Dought & clear, - Guidelines concerning imitation of the kuffaar

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What are the definitions of imitating the west? Does everything that is modern and new and has come to us from the west imply imitation of them? In other words, when can we say that something is haraam because it is an imitation of the kuffaar?.
Praise be to Allaah.
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them.’” (Narrated by Abu Dawood,al-Libaas, 3512. Al-Albaani said inSaheeh Abi Dawood, (it is) hasan saheeh. No. 3401).
Al-Munaawi and al-‘Alqami said: i.e., dressing as they dress, following their way of life in clothes and some of the things they do.
Al-Qaari said: i.e., whoever imitates the kuffaar, such as in how one dresses, etc., or imitates the evil and immoral people, or the Sufis or the righteous, is one of the people whom he imitates, whether they are good or bad.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah said inal-Siraat al-Mustaqeem: Imaam Ahmad and others quoted this hadeeth as evidence. This hadeeth at the very least implies that it is haraam to imitate them, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“... And if any amongst you takes them [Jews and Christians] as Awliyaa’ [friends, helpers]), then surely, he is one of them…”
[al-Maa’idah 5:51]
This is similar to the view of ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr who said: “Whoever settles in the land of the mushrikeen and celebrates their Nawroz (new year) and Mahrajaan (festival) and imitates them until he dies will be gathered with them on the Day of Resurrection.” This may be interpreted as referring to absolute imitation which implies kufr and as meaning that imitation in part is therefore haraam; or it may be interpreted as meaning that he is one of them to the extent that he imitates them, whether it is in ideas of kufr, sin or partaking in a ritual. It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) forbade imitating the non-Arabs and said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” This was also mentioned by al-Qaadi Abu Ya’laa. This was quoted by more than one of the scholars to show that it is makrooh to imitate forms of dress of the non-Muslims which are not known among the Muslims.
See ‘Awn al-Ma’bood Sharh Sunan Abi Dawood.
Imitating the kuffaar falls into two categories:
Imitation that is haraam and imitation that is permitted:
The first type is imitation that is haraam: this means knowingly doing things that are unique characteristics of the religion of the kuffaar and that have not been referred to in our religion. This is haraam and it may be a major sin; in some cases a person may even become a kaafir by doing that, according to the evidence, whether a person does that because he agrees with the kuffaar, or because of his whims and desires, or because of some specious arguments which make him feel that doing it will being him benefit in this world and the next. If it is asked, is the one who does that out of ignorance a sinner, such as one who celebrates Christmas? The answer is that the one who is ignorant is not a sinner because he was unaware, but he has to be told, and if he persists he becomes a sinner.
The second type is imitation that is permissible. This means doing something which is not originally taken from the kuffaar, but the kuffaar do it too. This does not involve a prohibition on resembling them, but one may miss out on the benefits of differing from them.
Imitating or resembling the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) and others with regard to worldly matters is permissible only when the following conditions are met:
1 – That should not be any of their traditions or rituals by which they are distinguished.
2 – That should not be part of their religion. A matter can be proven to be part of their religion though a trustworthy source, such as an aayah of the Qur’aan or a hadeeth of His Messenger, or via well-established reports, such as the prostration of greeting which was permitted to the previous nations.
3 – That should not be anything in Islam which refers specifically to that matter. If there is a specific reference in Islam, either approving or disapproving of it, then we must follow what our religion says about it.
4 – This resemblance should not lead to going against any of the commands of sharee’ah.
5 – That should not involve celebrating any of their festivals.
6 – The resemblance should be only according to what is needed, and no more.
Seeal-Sunan wa’l-Athaar fi’l-Nahy ‘an al-Tashabbuh bi’l-Kuffaarby Suhayl Hasan, p. 58-59

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For children, - Stories of Prayer: Power of Prayer, Prayer Story, Supplication Prayer

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Muniba, a young Muslim university student, was home for the summer. She had gone to visit some sisters one evening and the time passed quickly as each shared their various experiences of the past year.
Muniba ended up staying longer than she had planned.
Evening came and Muniba had to walk home alone, but she wasn't afraid because it was a small town and she lived only a few blocks away. As she walked along under the tall elm trees, Muniba asked "Allah (SWT)" to keep her safe from harm and danger. When she reached the alley, which was a short cut to her house, Muniba decided to take it.
However, halfway down the alley, Muniba noticed a man standing at the end, as though he was waiting for her. She became uneasy and began to pray, asking for "Allah's (SWT)" protection. Instantly a comforting feeling of quietness and security wrapped around her; she felt as though someone was walking with her. When she reached the end of the alley, she walked right past the man and arrived home safely.
The following day, Muniba read in the paper that a young girl had been raped in the same alley, just twenty minutes after she had been there.
Feeling overwhelmed by this tragedy and the fact that it could have been her, she began to weep. Thanking Allah (SWT) for her safety and to help this young woman, Muniba decided to go to the police station. She felt she could recognize the man, so she told them her story. The police asked her if she would be willing to look at a line up to see if she could identify him.
Muniba agreed and immediately pointed out the man she had seen in the alley the night before. When the man was told he had been identified, he immediately broke down and confessed.
The officer thanked Muniba for her bravery and asked if there was anything they could do for her, she asked if they would ask the man one question.
Muniba was curious as to why he had not attacked her. When the policeman asked him he answered, "Because she was not alone. She had two tall men walking on either side of her."

