sin as congratulating someone for drinking wine, or murdering someone, or having illicit sexual relations, and so on. Many of those who have no respect for their religion fall into this error; they do not realize the offensiveness of their actions. Whoever congratulates a person for his disobedience or bid’ah or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allaah."

Congratulating the kuffaar on their religious festivals is haraam to the extent described by Ibn al-Qayyim because it implies that one accepts or approves of their rituals of kufr, even if one would not accept those things for oneself. But the Muslim should not aceept the rituals of kufr or congratulate anyone else for them, because Allaah does not accept any of that at all, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

"If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you. . ."
[al-Zumar 39:7]

". . . This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion . . ."
[al-Maa’idah 5:3]

So congratulating them is forbidden, whether they are one’s colleagues at work or otherwise.

If they greet us on the occasion of their festivals, we should not respond, because these are not our festivals, and because they are not festivals which are acceptable to Allaah. These festivals are innovations in their religions, and even those which may have been prescribed formerly have been abrogated by the religion of Islaam, with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to the whole of mankind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]

It is haraam for a Muslim to accept invitations on such occasions, because this is worse than congratulating them as it implies taking part in their celebrations.

Similarly, Muslims are forbidden to imitate the kuffaar by having parties on such occasions, or exchanging gifts, or giving out sweets or food, or taking time off work, etc., because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah said in his book Iqtidaa’ al-siraat al-mustaqeem mukhaalifat ashaab al-jaheem: "Imitating them in some of their festivals implies that one is pleased with their false beliefs and practices, and gives them the hope that they may have the opportunity to humiliate and mislead the weak."

Whoever does anything of this sort is a sinner, whether he does it out of politeness or to be friendly, or because he is too shy to refuse, or for whatever other reason, because this is hypocrisy in Islaam, and because it makes the kuffaar feel proud of their religion.

Allaah is the One Whom we ask to make the Muslims feel proud of their religion, to help them adhere steadfastly to it, and to make them victorious over their enemies, for He is the Strong and Omnipotent.

Majmoo’ah Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 3/369)

Salams Brother also found this , so we know how to inter act with non muslims....

Principles and guidelines for Muslims’ relations with non-Muslims
We want to know in detail how Muslims regard non-Muslims, and how they should deal with them according to Islamic sharee’ah?

Praise be to Allaah.

1- Islam is the religion of mercy and justice.

2- Muslims are commanded to call non-Muslims to Islam with wisdom and beautiful preaching and by debating in a manner that is better. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And argue not with the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), unless it be in (a way) that is better (with good words and in good manner, inviting them to Islamic Monotheism with His Verses), except with such of them as do wrong”

[al-‘Ankaboot 29:46]

3- Allaah does not accept any religion other than Islam. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]

4- The Muslims should give the kaafirs the opportunity to hear the words of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And if anyone of the Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) seeks your protection then grant him protection so that he may hear the Word of Allaah (the Qur’aan) and then escort him to where he can be secure”

[al-Tawbah 9:6]

5- The Muslims should differentiate between different kinds of kaafirs in their dealings with them. They should make peace with those who make peace, and wage war against those who wage war, and wage jihad against those who stand in the way of spreading the message of Islam and causing it to prevail of earth.

6- With regard to matters of love and hate in the heart, the Muslims’ attitude towards non-Muslims is based on the latter’s attitude towards Allaah. If they worship Allaah and do not associate anything in worship with Him, then they love them. If they associate others in worship with Him, or disbelieve in Him, or worship others alongside Him, or are hostile towards His religion and hate the truth, then it is obligatory to hate them in our hearts.

7- Hating them in our hearts does not mean that we should oppress or mistreat them under any circumstances, because Allaah said to His Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), describing what his attitude should be towards the People of the Book:

“and I am commanded to do justice among you. Allaah is our Lord and your Lord. For us our deeds and for you your deeds”

[al-Shoora 42:15 – interpretation of the meaning]

even though he is a Muslim and they are following Judaism or Christianity.

8- The Muslims believe that it is not permissible, under any circumstances whatsoever, for a Muslim to mistreat a non-Muslim who is not hostile towards Islam; so the Muslim should not commit aggression against him, or frighten him, or terrorize him, or steal his wealth, or embezzle him, or deprive him of his rights, or deny him his trust, or deny him his wages, or withhold from him the price of his goods when buying from him or withhold the profits of a partnership if he is in a business partnership with him.

