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Can Muslims Celebrate the Holidays of Other Religions?

26 December, 2018
Q Dear scholars, as-salamu `alaykum. Is it permissible for a Muslim family living in the States to celebrate Christmas, or to give Christmas gifts and receive them? Can they decorate the outside of their homes with lights and can they have a Christmas tree inside their homes? Where should they draw the line? What things are permissible and what are not during Christmas celebrations?

Answer

Wa`alaykum As-Salaamu Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

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:

1- Muslims are not allowed to celebrate the holidays of other religions.

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2- However, you may wish happy holidays to your Christian friends, relatives or neighbors.


Responding to the question, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, Former President of the Fiqh Council of North America, states:

Islam encourages Muslims to have good relations with all people. In majority non-Muslim societies, Muslims are ordered to be good ambassadors of their religion and they should avoid all actions make them violate the teachings of their religion.

Muslims are not allowed to celebrate the holidays of other religions. Christmas is a Christian holiday. We should keep our Islamic identity and should not lose ourselves in other cultures and religions. We have nothing against people celebrating their own holidays, but why should we imitate them?

It is not allowed for Muslims to have Christmas trees in their homes, to have Christmas lights outside their homes and to exchange gifts with each other at this time.

However, you may wish happy holidays to your Christian friends, relatives or neighbors. If they give you gifts, you should thank them and accept them with cheer and should also remember them at the time of Islamic holidays.

Allah Almighty knows best.

Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.