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Can Reverts Celebrate Easter in Islam?

20 April, 2025
Q Can I as a new Muslim join my non-Muslim family in their Easter celebrations?

Answer

Sheikh Ahmad Kutty
20 April, 2025

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. 

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

In this fatwa:

Yes, reverts may join family Easter celebrations as long as they do not participate in specific Christian rituals. Islam permits sharing joy and meals with non-Muslim relatives, provided it does not involve affirming beliefs contrary to Islamic teachings.

In responding to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:

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Joining Family While Upholding Islamic Identity

You may do so to join your family on their joyous occasions while affirming your Islamic identity.

By doing so, you are merely sharing their joys; and partaking meals with them. I understand it does not involve any specific Christian rituals they expect you to participate.

What Islam Allows in Shared Celebrations

Saying grace and giving thanks to God for His blessings and joining in common prayers to God are all acceptable. Islam teaches that all prophets taught primarily the same message: worship the one and only God and renounce false gods.

Avoiding Doctrinal Conflicts with Christianity

Muslims should have no objection in expressing joys of Christians commemorating the events of Jesus; as long as we stay clear of the dogmas of triune God and crucifixion and Jesus as a lamb sacrificed for redeeming the world.

A Prophetic Example of Respectful Commemoration

Such are erroneous beliefs no Muslim can accept. When the Prophet Muhammad came to Madinah, and he saw the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura, he asked them why they were fasting? They told him: We are doing so to commemorate the victory of Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) over Pharaoh. Then he said to them: We are more worthy of Musa than you. So he ordered his followers to fast on the tenth. (Ibn Majah)

By doing so, the Prophet in no way practiced the specific Jewish rituals; instead, he was affirming the common bond that we share.

Recognizing Shared Values Among Faiths

Likewise, Islam stresses the shared rituals we have with all revealed religions, more especially with the People of the Book.

Moreover, Islam stresses emphatically that a Muslim ought to foster ties of kinship with his parents and blood relations, with the sole proviso: if they order you to worship any other than God, do not obey them.

Festivities as Customs, Not Acts of Worship

Another critical point to note: To join your Christian relatives on their festivities and feast and expressing joy with them is not done as a ritual practice; but just as a custom; and customs are allowed unless strictly forbidden; since there is no revealed text to prove otherwise, there is no reason to oppose it.

See the provided fatwas below for a broader explanation:

Almighty Allah knows best.