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Can Muslims celebrate Christmas ?
Can Muslims celebrate Christmas ?
Q. Is it allowed for muslims to celebrate Christmas?
Ans. Yes, it’s permissible to commemorate Christmas and take part in its celebrations, provided one refrains from any activity in conflict with Islam.
Details: Technically speaking, as in many jurisprudential matters, taking part in Christmas celebrations, is an on-going debate among Islamic scholars. When there is a difference of opinion, one should follow whatever he deems correct. I’ll present both the views, you should follow whatever YOU feel is correct.
One school of thought argues it’s impermissible to celebrate Christmas as by observing the event, you are actually approving the Christian belief of Trinity, which is shirk. This group, interprets the hadith ‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them.’ (Sunan Abu Daud) in favour of their view.
They believe imitating kuffar in their religious celebrations is equivalent to kufr and by wishing “Merry Christmas” you’re supporting the claim of Jesus’ divinity.
They further maintain that Jesus, in reality, was not born on the 25th December and so there’s no point in celebrating the day. Some of this view’s followers even go at lengths to label those Muslims who celebrate this event, as mushrik (Polytheists).
The second school of thought is moderate in its approach. Adherents of this group are increasing. The belief in Jesus being an important messenger and messiah is required in Islam. Allah has given Jesus the title of Ruhullah (Spirit of God) in the Qur’an.
Jesus’ miraculous birth is one of the great events in the history of mankind and is the most-detailed birth discussed in the Qur’an. The Quran even quotes Jesus about his birthday “Blessed was I (Jesus) on my birth day, and blessed I shall be on the day of my death” (Qur’an 19:33).
Christmas is the celebration of his birthday and celebration of birthdays of Prophet’s as well as common people is permissible in Islam. Commemorating Mawlid (birthday) is also a sunnah because the Prophet Muhamamd (pbuh) used to honour his own birthday.
The Prophet (s) was asked about his fasting on Mondays, and he answered: “That is the day that I was born” (Sahih Muslim)
Once in Medina, the Prophet (s) sacrificed two animals in celebration and invited the Ansar over for dinner. Imam Suyuti commenting on this hadith writes this dinner was a celebration of his Mawlid (Birthday) (Sunan Baihaqi, Al-hawi lil-fatawa)
It should be noted however, that i’m commenting on the permissibility of only this aspect of Christianity, Christmas has got nothing to do with Trinity, Crucifixion or the belief of Jesus being the God Incarnate/son. Just as the birthday of the last Prophet (s) is permissible so is the birthday of other Prophet’s.
The places where Prophets are born are amongst the Shaa’ir (venerated holy sites), particularly the birthplace of Jesus Christ, as it was one of the three places where the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) prayed on the night of ascension to heavens (Mi’raj).
“The Prophet (saw) while mentioning his journey of Miraaj said: Jibril asked me to get off from the Bur’aq when we passed Bethlehem and requested me to pray, after which Gabriel asked: Ya rasulullah! Do you know where you have prayed ? You just prayed at Bethlehem where Jesus Christ was born.” [Sunnan an Nasai’I, Volume 1, Page No. 450, Hadith No. 450]
The argument of 25th December not being the birth date of Jesus seems irrelevant to me, because historically there has been dispute amongst scholars on the 12th of Rabi ul Awwal being Prophet Muhammad’s birth date. Shi’i muslims still celebrate Mawlid-un-Nabi on the 17th of Rabi ul Awwal, some even consider 8th to be the exact date, and celebrate it thereby. Most muslims symbolically commemorate on the 12th, as the majority of histrians agree with this date.
So we don’t comemmorate the 12th because it is the 12th or we don’t celebrate the birth ‘date’ of the Seal of Prophets (saw) only, rather we celebrate the FACT that HE WAS BORN in accordance to the Quranic injunction “(All this) is due to the bounty and mercy of Allah (bestowed upon you) through raising Muhammad (s) as the exalted Messenger. So the Muslims should rejoice over it. This is far better than (all that wealth) they accumulate.” (Yunus 10:58) .
That’s why many scholars, over the centuries, implied that the celebration of the Prophet’s Mawlid must not only be restricted to the 12th of Rabi` al-Awwal, but can and should be on every day of every month in every mosque, in order for people to feel the light of Islam and the light of Shari`a in their hearts.
This date has a symbolic significance in Islam, as 25th has in Christianity.
As far as the hadith ‘Whoever imitates a nation, is one of them’ is concerned, we believe, this only refers to the imitation of those acts which promote a particular religion’s beliefs (contradictory to islam).
For e.g. Easter or Diwali is included in this as they’ve a particular element of shirk in them. Candles are lighted in honour of the goddess Lakshmi, so joining Diwali celebrations a form of glorifying their shirk. Easter is celebrated as the day Jesus the son rose from the dead and this resurrection eventually resulted in him being united with God the father. Festivals of this kind are undoubtedly impermissible from an islamic perspective.
But Christmas, in fact, is the most vigorous refutation of Jesus’s Divinity or him being God as the Supreme Creator cannot be created. “He does not give birth nor was he born” (Quran 112)
God cannot be born which means that either Jesus is not God or Jesus wasn’t born. Christmas is the celebration of his birth which means Jesus was born, so the first statement stands true. 
Christmas actually promotes tawhid (Oneness of God) and is the biggest irony of the Christian faith. Christmas is NOT shirk.
The following hadith clarifies this
Prophet Muhammad (saw) entered Medina in the first year of Hijra and noticed the Jews fasting on the 10th of Muharram. He asked one of his companions: “Why are the Jews fasting?”. His companion replied: “The Jews are celebrating remembering when Prophet Moses (pbuh) and the children of Israel were saved from the Pharaoh”.
The Prophet (s) said: “We have a greater right on Moses than they do. Therefore, my people will fast on Ashura in the same way they are fasting on Ashura”. (Sahih Bukhari)
In the hadith above, we can see, the Prophet (saw) imitated the jews, on the basis of a common element between the two faiths, in a way thats acceptable to Islam.
So anything, whose basic theme is not contradictory to the islamic Faith, and its related to any Prophet, we are allowed to commemorate it.
Based on this, I conclude with Shaykh ul-Islam’s words : ‘As the Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, if the Jews are celebrating then we have a much higher right to celebrate it . Similarly I say: We have much higher right in celebrating the birthday of Jesus Christ than anybody else in this world.’ 
p.s. watch this video for a proper fatwa
Establishment of Muslim Christian Dialogue Forum (MCDF)
A meeting of the Forum was held under the chairmanship of Chairman PAT Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri at Central Secretariat PAT. The meeting continued for four hours. It was extensively attended by the Christian counterparts including Bishop Samuel Izraia, Bishop Andrew Francis special advisor to Pope Jan Pal II for Asia, Father James Chanan OP, accompanied by 125 Bishops, leaders, fathers and priests. This was heartening to see that the delegation comprised both the Catholic as well as Protestant members.
The matters that came under discussion included the minority rights under the constitution of Pakistan and Islam. The meeting decided to work for interfaith harmony, tolerance and elimination of extremist trends from the society. It was specially observed that both the communities will jointly work to eliminate hatred culture and terrorist tendencies from the society.
The meeting also discussed appropriate measures to spread the message of the Forum in four provinces of Pakistan, the Federal Capital Islamabad and in the foreign world. Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri emphasized that they intended to create interfaith harmony on the bases of humanitarian and patriotic values so that people from all sections of the society work jointly and coherently for the development and progress of the country.