9- The Muslims believe that it is obligatory upon the Muslims to honour treaties or agreements made with a non-Muslim party. If a Muslim has agreed to their conditions when seeking permission to enter their country (i.e., a visa) and has promised to adhere to that, then it is not permissible for him to commit mischief in their land, to betray anyone, to steal, to kill or to do any destructive action, and so on.

10-The Muslims believe that in the case of non-Muslims who wage war against them and drive them out of their homes, or help others to do so, it is permissible for Muslims to shed the blood of these non-Muslims and confiscate their wealth.

11-The Muslims believe that it is permissible for a Muslim to treat kindly those non-Muslims who are not hostile, whether by offering financial help, feeding the hungry, giving them loans if needed or interceding with regard to permissible matters, or speaking kindly to them or returning their greetings, and so on. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Allaah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allaah loves those who deal with equity”

[al-Mumtahanah 60:8]

12-There is no reason why Muslims should not cooperate with non-Muslims with regard to establishing truth and combating falsehood, to support the oppressed and ward off danger from mankind, such as cooperating to fight pollution or to protect the environment, or to combat epidemic diseases and so on.

13-The Muslims believe that there are differences between Muslims and non-Muslims in specific rulings such as diyah (blood money), inheritance, marriage, guardianship in marriage, entering Makkah etc., as is explained in the books of Islamic fiqh (jurisprudence). This is based on the commands of Allaah and His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). We cannot regard as equal one who believes in Allaah alone with no partner or associate and one who disbelieves in Allaah or one who disbelieves in Allaah and joins others in worship with Him, or who turns away from the true religion.

14-Muslims are commanded to call people to Allaah in all the Muslim countries and other lands. They must convey the true religion of Allaah to the world and build mosques in all parts of the world, and send daa’iyahs (callers) to non-Muslim countries and invite their leaders to enter the religion of Allaah.

15-The Muslims believe that other people who are following other religions are not following any true religion, so the Muslims do not allow others to send missionaries to build churches in Muslim countries. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Is then he who is a believer like him who is a Faasiq (disbeliever and disobedient to Allaah)? Not equal are they”

[al-Sajdah 32:18]

Whoever thinks that Islam is equal to other religions is making a serious mistake. But the Muslim scholars have opened the door to debate with non-Muslims and allow the opportunity to discuss with and listen to non-Muslims and explain the truth to them.

Finally, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians): Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allaah (Alone), and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allaah.’ Then, if they turn away, say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims’”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:64]

“And had the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) believed, it would have been better for them”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:110].

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

MalikBrother said:

I live in Canada, and you should do is wish them Christmas Holiday...etc, in respect.
However, Christmas Holiday may seems myth, but it's our duty to respect their tradition as well.

Click to expand...

A tradition based on Kufr and open disobedience to Allah is not to be respected.

We should not just look if we are following the *western* standards of courteousness and open mindedness. Rather we are muslims first, we act according to the wahee (revelation). And we are prohibited from wishing, taking part and observing non muslim celebrations and festivals.

Assalaam walaikum,

If one wishes those who are not Muslims blessings on their hoildays and feasts...they in turn automatically ask questions about Islam. This leads to a wonderful opportunity to discuss the beauty of Islam.
In a country that is Islamphobic so many myths are disspelled. It leads to dialogue and understanding.

I do not understand how people come to the States and remain isolated from the people. One gains no knowledge. It leads to fear and terror and steretypes.

Islam is a faith of acceptance. One has to be strong in faith. We can co-exist.

Aapa said:

Assalaam walaikum,

If one wishes those who are not Muslims blessings on their hoildays and feasts...they in turn automatically ask questions about Islam. This leads to a wonderful opportunity to discuss the beauty of Islam.
In a country that is Islamphobic so many myths are disspelled. It leads to dialogue and understanding.

Click to expand...

All of what you are saying could be true. If we start wishing them openly and partake in their festivals, we might get in to their 'good books'. I can understand the logic in this.

However, the real question is :- As muslims who believe in Allah azz zawajal and attest to 'La Illaha Illa Allah'. Can we greet and approve of such unIslamic festivals ? Are we supposed to stick to our deen or ignore our deen to be accepted and appreciated by non muslims in our society ?

The fact that we are even thinking of greeting them on their festivals, just shows that we haven't read or studied the books of Tawheed in a long time. It would do us wonders if we went back and revised the principles and foundations of Tawheed and learned how it translates in to 'the actions of limbs and tongue'.

May Allah azz zawajal guide us. Ameen

Wasalaamalaykum waa rahmatullahi

Aapa said:

Assalaam walaikum,

If one wishes those who are not Muslims blessings on their hoildays and feasts...they in turn automatically ask questions about Islam. This leads to a wonderful opportunity to discuss the beauty of Islam.
In a country that is Islamphobic so many myths are disspelled. It leads to dialogue and understanding.

Click to expand...

wa 'alaykum salaam wa rahmatullaah

With due respect, I'll have to disagree on this point. I've done this in the past, and rare were the cases where calls of "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" resulted in questions about Islaam. Rather I've seen if they wish you something and in return you explain about Islaam, that opens doors of dialogue. I don't believe that to dispell myths we have to conform and assimilate ... especially not on these issues.

Islam is a faith of acceptance. One has to be strong in faith. We can co-exist.

Click to expand...

I believe we can co-exist, but I don't believe we can compromise.

The Prophet 'alayhi salaatu wa salaam and his Sahabah brought Islaam into a place with nothing but disbelief in it, and in the process they co-existed with various types of people - but what they did not do was compromise. They didn't join the people in play on days of Jahiliyyah, didn't wish them well on those days to bring themselves closer. There is a difference between respecting and allowing differences and trying to alleviate them, and bending over to show commonality.

I am a Muslim because I believe in Islaam. Why for example would I then wish "Merry Christmas" when I do not believe it was the day of the birth of Christ, nor a specific day to be merry and indulge in materialism? It's not about respect, but these wishes show support... one that I dont have.

Even thankgiving with its pagan roots of honoring the gods and goddesses of harvast?

Aside from a few, I've even seen this wishing people on their holidays escalates such that at a certain point a person feels there is nothing wrong with these holidays, and after having accepted that -- they then become more inclined to it and adopt traditions and ways of the holiday whether they realize it or not.

Allaah knows best

:salam2:


[yt]FSdMesudyQ8[/yt]

:salam2:


Actually christmas is a festival which was celebrated by roman pagans.....later on they accepted christianity and continued this in the name of Prophet Isa(pbuh)

[vg]1968524242554683177[/vg]

Assalaam walaikum,

I am not disputing anyone. However, it is the way one can ease the conversation towards a more religious tone.

Also, and this happens, when I do wish someone a happy holiday or merry christmas, this alone is the opening to a conversation. They ask questions. They are disarmed, immediately. The first typical response is you do not mind. And this is the door I wait for.

Example:

Why would I be upset with you celebrating..Islam recognizes Jesus, the Christ. We believe in the Virgin Birth.

And an hour later...they are still wishing to learn Islam. How do you worship. What is the major difference. Why do you dress like this? Why don't you eat pork?

Our hearts have to be open to mankind. You never know where this leads others.

We are told to smile and greet others. And they smile. We have made peace.

I am known as the Muslim woman. People want to be near Muslims...we make others happy. They see our joy. They are amazed at our tenacity. No matter what happens a Muslim is grateful. And I tell others..it is because I mention the Holy Name in my conversations. They feel the peace.

That is all I am saying.

:salam2:

Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim may Allaah have mercy upon him reported the consensus of all scholars that congratulate non Muslims for their religious occasions is forbidden. He said: “As for congratulating the unbelievers for their rituals, it is forbidden according to the agreement of all scholars like congratulating them for their feasts and fast by expressing good wishes: happy feast or enjoy your feast… etc. If the Muslim who says this does not become a disbeliever himself, he, at least, commits a sin as this is the same as congratulating him (a non Muslim) for his belief in the Trinity, which is a greater sin and much more disliked by Almighty Allaah than congratulating him for drinking alcohol or killing a soul or committing fornication or adultery…etc.”

