Question: Dear
scholars, As-Salamu `alaykum.
Why don’t Muslims pay much heed to celebrating the occasion of Hijrah as the Christians celebrate Christmas? Jazakum Allah khayran.
Answer: Wa `alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi
wa Barakatuh.
In the Name of Allah, Most
Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and
peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
Dear questioner, we would like to thank you for
the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us
serve His cause and render our work for His Sake.
There is nothing wrong as far as the Islamic Shari`ah is concerned to celebrate Islamic occasions as
long as they do not include anything haram such as,
unlawful mixing between males and females. Such celebration is a kind of
remembrance of Allah’s bounties on His servants, which is a praiseworthy
behavior, recommended by Allah Almighty.
Answering this question, the eminent Muslim
scholar, Sheikh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi, states:
“Some
Muslims maintain that celebrating any Islamic occasion is forbidden; they
consider celebrating occasions such as the Prophet’s Hijrah
to Madinah, Al-Isra’ wal-Mi`raj (the Prophet’s Night Journey and Ascension), the
Prophet’s birthday, the Battle of Badr, the Conquest
of Makkah, and other Islamic occasions recorded in
the Prophet’s biography, to be bid`ah (innovation),
which is a sign of going astray and, thus, a way to hellfire. But it is not
absolutely so. There are certain restrictions that render such celebrations haram (forbidden); this is, if they include any haram activities or any practice that goes against the
teachings of Shari`ah, such as what happens in some
countries where people undertake odd practices in celebrating birthdays of the
Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), awliya’
(closest worshipers to Allah), and other righteous people.
However,
there is nothing wrong in making use of such an occasion as the Prophet’s
birthday to remember and remind people of the great personality of the Prophet
(peace and blessings be upon him), his honorable biography, and his true
message that has been revealed to him by Allah Almighty as a mercy for the
worlds. How can this be considered a bid`ah?
Celebrating Islamic occasions is a way to
remind people of the great bounties Allah has showered on them, and this is not
only permissible, but also recommendable and praiseworthy. Allah Almighty has
commanded His servants to remember such occasions, as He says what means, “O ye
who believe, Remember Allah's favor unto you when there came against you hosts,
and We sent against them a great wind and hosts ye
could not see. And Allah is ever Seer of what ye do. When they came upon you
from above you and from below you, and when eyes grew wild and hearts reached
to the throats, and ye were imagining vain thoughts concerning Allah.” (Al-Ahzab: 9-10)
This Qur’anic verse
reminds Muslims of the Battle of Al-Ahzab, when the Quraysh, the Ghatafan, and their
allies attacked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his
followers, and besieged Madinah in an attempt to get
rid of the Muslims altogether. Then Allah Almighty supported the Muslims and
rescued them from the anti-Islam schemes. Allah Almighty sent great winds and
soldiers from among the angels to fight against the disbelievers. It is an
order from Allah Almighty to Muslims not to forget that. Therefore, there is a
divine order for Muslims to remember such occasions that record Allah’s great
favors on them.
Allah Almighty, in another verse, says, “O ye
who believe! Remember Allah's favor unto you, how a people were minded to
stretch out their hands against you but He withheld their hands from you; and
keep your duty to Allah. In Allah let believers put their trust” (Al-Ma’idah: 11). Here Allah reminds the Muslims of the wicked
scheme against the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when the Tribe Banu Qaynuqa` tried all possible
procedures to assassinate the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). They
plotted, but Allah countered their plots and saved the Prophet (peace and
blessings be upon them). Allah Almighty says, “… they plot, but Allah (also) plotteth; and Allah is the best of plotters.” (Al-Anfal: 30)
Therefore, we can see that talking about
Allah’s favors and celebrating them is a praiseworthy act, so as to remember
Allah’s Grace and remind Muslims of the Islamic occasions, that they can learn
moral lessons from and make use of them. There is really nothing wrong in that,
as it has no sign of innovation or heresy in religion.”
Allah Almighty knows best.