It was decided that the central executive of MCDF would comprise 30 members 15 Muslim and 15 Christian. A working group was also formulated within the central executive to design programmes, formulate the Executive’s agenda and implementation of decisions.
A women interfaith group was also formulated to achieve the objectives of the forum among the womanfolk as well.
Later Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri told the newsmen that the first ever Muslim Christian Walk will be conducted on the Mall Lahore lead by politico religious leaders in addition to social workers belonging to both the communities. Ladies and children will also join the walk.
Moreover the X-miss celebrations well also be held jointly before which a roundtable conference will be organized to address the mutual issues.
http://www.minhaj.org/english/tid/3095/Establishment-of-Muslim-Christian-Dialogue-Forum-MCDF.html
Shaykh-ul-Islam speaks at Georgetown University in Washington DC
Following the successful anti-terrorism fatwa in March 2010, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri was invited by renowned scholar Professor John Esposito to speak at Georgetown University at the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding.
Prof John Esposito introduced Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri and invited him to speak to an audience which included US-government officials, cadets from US Army, Navy and Air Force as well as academicians, policy makers and representatives of various organisations and agencies. Former Director of Operations of World Bank, Mr Ziad Alahdad was also present.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri focused his speech on the clarification of the concept of Jihad in Islam, concept of Khawarij and clarification on Dar al-Islam/ Dar al-Harb.
He said that Jihad guarantees the establishment of global peace and social welfare-oriented nations. He declared that Jihadi groups have misinterpreted the concept of jihad. Shaykh-ul-Islam clarified that “the literal meaning of jihad is exertion, struggling, striving, and putting extreme efforts according to extreme abilities, to counter evil, to achieve good for sake of Allah.”
He added that “The defensive struggle against your enemy, defensive struggle against your lower-self, hatred, arrogance, corruption is one dimension of jihad. And this is for the Safety for mankind not for killing of mankind.”
Furthermore Shaykh-ul-Islam spoke about the ideology of terrorists which is the continuity of Khawarij (Kharajites) and they are not Muslims. It was the first group that attacked the fourth Caliph Hazrat Ali (RA), and founded the tradition of killing and violence under the excuse of establishing the Qur’anic rule. He elaborated various signs provided in various Hadith reports about the outlook of Khawarij.
The radicals have misguided the younger generation by declaring the Western and some Muslim nations as dar al-harb. Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri rejected that view and introduced an alternative.
The category is the Muslim-majority countries with Muslim rulers and these are considered part of dar al-Islam (Abode of Peace), which is based on providing peace and security and freedom of religion to the people. He emphasized that majority of countries are dar al-Ahd (Abode of permanent peace treaty) which includes all the countries which are part of the UNO which introduced the international treaty of peace.
The category of dar al-harb (Abode of war) only applies to states with no peace treaties and which are currently in direct war with Muslim-majority states and/or where Muslims are unsafe in that country. However, in Islam even in warfare there are strict rules of conduct to follow. The Muslim army during warfare cannot even target or harm non-combatants, children, old men or women. In the light of manifest Islamic injunctions, terrorism has absolutely no place what so ever.
Shaykh-ul-Islam’s speech left no doubt on any point he made. He entertained various questions in the Q&A session which clarified many concepts. In the end Prof John Esposito thanked Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri for speaking in Washington and was very pleased with the lecture.
Tahir-ul-Qadri speaks at NSW Parliament House in Sydney, Australia
Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri arrived in Sydney, Australia on 9th July 2011 at Sydney International Airport where he was received and welcomed by Sahibzada Hussain Mohi-ud-din Qadri, President Federal Council of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, executive members of Minhaj-ul-Quran Australia and other members and dignitaries of various religious and community groups.
Shaykh-ul-Islam delivering lecture at NSW Parliament on Monday 11th July 2011
Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri visited New South Wales (NSW) Parliament House on Monday 11th July 2011 and delivered a special lecture and had a discussion with several members of the parliament on the issues of terrorism and integration. He was invited by the member of the NSW Legislative Council, the Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC. The audience at the lecture comprised members of the NSW Legislative Council, ministers, politicians, policy makers, senior scholars and religious leaders, etc. Shaykh-ul-Islam, who is on an important visit of peace mission to Australia, was accompanied by Sahibzada Hussain Mohi-ud-Din Qadri.
Shaykh-ul-Islam answering the questions asked by the audience
Speaking on the subject of Islamic concept of Jihad, drastically misunderstood in the Western societies, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri unflinchingly declared that the Islamic concept of Jihad offers guarantee for the establishment of global peace and a welfare-oriented commonwealth of nations. It is unfortunate, he denounced, that the so-called Jihadi groups misinterpret this concept and use it for their nefarious agenda. He said that these groups misinterpret the verses that particularly deal with the concept of Jihad in the Holy Quran in order to suit their evil objectives. Consequently, the concept of Jihad gets confined to killing–a total distortion of what the Quran says what Jihad really is.
Shaykh-ul-Islam categorically and unequivocally stated that the message of Islam is peace, love, tranquillity and unity. He said that if one concentrates on the meanings of the word ‘Islam’, it appears that this word takes its origin from saluma (safety) or silm (peace). Etymologically and literally the word ‘Islam’ means ‘peace, tranquillity and harmony’. He also described the word ‘Imaan‘ that means ‘faith’. Every religion is based on faith. Faith is known as Imaan in Islamic terminology. He told that Imaan has its own root-word and that is amn. Amn again means ‘peace, tranquillity and harmony’.
Referring to the holy life of the Prophet of Islam (S.A.W), Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri said that the founder of Islam fought against different forces for thirteen years, only defending himself and his people against the wars imposed upon them. He did not attack the enemy forces on his own even in a single battle. He always fought back the aggression initiated against them by the enemy.
In the same context, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri emphasized that no individual or a group is allowed to declare Jihad on his own. He said that the Muslims fought more than 60 battles during the period of Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) and there was not even a single battle out of 60 wherein they pre-empted the enemy attack. They were always forced to react in defence when wars were imposed upon them, leaving them with no option but to strike back. He said that the words such as “Jihad for the sake of Allah” are also misinterpreted.
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| Shaykh-ul-Islam presenting a copy of his book on Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings to Rev Dr. Patrick J Melnerney from Columban Mission Institute, Australia | Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane MLC presenting a Certificate of Appreciation to Shaykh-ul-Islam |
At the end of the speech by Shaykh-ul-Islam, the audience asked various questions which he answered befittingly and in detail. Answering to a question about the role of Muslims living in a Western society, he said that Islam does not ask Muslims to impose their culture, values or religious practices on others. He emphasised that, according to Islamic and Quranic teachings, Muslims living in Western societies like Australia must obey the laws of the land, and be loyal to the state in return to the freedom provided by the state to practice their own Islamic and cultural practices.
Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane, MLC, thanked Shaykh-ul-Islam for accepting his invitation and delivering the lecture at the NSW Parliament and presented to him a certificate of appreciation. Shaykh-ul-Islam also presented a copy of his recently launched popular 600-page decree ‘Fatwa on Terrorism & Suicide Bombings’ to several members of the parliament and the Legislative Council.
Shaykh-ul-Islam is on a month-long visit of Australia where he will deliver several public lectures including one in Sydney on 16th July, Melbourne on 23rd July, and Brisbane on 30th July, on the topics of peace, integration, harmony, interfaith relations, and counter-terrorism. More information about his visit and schedule of his lectures can be found at www.minhaj.org.au.