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Hajj & Umrah, - Caution Againt After-Hajj Sins

would not be able to achieve righteousness that results from
performingHajjunless he avoids sins and is cautious of committing
them. Although it is forbidden to commit sins and misdeeds at all
times, Allaah commanded the pilgrim to leave them entirely during the
days ofHajj, as mentioned in the verse that says )what means(:}Hajj is
]during[ well-known months, so whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon
himself therein ]by entering the state of Ihraam[, there is ]to be for
him[ no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during
Hajj.{]Quran 2:197[that is due to the honor of the time and the
greatness of the place.
Allaah The Almighty also said )what means(:}and ]also[ whoever intends
]a deed[ therein of deviation ]in religion[ or wrongdoing - We will
make him taste of a painful punishment.{]Quran 22:25[
How grave would the punishment be then for a person who actually does
evil and commits sins!
The attitude of people duringHajjreveals a lot of evildoings and
mistakes that result from the lack of fear of Allaah The Almighty, and
lacking due regard of the sanctity of the time and place, due to
ignorance of theSharee'ah)Islamic legislation( and following customs
and habits instead. Among the most apparent evil actions and mistakes
that are widespread inHajj:
·To commit a restriction of the state ofIhraam)sacral state(
intentionally, with noSharee'ah-approvedexcuse
·To harm Muslims through words and actions
·To refrain from advising one another and from enjoining good or forbidding evil
·To delay prayer from its due time
·To get involved in backbiting, tale-bearing, falsehood,
disputation,ill speechextravagance or stinginess in spending
·Vain trifling with food and bad manners
·Regarding sins as trivial, such as giving free rein to the sight and
hearing to what is unlawful
·Women crowding men, and disclosing what is impermissible for them to expose
·Hastiness or delaying when fulfilling the rites ofHajjin
theirSharee'ah-prescribed times, and lacking observance of the
boundaries outside which performing the rites ofHajjare not valid,
etc.
What a great loser is the one who tires himself and spends from his
property, transforms his status and appearance if he returns only with
the burden of the unlawful acts he committed and incurs upon himself
the wrath of Allaah, the Most Merciful!
Fifth: Striving in obedience and utilizing time:
In the verses which mentionHajj, there are references to urge the
slave of Allaah The Almighty to do more acts of worship at the time of
performing the rites ofHajj. An example of this is what Allaah The
Almighty mentioned )what means(:}And whatever good you do - Allaah
knows it. And take provisions, but indeed, the best provision is fear
of Allaah.{]Quran 2:197[Among the most important acts of worship which
the slave of Allaah The Almighty should frequently occupy himself with
during performing the rites ofHajjare:
1-To observe the deeds of the heart: such as sincerity, love, reliance
upon Allaah, fear of Allaah, hope, honoring, submission, showing
neediness to Allaah, truthfulness in asking and supplicating Allaah,
repentance, turning to Allaah, patience, satisfaction and reassurance,
to the end of the series of those deeds in which the slave of Allaah
should engage duringHajj, since upon them Islam revolves.
Ibn Al-Qayyimsaid,"Whoever contemplates the Sharee'ah in its sources
and origins, will realize the relation between the deeds of organs and
those of hearts, and without the deeds of hearts, those of organs are
