Praise be to Allah.
Muslims are not permitted to celebrate non-Islamic religious festivals like Christmas or Halloween, as this contradicts Islamic principles of preserving religious identity and avoiding imitation of other faiths.
Evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah:
- Allah says:“And those who do not witness falsehood, and when they pass near ill speech, they pass by with dignity.” (Surah Al-Furqan 25:72)
Some scholars interpret “falsehood” here to include attending or celebrating non-Islamic religious festivals.
- The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said :“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (Sunan Abu Dawood, 4031)
This hadith warns against mimicking the customs and traditions of non-Muslims in ways that compromise Islamic values.
Islam’s Exclusive Festivals:
When the Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived in Madinah, he found people celebrating pre-Islamic festivals. He said:
“Allah has replaced these (festivals) for you with two better days: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.” (Sunan an-Nasa’i, 1556)
This establishes that Muslims have their unique religious celebrations, and participating in non-Islamic festivals undermines this exclusivity.
Building Relationships Without Compromising Faith:
Muslims are encouraged to maintain general respectful relationships with non-Muslims.