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| Shaykh-ul-Islam with NSW Deputy Opposition Leader Hon. Lynda Voltz, Member of the Legislative Council |
Shaykh-ul-Islam at NSW Parliament with |
Fatwa on Terrorism presented to Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City
Sohail Ahmad Raza, Director of Interfaith Relations of Minhaj-ul-Quran International, met the Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City and presented him the Fatwa on Terrorism and Suicide Bombings by Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri. Pope Benedict appreciated the services of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri for the promotion of peace, harmony and interfaith dialogue.
Sohail Ahmad Raza briefed the Pope about contributions of Minhaj-ul-Quran International and Shaykh-ul-Islam in multiple fields such as peace, human welfare, education and interfaith dialogue at global level. He said that there was a need to emphasise commonalities and shared values espoused by both Islam and Christianity. He further stated that it was incumbent upon followers of both religions to build bridges and eliminate hatred and suspicion. He said that MQI would continue to work for interfaith dialogue and peace in the world.
Christian leaders term Shaykh-ul-Islam as a bridge between Islam & Christianity, eulogize his services for peace
A ceremony marking the 60th birthday of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri and interfaith prayer was held on March 19, 2011 in the oldest city of Christianity i.e. Vatican City under the banner of Directorate of Interfaith Relations, Minhaj-ul-Quran International. Interfaith representatives belonging to 18 countries participated in the ceremony. Sohail Ahmad Raza, Director of Interfaith Relations, was the host of the event who is currently on tour of Italy in connection with interfaith harmony. The ceremony was organized in a beautiful hall of Vatican City.
Mr. Fr. Baawobr Richard, who is General Supper of Mission Africa, was the guest of honour in the program. A large number of Muslims in addition to Christian representatives from Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, Canada, Denmark, Ghana, Germany, UK, Poland, Somalia, Iran, Belgium and Sweden attended the ceremony. The distinguished participants included Fr. Vezzoli Michele (Italy), Fr. Aurelio (Spain), Fr. Poirier Jacques (Canada), Mr Sohail Ahmad Raza (Pakistan), Fr. Richard Francois (France), Fr. Baawobr Richard, Superior General (Ghana), Fr. Otmar Strzoda (Germany), Fr. Jean Chaptal (Switzerland), Br Patrick O. Leary (Great Britain), Fr. Gonzalo (Portugal), Fr. Pello Robert (Poland), Fr. Juan Jose (Spain), Fr. Carbonneau Michel (Canada), Fr. Peter (England), Fr. Sawadogo Emile (Burkina Faso Diocesan), Fr. Kapya Arsene (Congo), Fr. Ambusa Prosper (RD Congo), Fr. Robert Augustus Oduro (Ghana), Mr. Meftah Ahmad Reza (Iran), Fr. Giuseppe (Poland), Fr. Fons (Belgium), Fr. Mathew Biju Koothottil (India), Fr. Pulavelil Joseph (Sri Lanka), Fr. Martin Gonzalo (Spain), Fr. Tebri Robert (Kenya), Fr. Marc Nsanzurwimo (Burundi), Fr. Aayire Nicholas (Ghana), and Fr. Groiselle Michel (France).
The proceedings of the ceremony began with the recitation from Bible followed by recitation of the Holy Quran along with English translation. A silence of one minute was observed for those killed in Tsunami which hit Japan at the outset of the program. Welcoming the guests, Sohail Ahmad Raza gave a detailed introduction of Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, chairman of Muslim-Christian Dialogue Forum and threw light on his services for promotion of peace, interfaith dialogue and harmony in the world. He specifically referred to historic Fatwa authored by Shaykh-ul-Islam. Afterwards, the participants cut the cake of Shaykh-ul-Islam’s 60th birthday. They paid tribute to him for his services by holding peace candles in their hands.
Different leaders expressed their views on the occasion and stressed the need of promoting interfaith harmony to offset the challenges facing humanity in a proactive manner. They also appreciated the services of Minhaj-ul-Quran International under the leadership of Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri with special reference to his Fatwa against terrorism. They said that Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri is leading from the front in the efforts for restoration of peace and promotion of harmony and peaceful coexistence in the world. They added that his efforts would help bridge the gulf amongst all religions especially between Islam and Christianity and allay the misconceptions. The dinner was served at the conclusion of ceremony.
Sorce :- http://www.minhaj.org/english/tid/13754
Kitab at-Tawheed :Salient Features
Kitab at-Tawhid (a detailed treatise on the concept of the unity of Allah)
Belief in Monotheism and Messengership are part of those basic beliefs of Islam upon which is erected the entire edifice of this great religion. Both of these two are in fact sides of the same coin. Disorder emerged when difference was created between Monotheism and Messengership and this difference resulted into downgrading of the status of the Messengership. The idea of polytheism and innovation was so much blown out of proportions that every second person was branded as polytheist. When the energies of champions of Islam were focused on these negative aspects, it caused two losses. One is that the scope of promotion of Islamic teachings got limited and secondly the Muslims became enemies of one another with their daggers drawn as result of discrepancy and hatred.
The second point which needs to be understood is that Monotheism is not merely a semantic and theoretic subject, rather it represents a particular mindset and a state in addition to being a belief, which springs from inside of man. This is that spiritual taste, which makes the person indifferent to fears and greed of all the worlds and teaches him the principles and rules of subservience to God. Due to their strong faith in Monotheism, the saints or Friends of Allah are settled on the high pedestal of nearness to Him. No power of the world can attract them or allure them away from God. In the age of decline when Monotheism became a semantic subject, it created hardness, arrogance and conceit in the dispositions of its followers whose reflections could be seen in the world. These trends and attitudes are portraying negative impression of Islam in the entire world instead of our religion’s message of peace, harmony, brotherhood, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. Noise about innovation and polytheism and reactions to it have become the symbol of internal divisiveness and lack of unity within the Muslim world. It is a different matter that the forces of falsehood and enemies of Islam have arrayed against it by rising above all divisions of caste, creed, religion, race and geography.
In these compelling circumstances it was necessary that light would have been thrown on such topics of beliefs in a purely scholarly manner with moderate pattern of thinking to cope up with the challenge so that people could have come to understand the situation the situation more clearly. To respond these critical challenges, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri raised his scholarly and argumentative voice, a voice that put a stop to the marching forces of dissention and mischief. He played crucial role in not only containing the ‘storm’ of innovation and polytheism but also in eliminating the worst ever mischief of cancellation of Prophethood. If seen in this background, this book turns out to be such a great reconstructive contribution of Shaykh-ul-Islam which would continue to influence positively for centuries to come.
Kitab-ud-Touheed is a collection of speeches of Shaykh-ul-Islam which he delivered to the student of Minhaj University on the subject of lectures on the Holy Quran. Firstly these were included in “Aqeeda Touheed and Haqeeqat-e-Shirq”, which was published in 1999 for the first time with new revised edition getting published each year. Later on, lectures in English language delivered to the students of ICIS, a department of Minhaj University, were the cause behind the expansion of the subject. So when these lectures were reordered, it resulted in increasing the size of the book. It was then decided to publish it in two volumes.
The chief quality of the book is that facts have been explained with arguments and the effort has been made to help reader understand the subject. Simplicity and effective communication have been kept in view in the wake of novelty and lucidity of style and presentation, divisions of subjects and standard of arguments. The followers of Islam have been urged to inculcate such values as discretion, tolerance, balance instead of extremism etc. By grace of Allah Almighty, the study of this book would result in lessening the tensions and opposition in the realm of belief in both the Arab and non-Arab world and would help in understanding the true and actual concept of Monotheism. Important advancement would be made in bridging and eliminating the gaps between two groups in the sub-continent.