of no benefit."
2-To recite Quran andThikr)remembrance(, and ask for forgiveness:
Allaah The Almighty commanded pilgrims, in the verses that
mentionHajj, to remember Him, and ask Him for His forgiveness. Also,
the Prophet,, said, encouraging recitation ofTalbiyahandThikr:"No one
ever raises his voice with Talbiyah, nor ever says Takbeer but that he
is given the glad tidings )of entering Paradise(."]At-Tabaraani
inAl-Mu'jamAl-Awsat, and Al-Albaani inSaheeh Al-Jaami': Hasan[ it is
reported that the Prophet,, was asked:"Which pilgrim is the best?"he
said:"Whoever remembers Allaah most among
them."]inMusnad:Dha'eefHadeeth[
3-Striving to do good: Ibn Rajabsaid,
"Among the most comprehensive characteristics of righteousness needed
by a pilgrim is that with which the Prophetrecommended Abu Jurayy
Al-Hujaymisaying:"Do not disdain any act of goodness, even if it is to
pour water from your bucket into the utensil of a person who is
thirsty, to give the piece of rope, to give a shoelace, to move
something harmful from the way of people, to meet your brother with a
cheerful face, to meet your Muslim brother and greet him with peace,
or to ease the trouble of he who is distressed."
It is reported in anotherHadeeththat it was said,"O Messenger of
Allaah! Who is the most beloved of people to Allaah?"He said:"The most
beloved of people to Allaah is the most beneficial among them to
people."
4-GivingDa'wahto Allaah The Almighty: Ignorance is widespread among
pilgrims, and so are a lot of religious innovations, evildoings and
errors duringHajj, which requires the religious scholars and Islamic
callers to undertake their obligatory role of guiding, counseling and
instructing, enjoining good and forbidding evil with wisdom and good
instruction, and argument in a way that is best. Shujaa' Ibn
Al-Waleedsaid,"I performed Hajj in the company of Sufyaan, and he did
not weary of enjoining good and forbidding evil during his going and
returning."
5-Supplication and imploring Allaah:Hajjis one of the great seasons of
imploring Allaah and supplication which one should utilize, and show
submission to Allaah The Almighty on it. The Prophet,, said:"The best
supplication is the supplication )on the Day of(
'Arafah."]At-Tirmithi[ he also said:"The people who perform Hajj and
'Umrah are the guests of Allaah: He called them and they answered His
call, and they asked Him, and He gave them )what they asked
for(."]Saheeh Al-Jaami', Al-Albaani:Hasan[
6- Uprightness: The evidence for theHajjthat has been accepted by
Allaah The Almighty is that the Muslim pilgrim becomes upright
afterHajj, abides by obedience and leaves disobedience. Al-Hasan
Al-Basrisaid, "The )sign of the( Hajj Mabroor is that one returns as
abstaining from the worldly life, and desirous for the Hereafter."That
is attested by the verse in which Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}And those who are guided - He increases them in guidance and
gives them their righteousness.{]Quran 47:17[
So beware, lest you would destroy what you have built, disperse what
you have collected, consume what you have obtained, with the result
that you would be overturned after guidance, and regress after
attaining purity.
You also should remember thatHajjeffaces all sins committed before it;
and that by yourHajj, you return )as sinless( as when you were a
newborn child just delivered by your mother. So, beware of meeting
Allaah The Almighty after that favor with sins. Rather, open a new
page in your life with Allaah The Almighty, the content of which is
obedience, and the title of which

