1) It is not permissible to congratulate disbelievers on their religious holidays like Christmas that involve disbelief, as it is akin to congratulating them for idolatry. 2) Congratulating others for sins, innovations, or disbelief exposes one to Allah's wrath and anger. 3) Imitating disbelievers' celebrations can encourage them and cause happiness in their hearts over their false religion, potentially leading them to humiliate weak Muslims. Muslims should differ from non-Muslims in acts of worship and customs.

1. Shaqra Islamic Center
Ladies Section
Ladies Section

2. Responding to Merry Christmas
By
Shaykh Uthaymeen
&
Imaam Ibn Al Qayyim
Allaah have mercy upon them

3. What is the ruling on congratulating the
disbelievers on their Christmas celebration?
How do we respond to them if they greet us
with it?
Is it permissible to go to the places where they
are having celebrations ?
Does the person (Muslim) take a sin if he does
the aforementioned without any intent?

4. Imaam Ibn Al Qayyim, may Allaah
have mercy upon him, he said:
"As for congratulating the
disbelievers for their religious
ceremonies that have kufr
(disbelief) attached to it, then it
is not permissible

5. And it is on the same level as
congratulating them for prostrating to
the cross. Rather it is a greater sin with
Allaah
And it is a more severe abomination than
to congratulate them for drinking alcohol
and killing someone, committing illegal
sexual intercourse and things of this
nature.

6. And many of the people who
don’t have any deen(or respect for
the deen) fall into this.
And he doesn’t know the ugliness
(evil) of what he has done.

7. They say: "(Allah) Most Gracious has begotten
a son!" indeed you have brought(said)terrible
evil thing.
Whereby the heavens are almost torn, and the
earth is split asunder,and the mountains fall in
ruins.
That they ascribe a son to the most Gracious
(Allah). But it is not suitable for the (Majesty
of)the Most Gracious(Allah) that He should
beget a son.
There is none in the heavens and the earth but
comes to the Most Gracious(Allah) as slave.

8. So whoever congratulates a person for
committing sins, or innovations, or
disbelief, then he has exposed himself to
the hate, wrath (anger) of Allaah.
Allaah the Exalted says “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.” (AzZumar 39:7)

9. Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Tayeeyah, may Allaah
have mercy upon him, said in his book,
"Follow the straight path and oppose the path
to the fire"
that
“Imitating them in some of their celebration
causes happiness in their hearts for what they
are upon from falsehood.
And it is possible that this might encourage
them to take advantage of this opportunity to
humiliate the weak minded”.

10. And whoever does anything from this is a
sinner.
And it is the same whether he did it
being courteous,
seeking friendship,
or due to shyness
or any other reason
because this is from being deceitful in the
deen of Allaah. it makes the non-Muslims feel
proud of their religion

11. 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]

12. Surah al Fatheha
daily ..... 17 times
in a month ......510 times
in a year........6188 time
we say...Guide us to the straight way.
The way of those on whom you have bestowed
Your Grace,
not of those who earned Your anger (jews),
nor of those who went astray.(christians)

13. Anas Ibn Maalik said: "The Messenger of
Allaah, came (to Madeenah) and they
(inhabitants of Madeenah) had two days in
which they would (relax and) play.
He said: "What are these two days?" They
said, "We used to play (on these two days)
during the Jaahiliyyah (pre-Islamic period)."
The Messenger of Allaah, said: "Allaah has
given you something better instead of
them: Yawm Al-Adh-ha ('Eed Al-Adh-ha) and
Yawm Al-Fitr ('Eed Al-Fitr)." [Abu Daawood]

14. The Hadeeth (Prophetic narration): "Every
people has its festival, and this is our
festival" [Al-Bukhaari & Muslim]
every people has its own festival,
if the Jews have a festival and the
Christians have a festival, it is just for
them, and we should not have any part in
it.

15. The Prophet, , always differed
from the People of the Book,
in performing
acts of worship
appearances
morals
customs
and in various affairs of life.

16. Fear Allaah and thank Him for
having guided you to Islam.
you the best nation that was ever
sent to mankind.
Be proud of your religion.

17. I ask Allah to guide all of us to
the straight path.
(Ameen)
Asma Basheer