Q:

Salam shaikh

My question is about the innovated festivals.

In my school they celebrate National Day, etc.each year, and it is often compulsory for students to participate. 

These assemblies are ironically, commenced with the recitation or Quraan. 

1. Is it permissible for me to take part in the qiraat, as a means of Dawah? Or take up the singing a nasheed without music (only girls are present)?

Last week they celebrated the birth anniversary of a political leader,and the teacher picked some students and told them they must give a speech about his principles.

The teacher made it compulsory.

2. Is it fine because they will talk only about permissible things?                  

3.  I heard some people say, it is fine to participate in such things , as long as our intention is not to ‘celebrate’ the occasion, we are just taking part in such competitions for education purposes,etc, without being interested in the festival itself. Is this okay?

4. In the class, the teacher tells the students that she will conduct a quiz on such an occasion. Will the student be sinning if they answer the quiz questions?

5. My fellow muslim students in the class participate in these occasions…must I stop them? It would be quite difficult, because almost everyone thinks it is extreme strictness..

JazakAllah Khairan.

A:

Wa `alaykum As-Salamu waRahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.

Celebrating National Days is a custom followed by many countries, including many Muslim countries as well. It has been allowed as long as such celebrations do not involve any rituals or practices objectionable in Islam. According to jurisprudence rules, there is no objection to innovating customs; however, innovating acts of worship is different. The latter is haram, while the former is halal.

So, there is no need for you not to participate in them as long you stay away from practices that are objectionable in Islam.

Reading the Qur’an and offering supplications are always beneficial; no one should stop you from doing that. How can it be called a Bid’ah or a reprehensible innovation?

Almighty Allah knows best.