LikeAsalamu alaykum,
Can I celebrate Thanksgiving with my parents? I converted a few years back and it is very important to them? Things haven’t been great since my reversion. What are your thoughts?
The Answer:
There is a legitimate scholarly difference surrounding this issue. Those who hold such celebrations as forbidden do so contending that such celebrations are “religious in nature” and amount to imitating the religious rites of others. One of my teachers, Sh. ‘Abdul Jalil al-Mezgouria told me, “There is nothing religious about this celebration.” In fact, I remember him giving a khutba about it a number of years back.
Some Background
Those who contented that such celebrations are permissible, do so contending the opposite: such celebrations are not religious in nature and that the origin of things is permissible unless explicitly forbidden. Sheikh al-Qaradawi stated, concerning Mother’s Day, there is no way he considered it forbidden. He based his contention on the legal axiom: “Nothing is made forbidden except with a clear text.”
It is well known that al-Rajabiyah was a holiday observed by the Arabs before for the time of the Prophet [may Allah's peace and blessing be upon him] up until the third century A.H and the jurist differed on its ruling. The Hanabali’s considered it permissible, while the Malikis held it to be disliked.
Those who hold it permissible also note that the Prophet’s statement, “Our holidays are two” is not a prohibition to celebrate other holidays outside of the religious sphere.
The Indigenous Imperative
As a convert to Islam and based on my humble legal training, I agree with the second opinion. Many of us, those of us who have converted to Islam, can use these moments to share the beauty of our faith with our families and loved ones in an non-hostile environment. Perhaps, by giving gifts to our parents we can heal wounds, build relationships and move forward. At the same time, such celebrations are based on the foundations of our faith: honoring one’s parents. Therefore, we should engage such holidays with the intention of fostering noble relations and spreading the beauty of our faith with others.
Allah knows best
Suhaib*
* Suhaib William Webb converted to Islam in 1992. He holds a B.S in Elementary Education. He is currently in his Forth year of studies at al-Azhar university.
Time for some Halal Turkey!
Imam Suhaib,
Your ability to see beyond the fragmented and stringent opinions that are being strained upon us, gives me hope, that one day, our sheykhs will understand us, because our times really are frantic. For the 12th time, Imam Suhaib, please come to the UK and deliver the double weekend course you promised your students, in “approaching the Quran and Sunnah.”
best.
Yours in Islam.
Gobble Gobble! if anybody’s down for some Turkey Biryani, Holla at me!
When i’ve said this opinion i’ve been told that Eid means something that repeats every year. So fixing a date every year and celebrating that is problematic. ex. birthdays or anniversaries.
How would you respond to that Imam Suhaib?
Hell yeah, I’m in! Where you at? I want me some of that Turkey Biryani!
this is what i appreciate:
“As a convert to Islam and based on my humble legal training, I agree with the second opinion. Many of us, those of us who have converted to Islam, can use these moments to share the beauty of our faith with our families and loved ones in an non-hostile environment. Perhaps, by giving gifts to our parents we can heal wounds, build relationships and move forward. At the same time, such celebrations are based on the foundations of our faith: honoring one’s parents. Therefore, we should engage such holidays with the intention of fostering noble relations and spreading the beauty of our faith with others.”
even for those who do not agree with the opinion that it is permissible to celebrate, how can anyone not agree with the noble aims of the shariah especially in light of the above?
So Imam Suhaib, what’s your favorite Thanksgiving menu item?
I personally like the stuffing, turkey gravy with mashed potatoes, leftovers being made into sandwiches, and pumpkin desserts (like pumpkin pie).
Man, just because of this post, I’ma hit up Culvers and get me a pumpkin flavored frozen custard treat. Maybe the caramel one?
Br. Saqib, you dun ask the Shaikh the wrong question…c’mon now…what’s your favorite thanksgiving item, item??, thats like asking Kobe what Arena he likes dunkin’ at….all of em! hehehe
Ali-
I’m in northern California, I’ll ask the wife if she can setup an extra plate of the TB! (with Raitha of course)
Imam Suhaib,
what are you plans? are you staying in Egypt? We all miss you here at the MCA.
As salaami alaikum
Subhan Allah! I would differ with you all on several points. Firstly, to say thanksgiving is “merely” an ” ‘aada ” or custom with no religious conotation is far from the reality. We know in the Shari’a things are looked at in terms of the reality of the thing being looked at. The reality of thanks giving is that its roots are either from a previous Indian tradition of giving thanks (to whatever false God/s a particular tribe worshiped) or the settlers’ way of giving thanks to their God (Jesus alayhi as salaam) for the safe passage from the old world to the new world. Any internet search would probably give you more detailed info. Also, just in terms of the name “thanks giving” this obviously means giving thanks or being thankful. Then the question poses itself, who is being thanked? So it is definately religious in nature, although it may not be considered a formal religious holiday by some christian legislative bodies. I remember growing up as a non-muslim and the most important thing about the thanksgiving meal was the prayer that preceded it, which is common practice in most households across the U.S.