Click here to Read & Download http://www.minhajbooks.com/english/bookid/49
Ending Sectarianism & Differentiating between Sect & Sectarianismm
Translation by Mohammad Tarique Mumtaz ,India
Audience Question:
What is the validity of Maslak (Schools of thought) before Islamic Law? Isn’t the existence of different Masalak proving to be a cause of confusion and disintegration in Islam? What do you think about those people who prefer Maslak to Mazhab?
Shaykh ul Islam:
Masha Allah! Good question! So far as the validity of Maslak is concerned, it has its validity in the basic teaching of Islam. It is competent and in agreement with Islamic Law and not at all against the Islamic temperament. Islamic Shari’ah (Law) has the capacity to accommodate the existence of different schools of thought. The proof of their existence traces back to the Quran and Sunnah. In other words the Quran and Sunnah have the justification for the existence of different schools of thought. For example in Surah al-Fateha Allah says:
| Translation: Show us the straight path, The path of those upon whom You have bestowed Your favours, Not of those who have been afflicted with wrath and nor of those who have gone astray. (The Quran, 1:6-7) |
Here a person is asked to invoke Allah to show him the straight path, but which straight path? The answer is the straight path of those people upon whom Allah has bestowed His favors. Here one thing is established that Allah has commanded us to look for and determine the straight path. Now it is quite obvious that the straight path is the path of the Quran and Sunah or of Allah and His prophet, peace and blessing be upon him. After one asks, “O Allah show me the straight path”, the specification of the straight path could have been made by mentioning that straight path is the path of the Quran and Sunnah or the path of Allah and His prophet, peace and blessing be upon him, or the obedience to His prophet, peace and blessing be upon him. By using such words the meaning of the straight path could have been specified in the Quran. The Quran defines and specifies the Straight path but not under the title of ‘obedience to Allah and his Messenger or the Quran and Hadith’, but under the title of the ‘rewarded persons’. That means the path of those persons whom Allah has bestowed His favor upon and neither of those who have been afflicted with wrath nor of those who have gone astray. So there are two aspects—– positive and negative. At one hand the path of those who have been afflicted with wrath of Allah is nullified and negated. Now the principle deducted from the teaching of these two verses is every Muslim must seek the straight path; and what is that straight path? Allah has specified it with the path of some persons; they are the persons upon whom Allah has bestowed His favors. This is the path Allah has set down. Now their path is not hewed out by themselves nor can it be so. Their path cannot be other than the path of Allah and His Messenger. But the holy Quran has personified it. The Quran has provided not only a conceptual definition of the straight path, it has rather personified it with human figure, figures of those upon whom Allah has bestowed His favors. So the second point that has got established is, we need to look for the paths of the favored persons of Allah and follow them; because the Quran has declared following them is the straight path. And the third point that has also got established is we need to determine as to who are those persons who became a victim of extremism and is misled. We must avoid their path as well; otherwise we might start following them. So we should look for the favored persons of Allah and follow them as well as determine the persons who went strayed and avoid their path.
It is in fact acting upon these commands of Allah that led to the foundation of Maslak. Who were the founders of Maslak? They were none other than the very persons Allah have bestowed His favors upon; like Imam Abu Hanifah. He followed his predecessors, the companions of the holy Prophet and their successors, the Tabe’in. They were the favored persons of Allah. They were the personalities whom Imam Abu Hanifa paid visits for receiving guidance. Likewise are Imam Shafa’i, a pioneering figure in jurisprudential schools of thought, and Shaykh Abdul Qadir Jilani and Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti Ajmeri, the pioneering figure in the spiritual schools of thought. They too didn’t invent something on their own. Rather every one of them compiled the teaching of the Quran and Hadith. Allah then bestowed His favors upon them and commanded the common Muslims to look for those favored servants of Allah and follow in their footsteps. So this became the basis for validity of all Maslak irrespectively; except those Maslak that are led misled like the maslak of the Khawarij, Mo’ta’zilah (the dissenters) and Marjia. These are the masalak (sects) contrary to that of Ahlus-Sunnah and Sava’d-al Azam the (majority sect). These are some of the Masalak that raised in the history of Islam and are misled and gone astray. The holy Prophet peace and blessing of Allah be upon him, is reported to have said, “It is obligatory on you to hold on to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of my rightly guided companions” So the act of collecting, compiling, and arranging those Sunnah by some personalities were given a technical name Maslak and there is nothing new in it. Allah states:
| And before you also We sent only men as Messengers towards whom We sent Our Revelations. So if you yourselves do not know (anything), then ask the People of Remembrance. (The Quran, 16:43)
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Thus paying visits to scholars and asking from them became a command of the Quran; and gaining knowledge from anybody presupposes an act of following it. If one would neither accept nor act upon what will be taught or informed to him, then the
whole act of asking and obtaining knowledge would become absurd and meaningless. The Quran also states:
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Here “uli l-amr” means those persons of authority whom Allah aza wa jall has conferred higher rank in religion, and who are these persons? These are those Arabic speaking personalities who delve deep into the bottom of any issue and bring out the truth from there. Then surely they must have known the truth. So at many places the holy Quran asks the common Muslims, who are not well versed with the knowledge of the Quran and could not even translate a single verse, to follow the scholars. For example, today we are here together and you are asking questions from me. Is it right or wrong? You people have good opinion about me and may Allah keep this favorable expectations unwavering. You have a good opinion about me that I would tell you the accurate thing and whatever you don’t know, I would inform you of it in the light of the Quran and Hadith. This is an action that is being repeated with scholars who proceeds in the ladder of time and age. Today you are asking question from me. Some of you would get satisfied with my interpretation and explaination and some may not. It is quite a natural process. Likewise there had been some major personalities from whom humble people like me have gained knowledge through their books. They too repeated the same act. They too read the Quran and Hadith and acted upon it; studied the creed and law of faith and became an eminent figure in the field of knowledge; they too compiled the scattered and different teachings of the Quran and Hadith. They devoted their life in compilation of these teachings and getting them compiled by their students. When all teachings were compiled together, they put forward the basic and the subsidiary tenets. They explained as to how an issue is to be studied and how its nature is to be determined. So when the academic and scholarly works were assembled, it came to be known as Maslak.
Now the question is why to follow a particular Maslak. Quite logically it is not necessary the whole Ummah would get satisfied with the research or the compiled structure of knowledge of a scholar or a group of scholars. So some scholar differed with another and their research was accordingly different, though the basic sources were only the Quran and Hadith. Thus when different sets of research and knowledge came out in arranged and compiled form, some of the people of Ummah preferred one set of research and differed with another while the others preferred another sets of research. But all the sets of research centered round the Quran and Hadith. They are like canals emerging out of a river—-the river of the Quran, Hadith and Shari’ah. So the person who saturated themselves from one canal came to be known as the followers of a particular Maslak and those who saturated themselves with another canal came to be known as the followers of another Maslak and so on. All these canals, however, are emerging out of the same river of the Quran and Hadith. Thus according to Sha’ri’ah the existence of maslak is justified and it is permissible; and it is obligatory for the common Muslims having no access t the comprehensive and vast knowledge of the Quran and Hadith. It is obligatory for them to go to somebody and ask from him.
If a person asks different issues from different scholars and each scholar explain the issue with their distinguished principle, his life then, will become a bundle of conflicts and contradictions. He will incorporate conflicting ideas; and the discipline of the religion will not be manifested in his life. Since he need to consult a scholar for performing his particular action, because of lacking in comprehensive understanding of the Quran and Hadith, he had better ask one scholar instead of various scholars—the scholars who codified the religion of Islam. By consulting a scholar, he becomes a follower of that codified Maslak. For the common Muslims there is great peace and safety in it. In this way he saves himself from extremism, confusion, indiscipline and a life with conflicting idea.
Next, the significance of Maslak to me is absolutely scholarly and to me it is a secure way to safeguard the faith of the common Muslims in Islam and Imaan; so that they may not get confused. It is again not appreciable to create a hostile environment and make Maslak a basis of conflict and dispute. The purpose of a Maslak was to fashion a uniform system of knowledge for the Ummah and it had aspects of welfare for the Ummah. For example, a man comes here. He observes people offering Salah here in a uniform order; whereas at another place he finds fifty people in a row offering the same but every one of them are offering it in a different fashion. If a non-Muslim observes both the congregation of Salah and he is asked to give his impression on both the congregation, he would appreciate the congregation in which everybody is offering Salah in a uniform order. He would say that these are more organized people. They have adopted more uniform pattern of behavior; this congregation has a beauty and elegance. This is the elegance that needs to be developed in the Ummah in different strata of society from country to country. But this does not imply that it should be made a basis for dispute and enmity and create infightings and riots over it declare one another Kafir and Mushrik and expel one another from the ambit of Islam; and in this process disintegrate the whole Ummah. The Masajid being divided, fatawas being issued on loudspeakers, and the youth becoming disgusted with the whole experience of this mutual hatred–all these things to me is a service neither to Islam nor to any Maslak, nor to Ummah. It is fasad fil ardh (creating disturbance and riots on earth). It is a mischief. Removing these things away from Maslak, and staying away from them at one hand and at another striving towards the unity of the Ummah is indeed a noble deed. The Ummah is ought to be saved from these things.
So far I related to you only the one facet of sectarianism. It has another face too. Some people demonstrate their sectarianism openly and overtly, while some are sectarians on the sly. Go through my book on the top “Firqah Parasti ka Khatma kyun kar Mumkin hai” (Possibilities of Eradication of Sectarianism). Fortunately or unfortunately, whatever you may call it; it is the very book for which most of Fatawa were slapped on me. After the publication of this book a group of Ulama waged almost a war against me. These are the Ulama who prefer and love to perpetuate infightings in the Ummah. To me they are in fact not Ulama at all. Putting on the veneer respectability of Ulama, they distract the Ummah into dissension and mischief. I must recommend to you go through the book.
However, the existence of maslak (schools of thought) is established as a necessity of the religion. It is a way to safeguard the belief of the common Muslims and to adopt the discipline of the religion.
Now addressing the nest part of your question, I must say that whatever is being done in the name of Maslak, Maslak, in fact, never came into existence for that purpose. In Baghdad there was a place Azimiyah. There is the mosque and shrine of Imam-e-Azam Abu Hanifa radi Allah Tala. Whenever Imam Shafa’i went to Baghdad, he used to pay a visitation to the shrine and offered prayer there. According to the jurisprudential research of Imam Shafa’i, there is Raf-e-yadain during Salah. But according to the jurisprudential research of Imam Abu Hanifa there is no Raf-e-yadain during Salah. There Imam Shafa’i offered Salah without Raf-e-yadain and according to another narration Imam Shafa’i did not say “Amin” loudly. The students of Imam Shafa’i asked him why he acted against his own jurisprudential research while offering Salah, particularly when he himself is a founder of the school of thought. At this Imam Shafa’i replied that he was satisfied with and confident of his research. But he felt ashamed of acting on his research before such a great Imam of the Ummah. That means there has been different maslak, there has been different researches; but at the same time there has also been an atmosphere of mutual respect and decorum, tolerance and amity. So we should abstain from creating mischief. I want to tell you that there are two types sectarianism. One is explicit and overt sectarianism and the other is disguised and veiled sectarianism. The explicit sectarianism talks quite openly about differences of Malsk, of clashes. These less intelligent people attack directly in a way that the audience would immediately get it that the speaker is a sectarian one. But those who are more cultured, more civilized, more educated and more advanced, they apparently denounce sectarianism. They pass contemptuous remarks against sectarianism. They talk about the unity of the Ummah, they talk about Islam. So the educated Muslims like you and I appreciate them, and say that they are good Ulama (scholars), they are talking about the unity of the Ummah, they are not talking about the sects and Maslaks, they are rather talking about Islam. So we listen to them with rapt attention and when we listen to them, what they say? They say, “Whatever I told you are Din. Except this, those and those things are shirk, those and those things are Bid’ah, those and those things are Kuf’r, those and those things dismiss you from being a Muslim. When you listen to his or my or anybody’s teachings for years, you will be taught that whatever I said is Din, it is Tauhed, it is Imaan, it is virtuous acts, it is Sunnah, and the rest is shirk, Kuf’r and Bid’ah that would lead to hell-fire. Listening to these kinds of teachings for years make an impact on your mind.
To me Firqaparasti (sectarianism) has nothing to do with any Maslak. Keep in mind Maslak (school of thought) and Maslakparasti (sectarianism) are two different things. Existence of Maslak is appreciable and good for the Ummah. But Maslakparasti in the form of sectarianism that creates confusion and dissension in the Ummah and that becomes a reason for mischief and turmoil, is contemptible. Considering only oneself Muslim and on the straight path and treating others as Kafir, Mushrik, and Bid’ati is a mental disposition. When anybody develops this kind of outlook and thinks that all the Muslims around him are committing Shirk and Bid’at and thus they would go to Hell-fire, what is left, according to him, is that only a handful of people are Muslims and an overwhelming majority of the Ummah would deserve the torments of the Hell-fire on account of committing Shirk and Bid’ah! When such mental aptitude develops, it is called Firqaparasti (sectarianism); and this mentality is, in fact, more dangerous that considers others Mushrik and declares a Muslim Kafir, and instead of guiding them towards Jannah, push them into the Hell-fire. So the educated Muslim must be vigilant whether Firqaparasti is being indirectly injected. These are the two forms of sectarianism and both are proving fatal for the Ummah.
As regards last part of your query that is about preferring Maslak to Din (religion), it is a great injustice. Maslak is there to serve Din. Din is not there to serve Maslak. Din is superior. The Messenger of Allah has brought Din. The Quran says,
Translation: “Today I have perfected your Din (Religion) for you.” (The Quran, 5:3)
Here Allah does not say, “Today I have perfected your Maslak (School of thoought) for you.” He said, “I perfected your religion….and have chosen for you Islam (as) Din (a complete code of life). (The Quran, 5:3)
Therefore Din is the served one, and all the Masalak, Fiqihi Madhab(jurisprudential schools) and Roohani Salasil(spiritual methods) are the servants of Din—all of them came into existence to serve Din, and in that way the Ummah could go on the straight path with peace of mind and devotion. Therefore in all the circumstances, they will be subordinate to Din: Allah says:
He (Allah) has named you Muslims (The Quran, 22:78)
Allah has given us the name of Muslim; and all other names are subordinate to the name of Muslim. All the spiritual and jurisprudential schools of thought are subordinate to Din-e-Islam. Giving an upper hand to Maslak over Din is like preferring one’s own created thing to the creation of Allah.
