Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Assalam o alaikum brother

 

Please Answer some more question.

Jazzak Allah and thank you very much for your cooperation and your vaulable time.

Thanks.

My questions are

1) Can we greet non muslims on their festivals, can we eat the food given by non muslims on the occations of their festivals.

 

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Answer:

 

Can one greet eat food pagan festivals

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Your Question: Can we greet non muslims on their festivals,

Every people have their own civilization, their culture and days of celebration.  Allah and His Messenger (saws) have appointed the two Eids for celebration in Islam, and have made every Friday a day of Eid and celebration for the believers.   For a true believer, every day that dawns is a Sign from our Merciful Lord,  and every day that Allah gives us life, can be a day of celebration for us.

 

There is absolutely no harm if one celebrates or congratulates one’s non-muslim friends on their personal accomplishments and happy occasions like their marriage, the birth of their baby, or their children’s graduation, or a promotion in their job, etc.  But it would neither behove nor befit a believer who believes in Allah and the Last Day to greet or celebrate any of their religious occasions with them like Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Holi, etc……for that then would be to intentionally witness a falsehood.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verse 72:

72      (The true slave-servants of Allah are) Those who witness no falsehood (intentionally), and if they pass by futility they pass by it with honorable (avoidance)

 

In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, the jurors in Islam have listed four categories which would make any celebration or gathering forbidden:

• The celebration should not be a pagan religious festival.
• The celebration should not involve any ‘shirk’.
• The celebration should not involve or encourage ‘fahisha’ or indecency or any of the things absolutely forbidden in Islam (alcohol, gambling, etc.)
• The celebration should not indulge in excess spending.

 

The pagan beliefs and religions and thus their religious festivals are based on absolute falsehoods, and it does not befit one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day as Truth to indulge in celebrations of falsehood.  To greet or celebrate pagans on their pagan and religious days of festivals would be to justify their false beliefs.

 

Your Question: …can we eat the food given by non muslims on the occations of their festivals.

Any food, regardless of whether it be meat or non-meat, which is dedicated to anyone or anything other than Allah Subhanah, or any food upon which a name of anyone other than Allah Subhanah is invoked would be absolutely unlawful and ‘haraam’ for the believers to consume.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 3:

3        Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead (flesh of animals not slaughtered), blood, the flesh of swine, and that (food) on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chatper 2 Surah Baqarah verse 173:

173     He hath only forbidden you dead meat, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that (food) on which any other name hath been invoked besides that of Allah; but if one is forced by necessity without willful disobedience, nor transgressing due limits, then is he guiltless.  For Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 145:

145     Say: "I find not in the Message received by me by inspiration any (food) forbidden to be eaten by one who wishes to eat it unless it be dead meat, or blood poured forth, or the flesh of swine for it is an abomination, or what is impious (food) on which a name has been invoked other than Allah's."  But (even so) if a person is forced by necessity without wilful disobedience nor transgressing due limits, thy Lord is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.

 

Every religious festival of the disbelievers, without exception, is based on or dedicated to one of their pagan deities….and because the food served at such pagan religious festivals is dedicated to a deity other than Allah Subhanah, such food would be absolutely unlawful for the believers to consume.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan