In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
BEING THE FOURTH SERMON FOR THE MONTH OF J. ULA, DATED 29TH J. ULA, 1444 AH
(23RD DECEMBER, 2022 CE).
TITLED: THE RULING ON CHRISTIAN FESTIVALS AND THE PROHIBITION ON IMITATING THE UNBELIEVERS
All Praises belong to Allah, the Lord of the unverse, who says in his Glorious Book: (ููููููู ุฃูู ููุฉู ุฌูุนูููููุง ู ูููุณูููุง ููู ู ููุงุณูููููู) โFor every nation We have ordained religious ceremoniesโ (Al-Hajj: 67). And He said, Glorified and Exalted He is: (ููุง ุฃููููููุง ุงูููุฐูููู ุขู ููููุง ูุง ุชูุชููุฎูุฐููุง ุนูุฏููููู ููุนูุฏููููููู ู ุฃูููููููุงุกู ุชููููููููู ุฅูููููููู ู ุจูุงููู ูููุฏููุฉู ููููุฏู ููููุฑููุง ุจูู ูุง ุฌูุงุกูููู ู ู ููู ุงููุญูููู) โO you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists, etc.) as friends, showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth (i.e. Islamic Monotheism, this Quran, and Muhammad SAW)โ (Mumtahanah: 1). And He, the Most Exalted, said: (ููุฏู ููุงููุชู ููููู ู ุฃูุณูููุฉู ุญูุณูููุฉู ููู ุฅุจุฑุงููู ู ููุงูููุฐูููู ู ูุนููู ุฅูุฐู ููุงูููุง ููููููู ูููู ู ุฅููููุง ุจูุฑูุกุขุคูุงู ู ูููููู ู ููู ูู ููุง ุชูุนูุจูุฏูููู ู ููู ุฏูููู ุงูููู ููููุฑูููุง ุจูููู ู ููุจูุฏูุง ุจูููููููุง ููุจูููููููู ู ุงููุนูุฏูุงููุฉู ููุงููุจูุบูุถูุงุกู ุฃูุจูุฏุงู ุญูุชููู ุชูุคูู ููููุง ุจูุงูููู ููุญูุฏููู) โIndeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: “Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allah Aloneโ (Mumtahanah: 4). He, the Most Exalted, also said: (ููุฏู ููุงููุชู ููููู ู ุฃูุณูููุฉู ุญูุณูููุฉู ููู ุฅุจุฑุงููู ู ููุงูููุฐูููู ู ูุนููู ุฅูุฐู ููุงูููุง ููููููู ูููู ู ุฅููููุง ุจูุฑูุกุขุคูุงู ู ูููููู ู ููู ูู ููุง ุชูุนูุจูุฏูููู ู ููู ุฏูููู ุงูููู ููููุฑูููุง ุจูููู ู ููุจูุฏูุง ุจูููููููุง ููุจูููููููู ู ุงููุนูุฏูุงููุฉู ููุงููุจูุบูุถูุงุกู ุฃูุจูุฏุงู ุญูุชููู ุชูุคูู ููููุง ุจูุงูููู ููุญูุฏููู) โO you who believe! Take not as friends the people who incurred the Wrath of Allahโ (Mumtahanah: 13). We praise Him, Glorified and Exalted He is, we thank Him, we believe in Him, and we trust in Him. We seek refuge in him from the evil of our own souls, and from our bad deeds. He whom Allah guides is the one who is guided and nothing that can mislead him, and whoever is let astray, none can guide Him. I testify that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah alone. He has no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is his servant and His Messenger. O Allah! May your Blessings and Peace be upon him and his household and companions and those that follow with goodness till the of Recompense.
Thereafterโฆ O servants of Allah, I enjoin you and myself to fear Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, for it is the way of the righteous, the men of understanding. Allah Taโalah says: (ููุง ุฃููููููุง ุงูููุฐูููู ุขูู ููููุง ุงุชูููููุง ุงูููู ุญูููู ุชูููุงุชููู ููููุง ุชูู ููุชูููู ุฅููููุง ููุฃูููุชูู ู ู ูุณูููู ูููู) โO you who believe! Fear Allah (by doing all that He has ordered and by abstaining from all that He has forbidden) as He should be feared. [Obey Him, be thankful to Him, and remember Him always], and die not except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to Allah.โ (Aal-Imraan: 102).. (ููุง ุฃููููููุง ุงููููุงุณู ุงุชูููููุง ุฑูุจููููู ู ุงูููุฐูู ุฎูููููููู ู ู ููู ููููุณู ููุงุญูุฏูุฉู ููุฎููููู ู ูููููุง ุฒูููุฌูููุง ููุจูุซูู ู ูููููู ูุง ุฑูุฌูุงูุงู ููุซููุฑูุง ููููุณูุงุกู ููุงุชูููููุง ุงูููู ุงูููุฐูู ุชูุณูุงุกูููููู ุจููู ููุงูุฃูุฑูุญูุงู ู ุฅูููู ุงูููู ููุงูู ุนูููููููู ู ุฑููููุจูุง) โO mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single person (Adam), and from him (Adam) He created his wife [Hawwa (Eve)], and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.โ (An-Nisaa: 1). (ููุง ุฃููููููุง ุงูููุฐูููู ุขูู ููููุง ุงุชูููููุง ุงูููู ููููููููุง ูููููุงู ุณูุฏููุฏูุง * ููุตูููุญู ููููู ู ุฃูุนูู ูุงููููู ู ููููุบูููุฑู ููููู ู ุฐููููุจูููู ู ููู ููู ููุทูุนู ุงูููู ููุฑูุณูููููู ููููุฏู ููุงุฒู ููููุฒูุง ุนูุธููู ูุง) โO you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (SAW) he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise).โ (Al-Ahzaab: 70-71).
Brothers in Faith! This is the fourth and the last meeting in the month of Jumaada-Al-uula, the fifth Islamic lunar month and the topic of our sermon today will be about: The Ruling on Christian festivals and the prohibition on imitating the unbelievers.
O Muslim brothers! The Shareeโah of Islam came with a categorical prohibition against imitating the unbelievers in anything: in acts of worship, dealings, morals, habits, and appearances. And the texts of the Shareeโah in this regard is more than can be enumerated. So, contradicting the polytheists, and being free of them, is one of the foundations of the religion. A breach of it is a breach of the religion. So, the Prophet (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) used to be purposefully, ever and always different from them.
When he came to Madinah as an emigrant, and saw the Jews fasting โAashuraa, he ordered the Muslims to fast a day before or after it, so as to be different from them (the Jews). Even changing of the Qiblah from Baytul-Maqdis to the Kaโabah is to be different from their Qiblah: (ููู ููู ุญูููุซู ุฎูุฑูุฌูุชู ููููููู ููุฌููููู ุดูุทูุฑู ุงูู ูุณูุฌูุฏู ุงูุญูุฑูุงู ู ููุญูููุซู ู ูุง ููููุชูู ู ููููููููุง ููุฌููููููู ู ุดูุทูุฑููู ููุฆููููุง ููููููู ููููููุงุณู ุนูููููููู ู ุญูุฌููุฉู ุฅููููุง ุงูููุฐูููู ุธูููู ููุง ู ูููููู ู) โAnd from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah), and wheresoever you are, turn your faces towards, it (when you pray) so that men may have no argument against you except those of them that are wrong-doersโฆโ (Baqarah: 150). A group of the predecessors said: โIt means: lest the Jews be evidence against you (muslims) by the fact of your Qiblah being the same, and then saying: We have or share the same Qiblah, so it is as if we our religions are the same. So, Allah pre-empted that claim by their making the Qiblah different.
Among the subtleties in this subject-matter is what the scholars deduced from the fact that the fasting of Muslims, their breaking of the fast, and their Eโid are based on the sighting of the crescent, and this is contrary to what the unbelievers are upon, whereby they establish it (the day of their festival) by calculation, and the Sunnah brought hastening the breaking of fast and delaying the Sahuur as opposed to them, and also the prohibition of from sitting the way they sit. It is narrated from Ibn โUmar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) that he saw a man reclining on his left arm while sitting in Salaat, and he (Ibn โUmar) said to him: โDo not sit like that. That is the way those who are being punished sit.โ And in a narration, โThis is the (way of) praying of those with whom Allah is angry.โ (Abu Daawud)
O my beloved people in Allah! It is not permissible to participate with the unbelievers in their festivals for the following reasons:
Firstly: It is an imitation, and โwhoever imitates a people is one of them.โ (Abu Daawud). (Al-Albaani regarded it as a good sound hadith). It means it is imminent danger. Abdullah ibn Amru ibn Al-โAas said: โWhoever builds in the land of the polytheists, performs their New Year and their festivals, and imitates them until he dies, he will lose out on the Day of Resurrection.โ
Secondly: Participation is a form of affection and love for them. Allah Taโalah says: (ูุง ุชูุชููุฎูุฐููุง ุงูููููููุฏู ูุงููููุตูุงุฑูู ุฃูููููููุงุกู ุจูุนูุถูููู ู ุฃูููููููุงุกู ุจูุนูุถู) โO you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliya’ (friends, protectors, helpers, etc.), they are but Auliya’ to one another.โ (Al-Maaidah: 51). And He, the Most Exalted says: (ููุง ุฃููููููุง ุงูููุฐูููู ุขู ููููุง ูุง ุชูุชููุฎูุฐููุง ุนูุฏููููู ููุนูุฏููููููู ู ุฃูููููููุงุกู ุชููููููููู ุฅูููููููู ู ุจูุงููู ูููุฏููุฉู ููููุฏู ููููุฑููุง ุจูู ูุง ุฌูุงุกูููู ู ู ููู ุงููุญููู) โO you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists, etc.) as friends, showing affection towards them, while they have disbelieved in what has come to you of the truth (i.e. Islamic Monotheism, this Quran, and Muhammad SAW)โ (Al-Mumtahanah: 1).
Third: Eid is a religious and doctrinal issue, not worldly customs, as evidenced by the hadith: โEvery people have a festival, and this is our own festival.โ And their festival is an indication of a creed that is corrupt, polytheistic and infidel.
Fourthly: Allah, Glorified and Exalted He is, praised His believing servants in suratul-Furqaan, (stating) part of the characteristics of the servants of Ar-Rahmaan (Allah): (( ูุงููุฐูููู ููุง ููุดูููุฏูููู ุงูุฒูููุฑู โฆ) โAnd those who do not witness falsehoodโฆโ (Al-Furqaan: 72). Scholars explained this verse as referring to the festivals of the polytheists. And it is not permissible to give them festival greeting cards or sell it to them or any of the necessities of their festival, such as lights, trees, and food, nor turkey or anything else, or sweets that are in the form of props or other things.
Lastly, dear honorable Muslims, one of the great principles and fundamentals of Islam is the prohibition of imitating the infidels, and the command to eschew being guided by them in general and in their festivals in particular. The basis of this issue is in the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) and the guidance of the righteous predecessors. And for its purpose, Shaykhul-Islaam, Ibn Taymiyah authored his book, โIktidaai Siraatal Mustaqeemi Fi-Mukhaalifati Ashaabil Jaheemโ.
I say all these, asking forgiveness from Allah, the Greatest, for myself and for you. So, seek forgiveness from Him and repent unto Him, for He is the Most-Forgiving, the Most-Merciful.
THE SECOND KHUTBAH
All Praises are due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, who creates what and who He wills and as He wills. He will not be asked about His actions but they will be asked. Blessed is Allah, the best of creators. Thereafter, may the peace and blessings be upon the best of Allahโs creation, the Master of the former and the latter (mankind) our Master and leader, Muhammad, his family and companions, and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.
Thereafter,
Dear servants of Allah, it is worthy of note at the moment to mention a brief history of Prophet โEesaa (Jesus) the son of Maryam, peace and blessings be upon him. There is no doubt that the date of Christ’s birth was not 25th of December, especially since the wet season is in the summer month. What is the approximate date of birth of the Christ, peace and blessings be upon him?
The Answer goes thus:
The issue of determining the birth date of โEesaa, (Jesus), the son of Maryam, peace be upon him:
1. It is of the unseen matters that no one can be certain of, unless such person is among those that Allah sends revelation to, because there is no way to know that except by that process (of revelation), due to the severance of the chains of transmission between us and that era, and due to the difference in the transmission in specifying the date of his birth, peace be upon him.
2. That knowing the that time is a non-beneficial knowledge, ignorance of which is harmless. If there is any benefit in knowing that, there would have reach us evidences in that regard. Then, if we know the date of his birth then what is the time of the birth of Moses, Abraham, and other prophets and messengers? What is the use of knowing the time?
Brothers in faith, Maryam, the daughter of Imran, was a righteous and pious woman. She was so devoted to worship to the extent that there was none like her in devotion and worship, โฆ the angel gave her glad tiding of her being chosen by Allah, โฆ (ููุฅูุฐู ููุงููุชู ุงููู ูุงุฆูููุฉู ูุง ู ูุฑูููู ู ุฅูููู ุงูููู ุงุตูุทูุงูู ูุทูููุฑูู ูุงุตูุทูููุงูู ุนูููู ููุณุงุกู ุงููุนุงูู ูููู (42) ูุง ู ูุฑูููู ู ุงููููุชูู ููุฑูุจูููู ููุงุณูุฌูุฏูู ููุงุฑูููุนูู ู ูุนู ุงูุฑููุงููุนูููู) โAnd [mention] when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah has chosen you and purified you and chosen you above the women of the worlds. ( 43 ) O Mary, be devoutly obedient to your Lord and prostrate and bow with those who bow [in prayer].” (Al-Imran: 42-43).
– Then the angels announced to Mary that Allah will grant her a son whom He will create with the word โBeโ and it shall beโ. The name of this child will be the Messiah, โEesaa, the son of Maryam. He shall a point of focus in the world and the hereafter, and a messenger to the Children of Israel. He shall teach the Book, the Wisdom, the Taorah, and the Gospel. He shall also possess those traits and miracles that others do not have.
(ุฅูุฐู ููุงููุชู ุงููู ููุงุฆูููุฉู ููุง ู ูุฑูููู ู ุฅูููู ุงูููู ููุจุดููุฑููู ุจูููููู ูุฉู ู ูููููู ุงุณูู ููู ุงููู ูุณููุญู ุนููุณูู ุงุจููู ู ูุฑูููู ู ููุฌูููุงู ููู ุงูุฏููููููุง ูุงูุขุฎูุฑูุฉ ููู ููู ุงูู ููุฑููุจูููู – ูููููููููู ู ุงููููุงุณู ููู ุงููู ูููุฏู ูููููููุงู ููู ููู ุงูุตููุงูููุญููู – ููุงููุชู ุฑูุจูู ุฃููููู ููููููู ููู ููููุฏู ูููู ููู ูุณูุณูููู ุจูุดูุฑู ููุงูู ููุฐููููู ุงูููู ููุฎููููู ู ูุง ููุดูุงุกู ุฅุฐุง ููุถูู ุฃูู ูุฑุงู ููุฅููููู ูุง ููููููู ูููู ูููู ููููููููู ) [ุขู ุนู ุฑุงู /45-47].
โ[And mention] when the angels said, “O Mary, indeed Allah gives you good tidings of a word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary – distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and among those brought near [to Allah] ( 46 ) He will speak to the people in the cradle and in maturity and will be of the righteous.” ( 47 ) She said, “My Lord, how will I have a child when no man has touched me?” [The angel] said, “Such is Allah; He creates what He wills. When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.โ (Al-Imran: 45- 47)
– Then, Allah informed about the complete tiding of the angel to Maryam about her son โEesaa, peace be upon him, so Allah mentions about the honouring of โEesaa and the support with miracles:
.. ( ููููุนููููู ููู ุงููููุชุงุจู ููุงููุญูููู ูุฉู ููุงูุชููููุฑูุงุฉู ููุงููุฅููุฌูููู (48) ููุฑูุณูููุงู ุฅูููู ุจูููู ุฅูุณูุฑูุงุฆูููู ุฃููููู ููุฏู ุฌูุฆูุชูููู ู ุจูุขูุฉู ู ููู ุฑูุจููููู ู ุฃููููู ุฃูุฎููููู ููููู ู ู ููู ุงูุทููููู ููููููุฆูุฉู ุงูุทููููุฑู ููุฃูููููุฎู ููููู ููููููููู ุทูููุฑุงู ุจูุฅูุฐููู ุงูููู ููุฃูุจูุฑูุฆู ุงููุฃูููู ููู ููุงููุฃูุจูุฑูุตู ููุฃูุญูููู ุงููู ูููุชูู ุจูุฅูุฐููู ุงูููู ููุฃูููุจููุฆูููู ู ุจูู ูุง ุชูุฃูููููููู ููู ูุง ุชูุฏููุฎูุฑูููู ููู ุจููููุชูููู ู ุฅูููู ููู ุฐููููู ููุขููุฉู ููููู ู ุฅููู ููููุชูู ู ู ูุคูู ูููููู (49) ููู ูุตูุฏูููุงู ูููู ูุง ุจููููู ููุฏูููู ู ููู ุงูุชููููุฑูุงุฉู ููููุฃูุญูููู ููููู ู ุจูุนูุถู ุงูููุฐูู ุญูุฑููู ู ุนูููููููู ู ููุฌูุฆูุชูููู ู ุจูุขููุฉู ู ููู ุฑููุจููููู ู ููุงุชูููููุง ุงูููู ููุฃูุทููุนูููู(50) ุฅูููู ุงูููู ุฑูุจููู ููุฑูุจููููู ู ููุงุนูุจูุฏูููู ููุฐูุง ุตูุฑุงุทู ู ููุณูุชููููู ู ) [ุขู ุนู ุฑุงู/48 – 51 ].
โ( 48 ) And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel (49) And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], ‘Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah. And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead – by permission of Allah. And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers. ( 50 ) And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me. ( 51 ) Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.” (Al- Imran: 48- 51)
– And to Allah, the Exalted belongs absolute perfection in the creation. He creates whatever He wills and as how He wills. He created Adam from dust without a father nor a mother. He created Hawaa from Adamโs rib, as a father without a mother. He made the offspring of the sons of Adam to be from a father and a mother. And Jesus was created from a mother without a father. Glory be to the All-Knowing Creator.