Video Clip taken from CD.No.894 Aham Deeni v Muasarati Masael par Sawal Jawab 1993 -12 -17 Lahore
Dr.Tahir-ul-Qadri’s Histroic Fatwa on Terroism gets cetrtification by Al-Azhar University
Certification from Al-Azhar, Egypt
The special committee of Islamic Research Council, Al-Azhar commenced its [the Fatwa’s] examination and scholarly review and found that the author’s book discusses terrorists who reside in Muslim states—that is, terrorists who frighten civilians, murder non-combatant women, children and elderly people, kill non-Muslim citizens, revolt against Muslim rulers and target homes, mosques and shrines. The author argues that those who perpetrate these actions are like the Kharijites who appeared during the time of the Messenger. The author quotes the opinions of Islamic scholars who considered it a religious duty to fight and kill the Kharijites if they refused to renounce their doctrine after receiving warnings and advice.
The author identifies the terrorists in Pakistan as rebels and purveyors of corruption, and contends that their traits and actions correspond to the Kharijites. The author maintains that these traits put the terrorists at odds with the main body of Muslims; and he considers it obligatory to warn them and advise them and, if unheeded, to fight against them until their threat subsides. This examination committee maintains that the author’s conclusions are in agreement with the principles and directives of Islam, especially considering the fact that he furnishes his judgments against them with proofs from the Book [Qur'an] and Sunna detailing their traits and actions.
The General Secretary of the Islamic Research Council of Al-Azhar hereby issues this certification, asking God—the Exalted and Sublime—to reward the virtuous scholar, Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, with the best reward, and to place this book and the author’s other valuable works in his scale of good deeds, and to bestow upon him the spiritual openings of the Gnostics so the Islamic library may be enriched by many more beneficial books.
Read more at official site http://www.fatwaonterrorism.com/
Official Reply: Celebration of Christmas by Minhaj-ul-Quran for promoting interfaith Dialogue
Abu al-Awwab Hashmi
Some people having vested interests dub ceremonies organized to celebrate Christmas under the banner of Directorate of Interfaith Relations of MQI and Muslim-Christian Dialogue Forum (MCDF) as opposed to the Holy Quran and Hadith and violation of the Islamic teachings. They criticize Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri for his patronage of such functions. Responding to such objections and malicious propaganda campaign has not been the practice of MQI. However, some associates and workers of MQI are of the view that since such mentally perverted people misguide others by posting material on internet, therefore, the issue needs to be presented in correct perspective. This explains why this write-up has been written.
It is important to keep in mind at the outset and there are no two opinions on it that Christmas is purely a Christian religious festival and it is not desirable that the Muslims celebrate it. The Christmas ceremonies held under the aegis of MQI and its centres abroad are purely meant for the Christian community and not for the Muslims. The members of the Christian community participate in these programs, while the leaders of MQI take part in such ceremonies as a mark of solidarity and good will. Neither is Christmas celebrated as Islamic festival nor is it meant for the Muslims. Therefore, this is totally baseless allegation that the purpose of holding Christmas programs is to popularize this festival among the Muslims or to be affiliated with the Christians.
This point is worthy of mention that it was MQI, which expressed solidarity with the Christian community some twelve years ago but now it has become a standard practice of the religious scholars of various sects in Pakistan. Every year the pictures of Christmas celebrations wherein the leaders of the diverse Muslim religious opinion also participate and cut cakes are published in the national newspapers. Therefore, it is justified to demand of those who object to MQI and its leader that they should also pass religious verdict on these people.
It is the result of reconciliatory approach employed by Minhaj-ul-Quran International that there is a decline in the hatred against the Muslim community at the global level and other nations have started coming closer to the Muslims. They organize feasts and programs to celebrate the Muslim festivals as has happened in the UK at the official level (its details would follow). Likewise, the programs on Mawalid al-Nabi (blessings and peace be upon him) have started to be held in the Churches of Pakistan.
It is the fruit of MQI’s reconciliatory efforts and policies aimed at promotion of peace that Mawlid al-Nabi (blessings and peace be upon him) Conference was held in the Baptist Church in February 2010 for the first time in the history of the sub-continent. So much so that the Christian community organized protest demonstrations as a mark of solidarity and support for the Muslims against the blasphemous images of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him). A meeting held in Presbyterian Church in Noulakha is a case in point in which the Christian community joined hands with their Muslim counterparts in condemning the blasphemous images. On declaration of online competition of blasphemous caricatures on Facebook, the organizers had to face to stiff resistance from within the western world. Resultantly, they had to abandon their pernicious and unholy plan.
Pastor Terry Jones, a priest from Florida State, declared to celebrate 9/11 as the “Burn Quran Day”. But following the severe criticism from the Muslim and non-Muslim world, he withdrew his decision. These steps were made possible by following a policy of reconciliation and harmony.
Dear readers! The world has become a global village in the contemporary age. Muslims live in their large numbers in the Christian and non-Muslim worlds. They enjoy complete freedom to celebrate religious festivals and practice their religious values and injunctions in these countries. Large-sized mosques have been built up there where the faithful offer their prayers five-times-a-day including the Friday prayer. Muslims book huge halls and big parks and celebrate Eids collectively. The Muslim students are given holiday on the occasions of Eid etc. The governments of these countries and other organizations arrange meetings at the official level and the Muslims are invited to these programs.
On the occasions of religious festivals of the Muslims, the foreign leaders and heads of states felicitate and wish their Muslim counterparts every year. We read and hear their statements on Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha and the advent of holy month of Ramadan in the papers and on TV channels. I was invited to one such program on Eid al-Fitr by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office this year where a large number of Muslims including religious scholars belonging to all sects and businessmen were also present. Five ministers of the British cabinet also attended the function. Few days after the Eid al-Adha, Eid get-together was arranged at the 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister for the first time in UK’s history. The proceedings of the program got underway with the recitation of the Holy Quran followed by Na`t and recitation of sending the blessings on the Holy Prophet. The arrangement of post-Eid get-togethers for the Muslim expatriate community by the western governments and other political and social organizations has become a standard practice these days.
In order to secure the rights and ensure safety of the Muslims living in the non-Muslim communities, it is important to convey a message to the host countries that Islam is an inclusive religion, which discourages conservatism and stands for human integration and establishment of a cosmopolitan society. If the Muslims also choose to reciprocate the feelings of goodwill on the religions festivals of the non-Muslims, there is no harm in doing so.
Minorities enjoy equal rights in Islamic state including the complete religious freedom. Their life and honour enjoys as much sanctity as does that of a Muslim. They have the same set of rights and duties as their Muslim counterparts. Imam Abu Yusuf narrates in Kitab al-Kharaj that when Khalid b. al-Walid (may Allah be well pleased with him) went to Iraq and Iran from the borders of Syria and Damascus on the orders of the first Caliph Abu Bakr al-Siddiqu, the agreement he struck with the local residents of Aanat contained the following provisions:
Their Churches and convents would not be demolished.
They can play their music instruments without any constraint except during the prayers time.
They can take out their Cross on Christmas.
There are a number of incidents in the life of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) wherein he allowed the non-Muslims to celebrate their festivals uninterruptedly with complete independence. He also allowed the Muslims to celebrate pre-Islamic festivals within the limits of the Islamic law. A few examples are given here below:
1. There is an agreed upon narration of al-Bukhari and Muslim:
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رضي اﷲ عنهما أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم لَمَّا قَدِمَ الْمَدِيْنَةَ وَجَدَهُمْ يَصُوْمُوْنَ يَوْمًا يَعْنِي عَاشُوْرَاءَ؟ فَقَالُوْا: هَذَا يَوْمٌ عَظِيْمٌ وَهُوَ يَوْمٌ نَجَّى اﷲُ فِيْهِ مُوسَى، وَأَغْرَقَ آلَ فِرْعَوْنَ فَصَامَ مُوْسَى شُکْرًا ﷲِ. فَقَالَ: أَنَا أَوْلَى بِمُوْسَى مِنْهُمْ، فَصَامَهُ وَأَمَرَ بِصِيَامِهِ.