Excerpt from

http://www.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=articles&lang=A&id=161416

Walykum assalam

If your a scholar i dont think you need laymens advice

Assalaam walaikum,

A person always has two choices..to open a door to communication or to keep it shut.
I respect the scholars. However, the scholars are not having to make the choices of daily life that I have to. No scholar is going to stand next to me on the Day of Judgement.
I bank on Allah subhana talla knowing the content of my heart.
I just use the opportunity when it presents itself to celebrate my faith.

Now..does lead me to sinning. No. I do not reaffirm the Trinity. I wait until a later opportunity to discuss the politics behind the making of the Trinity. I make people think about the construct of the Trinity as a political force to oppress people.
Does this lead me to drinking and fornicating. No. I choose to practice my faith.

I could sin without anyone's help if I wanted. However, I Believe.

Aapa said:

Assalaam walaikum,

I am not disputing anyone. However, it is the way one can ease the conversation towards a more religious tone.

Also, and this happens, when I do wish someone a happy holiday or merry christmas, this alone is the opening to a conversation. They ask questions. They are disarmed, immediately. The first typical response is you do not mind. And this is the door I wait for.

.

Click to expand...

I don't understand why our *only* opportunity for making dawah arises by wishing someone Merry Christmas or Happy Thanksgiving and is constrained to it solely ? Rather it is only shaitaan who suggests us to greet someone on their pagan holidays for purpose of Dawah.

And if this was an accepted way of doing dawah, this would be the way the Prophet PBUH or Noble Companions (May Allah be pleased with them) and righteous men (May Allah have mercy on them). Yet we find nothing of this sort or find any evidence from authentic narrations. Rather on the other hand, we find prohibitions for us indulging in such acts.

Wouldn't it be wise to follow the teachings of the Prophet PBUH and benefit from the works of our noble scholars ? Rather than commit a grave sin, and then do dawah. As Dr Naik said in the above embedded video, you don't need to take haraam means to do dawah to people. There are plenty opportunities Alhamdulillah for us to make dawah.

As a condition of good deeds to be acceptable to Allah, it should be performed in a way as found from Quran and Sunnah. Therefore, first we should learn the proper way to perform dawah.

I have read a beneficial book in this regard. I think I should share it on this thread.

The Methodology of Prophets in calling to Allah

May Allah increase us much in knowledge. Ameen

Wasalaamalaykum waa rahmatullahi

Assalaamu `alaykkum, it is pretty weird that muslims feel ok with greeting non-muslims on their festivals which is full of shirk. And shirk is the greatest sin, and yet people find it ok to greet non-muslims on their shirk-infested festivals. It is probably better for a person to greet another person who is about to rape a woman by saying "Happy Raping"or "Happy Fornicating".

People need to realize that Tawheed is way more important than anything else, and it is the very first thing that differentiates the muslims from the disbelievers! And it is indeed the Oneness of Allaah that so many a nations were destroyed, and it is indeed due to the importance of the Oneness of Allaah, that prophets after prophets were sent. It is also this Tawheed that many of those righteous people gave their lives for. It was this Tawheed that bought people out of humiliationg to a life of honour, pride etc

Wassalaamu `alaykkum

Assalaam walaikum,

Brother, I never used the word only.

Now, if you are suggesting I am inspired by shytan..please refrain.

We are given choices in life. I am a Muslim...and have been long before most of you were born.

I have made inroads for many a Muslim. You know first Muslim in town..first Muslim in school...first Muslim female in college...

What grave sin is being committed by a smile..by showing others Muslims have the best of manners?

When did Islam become so judgemental?
Be careful and do not hide behind books..live life and understand that a loving word can change a persons life.
A simple greeting can make the difference in a person's life.

I call it being educated. I know about your culture and belief system. And I still choose Islam.

I do cook at Thanksgiving. It is a time for family to come together. Some times, I am able to fast..it is a Thursday and have a great meal. It makes everyone happy.

If you do not extend greetings to others so be it; but do not put the sin upon me. Think that all the way through.
I thank you for the blessings you have sent upon me, today.

Go, Aapa, go and keep your own mind and manners. I started here similar kind of thread some years ago - and of course became totally beated by other members with same evidences and arguments like here now.

I don´t say I would greet to others they holidays but I respect them and don´t see it is bad if we try to make peacefull conversation with others - and show them that our religion and its values are peacefull.