Hajj & Umrah, - Common Mistakes inthe First Ten Days of Thul-Hijjah - II

Secondly: Mistakes made on the Day of 'Arafah
1- Abandoning fasting:
It should be taken into consideration that the Day of 'Arafah is the
best day of the first ten days ofThul-Hijjah, and abandoning fasting
of that day is a mistake that many of those who are not granted
success to do righteous deeds commit. It was narrated on the authority
of Abu Qataadah Al-Ansaarithat the Messenger of Allaah,, was asked
about the reward of fasting the day of 'Arafah and he said:"It
expiates sins of the past year and the coming year."]Muslim[
This is prescribed for those who are not pilgrims ofHajj. As for
pilgrims ofHajj, they are forbidden to observe fasting during that
day.
2- Neglecting or abandoning supplication:
Most people make very little supplication and some do not supplicate
at all. This is a grave mistake, because one who neglects supplication
on that day deprives oneself from the advantage of supplication during
the Day of 'Arafah. In aHadeeth, the Messenger of Allaah,, said:"The
best supplication is that of the Day of 'Arafah, and the best thing
that I and other prophets before me said, is: 'Laa illaaha illallaahu
wahdahu la shareeka lahu lahul mulk wa lahul hamd wa huwa 'ala kuli
sha'in qadeer )There is no deity but Allaah, Alone and there Has not
partners, sovereignty and praise belong to him, and Over all things He
Is Omnipotent(."]Maalik[
Commenting on thisHadeeth, Ibn 'Abdul Barrsaid, "The Hadeeth indicates
that supplication on the Day of 'Arafah is better than supplication on
other days. This also indicates the excellence of that day over other
days. This stands as evidence that some days are better than others.
Nevertheless, this is not realized unless there is a relevant
Sharee'ah text, such as excellence of Friday, 'Aashooraa' )the tenth
day of Muharram(, the day of 'Arafah as well as Mondays and Thursdays.
None of this is realized by analogy or reasoning. The Hadeeth stands
as evidence that supplication on the day of 'Arafah is most hopeful to
be answered, and that the best Thikr is: "Laa illaaha illallaahu
)there is no God but Allaah(."]At-Tamheed[
Thirdly: Mistakes made on the Day ofNahr
1- Not to go to the place of 'Eedprayer:
Some Muslims do not go the place of'Eedprayer, particularly youths.
This is a mistake, because this day is one of the greatest days in the
Sight of Allaah The Almighty. On the authority of 'Abdullaah bin
Qurtthe Prophet,, said:"The greatest day to Allaah is the day of Nahr
and then the day of Qarr )the 11th day of Thul-Hijjah(."]Abu Daawood[
2- Putting on unclean or old clothes on the day of'Eed:
Some Muslims go out to the place of'Eedprayer with unclean clothes
under the pretext that they would shave their head, clip their
fingers, take a bath and apply perfume after slaughtering
theUdh-hiyah)the'Eedsacrificial animal(. This is a mistake, because a
Muslim should follow the example of the Messenger of Allaah,, and go
out in a good appearance and new, perfumed clothes. On the authority
of Ibn 'Umarthe Messenger of Allaah,, used to put on the best clothes
on the two'Eeds. According to some of the righteous predecessors, it
is authentically proven that the Prophet,, used to
performGhuslfor'Eed. ]Fat-hul-Baari and Al-Mughnee[
3- Eating before performing the'Eedprayer:
This is against theSunnahof the Prophet,, because it is an act
ofSunnahon'EedAl-Adh-hathat one should not eat unless he has
slaughtered his sacrifice. `Abdullah bin Buraydah narrated on the
authority of his fatherthat he said:"The Messenger of Allaahused not
to go out on the day of )'Eed( Al-Fitr until he ate, and he used not
to eat on the day of )'Eed( Al-Adh-ha until he performed prayer ."
Ibn Al-Qayyimsaid,"On the day of 'Eed Al-Adh-ha, the Prophetused not
to eat unless he had returned from prayer, then he would eat from his
Udh-hiyah."]Zaad Al-Ma'aad[
4- Not to perform the'Eedprayer in congregation:
Some Muslims do not perform the'Eedprayer in congregation under the
pretext that it is just an act ofSunnah, not an obligation. It is true
that this prayer is an act ofSunnah, not an obligation; nevertheless,
a Muslim should not abandon it if he is able to perform it.'Eedprayer
is one of the Islamic rituals that should be performed by all Muslims;
old and young, men and women. A person who abandons it without
aSharee'ah-approved justification has committed a grave mistake.
5- Abandoning the'Eed'sKhutbah)sermon(:
It is a mistake to neglect the'EedKhutbah. A Muslim should listen to
theKhutbahdue to its great excellence.
6- Abandoning theSunnahregarding going to prayer from one road and
returning from another road:
The Prophet,, used to go to the'Eedprayer through one road and return
from another road. Some Muslims do not give importance to this act
ofSunnahand this is a mistake.
7- Abandoning the'Eedgreeting:
It is a mistake to neglect greeting Muslims on the day of'Eed. It is
recommended underSharee'ahfor Muslims to exchange visits, gather and
greet each other on the occasion of'Eed. During'Eed, one could greet
other Muslims saying, for example,"May Allaah accept from us and from
you"or similar statements which include noSharee'ahviolations.
8- Visiting graves on the day of'Eed:
Some Muslims visit the graves on the day of'Eedin order to greet a
dead father or relative. This is a grave mistake, because visiting
graves on such a good day is an innovated practice that has no grounds
in theSharee'ahof Islam. The Companionsdid not do this, although they
were the forerunners to do righteous deeds. The Messenger of Allaah,,
said:"]A person[ who innovates in our matter )i.e. religion( anything
that does not belong to it, it will be rejected."]Muslim[
The Prophet,, said:"Do not make my grave ]a place for[ 'Eed"]Abu
Daawood[. Shaykhul-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyyahexplained the meaning of the
word "'Eed" in thisHadeeth, as referring to doing something on
certain occasions, or particular times of the year, month or weak, and
to repeat that act with the return of that occasion or particular day
or season. Shaykh-ul- Islam added saying that a person who has it as
habit to visit a grave on a certain time of the year, after'Eedprayer
every year, for example, has disobeyed the Prophetic commandment
expressed by theHadeeth. Shaykh-ul- Islam further explained that a
person who does this has introduced an innovated practice in our
religion, because the Messenger of Allaah,, neither did that nor
commanded us to do that; hence, doing that practice, thinking it to be
an act of obedience, contradicts the guidance of the ."