It is reported by Abu Abd Allah b. Abbas (may Allah be well pleased with him) that when the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) migrated to Medina, he found the Jews of Medina keeping fast on the 10th of Muharram. He enquired the reason of keeping fast. They told that on this very day, Allah Almighty had freed the Children of Israel from the oppression of Pharaoh by drowning him with his entire battalions and blessed Musa (peace be upon him) with victory. Musa (peace be upon him) kept fast to pay his gratitude to his Lord. So we also keep fast to mark the same. At this the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said: (Being a Prophet), I have more right on Musa (peace be upon him). Then he also kept fast himself on the same day and ordained (his Companions) to keep fast. (Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Sahih, vol.2, p. 704 # 1900; and Muslim in al-Sahih, vol. 2, pp. 795–796 # 1130.)
According to this agreed upon hadith, on the basis of his prophetic relationship with Musa (peace be upon him), the Holy Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) kept fast himself and also ordered his Companions to do the same. Secondly, the Jews were allowed to celebrate this day as per their traditions. Thus the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) established a grand example of Islam being a religion of love, mercy and peaceful coexistence.
2. According to another agreed upon tradition, it is clearly proven that once the Holy Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace be upon him) was at his home on the occasion of Eid when the girls of Medinan Helpers were singing a song. The tradition is as follows:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي اﷲ عنها قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ أَبُوْبَکْرٍ وَعِنْدِي جَارِيَتَانِ مِنْ جَوَارِيَ الْأَنْصَارِ تُغَنِّيَانِ بِمَا تَقَاوَلَتِ الْأَنْصَارُ يَوْمَ بُعَاثَ. قَالَتْ: وَلَيْسَتَا بِمُغَنِّيَتَيْنِ. فَقَالَ أَبُوْبَکْرٍ: أَمَزَامِيْرُ الشَّيْطَانِ فِي بَيْتِ رَسُوْلِ اﷲِ صلى اﷲ عليه وآله وسلم؟ وَذَلِکَ فِي يَومِ عِيْدٍ. فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اﷲِ صلى اﷲ عليه وآله وسلم: يَا أَبَا بَکْرٍ، إِنَّ لِکُلِّ قَوْمٍ عِيْدًا وَهَذَا عِيْدُنَا.
Narrated by Aisha (may Allah be well pleased with her). She said that Abu Bakr (may Allah be well pleased with him) came and two girls of the Medinan Helpers were singing songs of bravery demonstrated on the occasion of battle of Bu`ath. She says that they were not (professional) singers. Abu Bakr (may Allah be well pleased with him) said: Satanic music instruments in the home of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him)! And this is what happened on the Day of Eid. The Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said: O Abu Bakr! Every nation has Eid (to celebrate) and this is our Eid (so do not scold these girls). (Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Sahih, vol. 1, p. 324 # 909; and Muslim in al-Sahih, vol. 2, p. 607 # 892.)
The traditions reported in Ibn Hibban’s al-Sahih prove that by the days of Eid were meant the days of Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
Establishing Islam as a moderate faith, the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) did not forbid the Muslim girls to sing those songs which was related to the pre-Islamic days. He went to the extent of restraining Hazrat Abu Baker Saddiqu from scolding these girls. What can be a greater example of Islam being an accommodating religion that the Muslims remember the incidents of their period of ignorance on the occasion of Eid!
3. Another agreed upon hadith proves that in 7th year of Hegira, a delegation from Abyssinia presented their local dance in the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque on their festival. The Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) did not forbid them. He not only saw it himself but also made Aisha (may Allah be well pleased with her) see the scene by standing behind him. The words of reported tradition in Sahih Muslim are:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي اﷲ عنها قَالَتْ: وَاﷲِ، لَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ رَسُوْلَ اﷲِ صلى اﷲ عليه وآله وسلم يَقُوْمُ عَلَى بَابِ حُجْرَتِي، وَالْحَبَشَةُ يَلْعَبُوْنَ بِحِرَابِهِمْ فِي مَسْجِدِ رَسُوْلِ اﷲِ صلى اﷲ عليه وآله وسلم، يَسْتُرُنِي بِرِدَائِهِ لِکَي أَنْظُرَ إِلَي لَعِبِهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُوْمُ مِنْ أَجْلِي، حَتَّي أَکُوْنَ أَنَا الَّتِي أَنْصَرِفُ.
Aisha (may Allah be well pleased with her) narrates that she saw the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) standing at the door of her room and the Negroes were doing war exercises in the Mosque of the Prophet with their weapons. The Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) was hiding me in his blanket so that I could continue watching their exercises. The Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) kept on standing there for my sake until I was done with it and I myself returned from there. (Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Sahih, vol. 1, p. 173 # 443; and Muslim in al-Sahih, vol. 2, p. 608–609 # 892.)
The last words of Tradition prove that the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) continued observing the sport for a long time and this is how he presented practical example of moderation and accommodation of Islamic faith.
Abu Hurayra (may Allah be well pleased with him) has narrated the same tradition in the following words:
بَيْنَا الْحَبَشَةُ يَلْعَبُوْنَ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى اﷲ عليه وآله وسلم بِحِرَابِهِمْ (وفي رواية للبخاري: فِي الْمَسْجِدِ) دَخَلَ عُمَرُ فَأَهْوَى إِلَى الْحَصَى، فَحَصَبَهُمْ بِهَا، فَقَالَ: دَعْهُمْ، يَا عُمَرُ.
Some Negroes were playing with their weapons in the presence of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him). Hazrat Umar (may Allah be well pleased with him) came and descended to pick up pebbles so that he could stop them. (Forbidding him), he said at this: O Umar! Do not forbid them! (Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Sahih, vol. 3, p. 1063 # 2745; and Muslim in al-Sahih, vol. 2, p. 610 # 893.)
The hadith reported by Imam Nasai and Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal contain the following words:
فَقَالَ رَسُوْلُ اﷲِ صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم: دَعْهُمْ، يَا عُمَرُ فَإِنَّمَا هُمْ بَنُوْ أَرْفِدَةَ.
The Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) said: O Umar! Leave them. Verily, they (belong to) Banu Arfida (i.e., people of Abyssinia). (Narrated by al-Nasai in al-Sunan, vol. 3, p. 196 # 1596; and Ahmad b. Hanbal in al-Musnad, vol. 2, pp. 308, 540 # 8066, 10980.)
This narration is also reported by Aisha (may Allah be well pleased with her) in which she mentioned the incidents of girls of Medinan Helpers and sport of the Negroes together. The narration goes like this:
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رضي اﷲ عنها قَالَتْ: دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ رَسُوْلُ اﷲِ صلى اﷲ عليه وآله وسلم وَعِنْدِي جَارِيَتَانِ تُغَنِّيَانِ بِغِنَاءِ بُعَاثَ، فَاضْطَجَعَ عَلَي الْفِرَاشِ وَحَوَّلَ وَجْهَهُ، وَدَخَلَ أَبُوْ بَکْرٍ، فَانْتَهَرَنِي، وَقَالَ: مِزْمَارَةُ الشَّيْطَانِ عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صلى اﷲ عليه وآله وسلم؟ فَأَقْبَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَسُوْلُ اﷲِ صلى اﷲ عليه وآله وسلم فَقَالَ: دَعْهُمَا، فَلَمَّا غَفَلَ، غَمَزْتُهُمَا، فَخَرَجَتَا، وَکَانَ يَوْمَ عِيْدٍ يَلْعَبُ السُّوْدَانُ بِالدَّرَقِ وَالْحِرَابِ، فَإِمَّا سَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى اﷲ عليه وآله وسلم وَإِمَّا قَالَ: تَشْتَهِيْنَ تَنْظُرِيْنَ؟ فَقُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، فَأَقَامَنِي وَرَاءَهُ، خَدِّي عَلَى خَدِّهِ، وَهُوَ يَقُوْلُ: دُوْنَکُمْ يَا بَنِي أَرْفِدَةَ، حَتَّي إِذَا مَلِلْتُ قَالَ: حَسْبُکِ؟ قُلْتُ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: فَاذْهَبِي.
