Imitating non-Muslims and the celebration of the New Year

Nowadays, whenever anybody visits some of the Muslim countries, they
find that the circumstances within them are quite different to what
they would have expected. One only needs to set foot in these
countries and begin to wander their streets to witness the
tragicbehaviour of its inhabitants.
When one observes the level of joy and ecstasy as the different
classes of people within the Muslim communities prepare to receive
Christmas and New Year's Eve, it seems impossible to believe what one
previously heard about the Muslim countriesand how its people were
adhering to Islam.
The entrances of hotels, cafés and stores are festooned with Christmas
decorations; photographers dress up as Santa Claus and go around
taking souvenir photos of people; florists compete in selling their
produce for people who rush to buy it for this occasion regardlessof
the price. Some Muslims prepare to hold parties in their houses and
hotels and these hotels have tempting special offers for people to
hold their parties in their halls and party rooms during that period.
The media plays a huge part in propagating these celebrations; it
prepares various television programmes and series in anticipation of
these events.
The fact of the matter is that all of these actions represent a
comprehensive imitation of western culture and can only be the result
of very low levels of faith or indeed a total lack of it; to exhibit
this type of behaviour is to strip oneself from the distinction and
superiority of Islam and it is also an evil which makes Muslims who
partake in such celebrations be included in the saying of the Prophet
: "He who imitates a people will befrom among them (on the Day of
Judgement)." [Abu Daawood] Andin another narration, he said: "The one
who imitates people other than us (i.e., in faith) is not from us. Do
not imitate the Jews or the Christians." [Tirmithi]Imaam Ahmad said:
"The very least that this Hadeeth entails is the prohibitionof
imitating them (i.e., the Jews and the Christians); although it is
also apparent that the Hadeeth labels the one who does so as a
disbeliever (as Allaah Says what means): "O you who have believed! Do
not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact]
allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then
indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed Allaah guides not the wrongdoing
people." [Quran 5: 51 [
When Muslims imitate non-Muslims their rank in the Sight of Allaah
decreases. This is because a Muslim is superior to a disbeliever, so
if he were to imitate a disbeliever then he would descend from his
lofty rank to that which is inferior and this is a form of being
ungrateful for the bounties of Allaah and an insult to the religion of
Islam because Islam is superior to everything else and nothing should
be given priority over it.
Islam has established a path to guidance which differs from the
culture and customs of the disbelievers regardless of whether they are
from the people of the book or otherwise. Islam abrogates all previous
religions and legislations and ourMuslim nation is the one to be
followed and not one which should blindly imitate others.
Anas ibn Maalik said: "The Prophet arrived in Madeenah while people
were celebrating two particular festivals, so he asked: "What is (the
significance of) these two days?" Some peoplereplied: ' They are days
which we used to celebrate during the pre-Islamic era.' So the
Messenger replied: "Allaah has replaced them for you with two days
which are better, the day of 'Eed Al-Fitr and 'Eed Al-Adh-haa" "
[AbuDaawood] . Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to
celebrate New Year, because is it not one of the celebrations of
theMuslims.
Muslim merchants and traders must not participate in any aspect of
celebrating this day; they should not imitate the Christian merchants
in the types of merchandise they sell during this period and they
should refrain from decorating their shops with special lights and
other kinds of decorations to commemorate this occasion.
Imaam Ibn Al-Haajj mentioned in his book which mentioned the sayings
of the Maaliki school of opinion in Islaam: "It is not permissible for
any Muslim to sell the Christians anything distinctly used during
their religious celebrations, whether it is meat, grease or clothing;
they should also refrain from assisting them in any of the affairs of
their religion, because this is a form of honouring disbelief and
aiding them in their disbelief and the Muslim leaders should forbid
the Muslims from doing so. This is the ruling of Imaam Maalik and
others and I do not know of any Islamic scholar who differed with this
ruling."
It is our religious duty to boycott these celebrations; are we
unableto prevent our children and othermembers of our household from
participating in these immoral celebrations? How can a Muslim father
watch his children preparefor these parties on New Years Eve and
remain silent? Some parents even participate in this by purchasing
items for the parties and by making their own plans for that night
with their friends and relatives so that the way is paved for their
children to spend the night with their girlfriend or boyfriend by
listening to music, dancing, intermixing with the opposite sex and
many other acts that Allaah has prohibited and which would make
morality shed tears and chastity protest.
Such parents seem to consider these actions as normal, despite the
fact that they will certainly beheld to account for the cultivation
and upbringing of their children. Allaah Says what means: " O you who
have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose
fuel is people and stones…" [Quran 66: 6] Did such fathers, who did
not prevent their children from celebrating the New Year protect
themselves andtheir children from the Hellfire?
Fear Allaah in your behaviour and actions; remain firm on His
obedience and refrain from disobeying Him; encourage your wives and
children to adhere to Islamic rulings and assist them inthis; rebuke
them and restrain them from committing sins so that you may protect
yourselves from the Hellfire.
Many Muslims do not seem to realise that these celebrations are an
integral part of the Christian religion and form part of its rituals.
Being joyful and participating in their religious celebrations is in
fact a celebration and an honouring of disbelief, which has a
devastatingimpact upon the creed and faith of a Muslim.
How can a Muslim rejoice at any celebration of the non-Muslims while
he reads the book of Allaahin which He Almighty Says what means: "
Neither those who disbelieve from the People of the Scripture nor the
polytheists wishthat any good should be sent down to you from your
Lord…" . [Quran 2:105 [
How can a Muslim rejoice while he reads the words of Allaah where He
Almighty Says what means: "Many of the People of the Scripture wish
they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of
envy from themselves…" [Quran 2: 109 [
How can any Muslim compromisehis creed and faith and join the
Christians in their rituals of disbelief while Allaah Says what means:
"They wish you would disbelieve as they disbelieved so you would be
alike…" [Quran 4: 89]and, "If they gain dominance over you, they would
be [i.e., behave] to you as enemies and extend against you their hands
and their tongues with evil, and they wish you would disbelieve."
[Quran 60: 2 [
Fear Allaah and thank Him for having guided you to Islam and for
making you distinct and superior by sending Muhammad , the Prophet of
mercy, especially for you. Allaah has made you the best nation that
was ever sent to mankind, provided you adhere to Islam andfollow the
Prophet .
Be proud of your religion, because it is the only one that is based on
sound creed, just legislation and honourable manners. Do not be
deceived by what many people do for they are unaware of the reality of
Islam; resist these evil innovations which have conquered our
communities by boycotting these celebrations and be as Allaah Says
(what means): "Follow [O Mankind] what has been revealed to you from
your Lord and do not followother than Him any allies…" [Quran 7: 3]and
do not be as Allaah Says (what means): "And be not like those who
forgot Allaah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the
defiantly disobedient." [Quran 59: 19]but do everything that will make
you prosper in this life and the Hereafter.