It is narrated by Aisha (may Allah be well pleased with her) that she said that the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) came to her and two girls (standing with her) were singing songs related to the battle of Bu`ath. He retired on the bed with a view to taking rest and turned his face towards another side (for sake of rest). Then Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be well pleased with him) came there and he scolded me pointing to Satanic music instruments in the presence of the Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him). At this, the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) got attentive to Abu Bakr Siddiqu (may Allah be well pleased with him) and said: (Abu Baker) leave them. (Aisha says that) when Abu Bakr drew his attention away, I pointed to the girls to leave. Likewise, it was a day of Eid of (Negroes) and Negroes were playing with their shields and weapons. I submitted to the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) (or he said it himself): (O Ayesha! do) you want to see? I submitted: Yes. He made me stand behind him and my cheeks were closer to those of the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) and he (blessings and peace be upon him) kept on saying: O people of Arfida, show more till when I got fed up, he said to me: Enough? I said: yes (O Prophet of Allah)! He said: Turn away. (Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Sahih, vol. 1, p. 323 # 907; and Muslim in al-Sahih, vol. 2, p. 609 # 892.)
Ibn Hajr al-Asqalani, interpreter of Sahih al-Bukhari, interprets this narration in Fath al-Bari (vol. 2, p. 443): “Aisha (may Allah be well pleased with her) says that “it was a day of Eid.” So this shows that this Hadith has been derived in the same manner as the other one, which states that “people of Abyssinia were dancing in the Mosque on that day”. The mentioned tradition of al-Zuhri states that “people of Abyssinia would play in the Mosque” and in another tradition, he has added words (with their weapons of war). The tradition narrated by Muslim states the following words: (people of Abyssinia came to the Mosque to dance). Muhibb al-Din al-Tabari says that this context suggests that it was their habit on every Eid that they would play in the Mosque (with their weapons of war). It is stated in the tradition reported by Ibn Hibban that when the delegation from Abyssinia came over, they began dancing in the Mosque (with their weapons of war) and this suggests that they were granted permission of this on their arrival. There is no contradiction between both things because it is very probable that they may have come there on Eid and it may be their habit to play on Eid. So they might have done this as per their habit. Then they may have started doing so on every Eid. This stance is also supported by a tradition which Abu Dawud has quoted Anas (may Allah be well pleased with him) as saying that he said: When the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) came to Medina, the people of Abyssinia danced with their weapons of war as demonstration of happiness on his arrival and there is no doubt about this that to them, the day of the Holy Prophet’s (blessings and peace be upon him) arrival in Medina was far more prestigious than days of Eid (and all other happiness).”
Dear Readers! One objection raised by a particular section of people is that the Christians regard the Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) as their Lord and majority of them believe in the Trinity. Therefore, they utter such sentences in the Christmas ceremonies which are in conflict with the real concept of Oneness (Monotheism). What one can say by way of answer is that this view was also held by the Christians of the Holy Prophet’s (blessings and peace be upon him) times. The Holy Quran states about this belief of Christians:
لَقَدْ کَفَرَ الَّذِيْنَ قَالُوْۤا اِنَّ اﷲَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَـثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ اِلَهٍ اِلَّآ اِلَـهٌ وَّاحِدٌ.
Certainly, they (also) become disbelievers who say: ‘Allah is the third of the three (Gods),’ whereas there is none worthy of worship except the One God. (al-Ma`ida, 5:73)
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran at verse number 171 of al-Nisa:
اِنَّمَا الْمَسِيْحُ عِيْسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُوْلُ اﷲِ وَکَلِمَتُه، اَلْقَهَآ اِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوْحٌ مِّنْهُ فَاَمِنُوْا بِاﷲِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَلَا تَقُوْلُوْا ثَلَـثَةٌ.
The fact is simple that the Messiah, ‘Isa, son of Maryam (Jesus, son of Mary) is Allah’s Messenger and His Word which He conveyed to Maryam (Mary) and a Spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His Messengers and do not say: ‘There are three (Gods).’
Likewise, it was also the belief of the Jews that `Uzayr (peace be upon him) was the son of Allah. The Holy Quran says:
وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرُ نِ ابْنُ اﷲِ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَرَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اﷲِ.
And the Jews said: ‘‘Uzayr (Ezra) is the son of Allah,’ and the Christians said: ‘The Messiah is the son of Allah.’ (al-Tawba, 9:30)
But despite all that, the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) inked agreements with the Jews of Medina, gave them complete religious freedom as head of the Medina state and decided matters according to their religious law.
In the same manner, despite the belief of Trinity held by the Christians, the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) meted out humane treatment towards them. So much so when Islam attained victory, a Christian delegation of Najran stayed in the holy city of Medina for twenty days and performed worship as per their religious law in the Prophet’s Mosque. It must be kept in mind that the Christians subscribed to the creed of Trinity at that time. But we do not come across any hadith or narration whereby the Holy Prophet (blessings and peace be upon him) might have entered into debate with the Christians about their belief or placed such condition that they would not perform worship based on utterance characterized by polytheism in his Mosque.
That is why the Holy Quran has restrained the Muslims from castigating the false gods of others lest they should also speak ill of true God of the Muslims. Allah Almighty says:
وَلاَ تَسُبُّوا الَّذِيْنَ يَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اﷲِ فَيَسُبُّوا اﷲََ عَدْوًا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ.
And, (O Muslims,) do not abuse these (false gods) these (polytheists) worship besides Allah, lest these people should (also, in retaliation,) revile against Allah’s Glory wrongfully due to ignorance. (al-An`am, 6:108)
It becomes manifestly clear from the above-mentioned incidents and authentic traditions that Islam stands for tolerance, moderation and accommodation. Therefore in the present times when Islam is being castigated as promoter of extremism and terrorism in the world, the participation of the religious and political leaders of religious parties and governments in the religious festivals of other religions should not be regarded as something harmful. This would help project real face of Islam, which has otherwise been blighted by the scars of terrorism and extremism. We need to promote the real teachings of Islam in the world such as tolerance, endurance, peaceful coexistence, justice, fair play and love. In a globalized world where distances are of no consequences, reaching out to people of other faiths in a spirit of harmony is what constitutes the best service rendered to promote the cause of Islam in the world. It calls for employment rational and logical understanding of Islamic teachings. However, those mired in ignorance cannot help themselves. About such people, the Holy Quran says:
صُمٌّ بُکْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُوْنَ.
They are deaf, dumb and blind. So they will not return (to the right path). (al-Baqara, 2:18)
The purpose of arranging Christmas ceremonies for the Christians under the banner of MQI is not to encourage common people to participate in their programs at mass-scale or to start holding such functions of Christmas. The symbolism involved in holding these programs is to promote the interfaith goodwill and tolerance. These endeavours are geared to build bridges by plugging the gulf between Muslims and non-Muslims so that Islam is known as a religion which promotes peace, harmony and integration.