Secondly, thanks giving is specific to non-muslims, so it would fall under the hadith of the Prophet (man tashabaha bi qawmin fahuwa minhum) “the one who imitates a people is from them). And many of the ulama like Sheik ul Islam Ibn Tayimiya in his book Iqtida Siraatil Mustaqeem bi Mukhalafati Ashaabi Jaheem) mentions that imitating them (kuffar) is necessitated by following those things that are specific to them and their culture/history/religion etc. And he goes on to say that “muslims resembling them in their celebrations leads to them (kuffar) being happy with the falsehood that they are upon.” Also, Ibn Qayyim states that congratualating them in their holidays (specific to them) is haram by consensus of the ulama.
Thirdly, to say “such celebrations are based on the foundations of our faith: honoring one’s parents. Therefore, we should engage such holidays with the intention of fostering noble relations and spreading the beauty of our faith with others.” is a very broad way of looking at it to say the least. Thanks giving isn’t strictly to thank parents nor do most people who celebrate it think it to be strictly for that matter. There is a very broad application of most non muslims as to what one is being thankful for and who is thanked. Also, most holidays have some sort of “good moral” that is focused on, which may possibly correspond to the noble valuse of Islam, does that mean we should celebrate them? These maxims in qawaaid fiqhiya have dawaabit (checking points) stemming from other texts or maxims that put them in their proper place. Also, the sheik’s understanding of the maxim, ” the origin of things is permissible unless explicitly forbidden” is for those things which are not religious in nature and that point is disputed, therefore leaving room for doubt as to the origins of thanksgiving and we know that the Prophet (layhi as salaam) has said, “leave those things that are doubtful for those things that are not doubtful”. And he has also said, “the person who leaves the doubtful matters has protected his religion and honour.”
Lastly, why would a muslim who Allah has commanded to enjoin the good and forbid the bad and to be fair and just feel comfortable celebrating a holiday that is filled with lies and oppression? The Indians were massacred by the pilgrims or early Europeans and much of what the avg. Joe thinks about Thanksgiving is a bunch of lies. The reality is that these Euro. came and butchered the indians, leaving no room for thankfulness on the part of the Indians. How can a muslim feel comfortable celebrating something so baatil? For more info on the reality of thanksgiving look at the website You can go to http://www.oyate.org/resources/shortthanks.html which i came accross and sheds some light on thanks giving.
Imam Suhaib, I understood this to mean that there is leeway for reverts. However, what about those of us who are born Muslims and have Muslim relatives? How wise is it for us to have Turkey and gatherings at home? Is it better to avoid it in our case?
I have struggled with this issue. I too see that it is not a religious holiday, but recently I have heard from different sources that the pilgrims really took it to the natives shortly after the meal and slaughtered them. If this is true, than for this reason alone, the issue of celebrating TGiving should be looked at a bit deeper.
Wake up and stay awake
-O Heart- and say Labbayk
Say: Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk
Say it with every seed and grain
Say it with every drop of rain
Say it and say it again and again
Say it with the stars in the skies
Say it with the light in your eyes
Say: Labbayk O Lord, O Wise!
Say it and let your tears,
Let them translate your hidden fears—
For only Allah hears
All that are on earth and in the skies.
Say Labbayk to Him Alone
Whose boundless mercy shone
Even in the heart of him
Who once worshipped a stone,
But then heard Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk
And his heart shook as with earthquake
And said: Yes, I made a mistake;
But now I say Labbayk Allahumma Labbayk!
Mohamed Ali Lagouader
Assalamu Alaykum
Lol, i live in Chicago. I don’t think I can make it to Northern California.
Subhanallah the same issues keep poppin up!
- meaning of imitating non Muslims/identity/contextualising hadith
- Muslims retaining their identify amidst a dominant society (obviously this sentence assume that somehow muslims are lossing their identity hence a need to “retain”
- The issue of celebration in Islam and whether the contemporary understanding of something is given weight over how something originated and upon which one is the ruling based
- Priorities and Objectives and its role in the over simplified approach of “leaving doubtfull matters ”
- Dealing with the actual situtaion at hands vis a vis a long term established practice and which way one ought to go, whether deal with the actual issue at hand which may not be the overall practice of the Muslim community, or go the other way and make the converts “fix into” existing ways of Muslims who do not necessarily base everything on textual evidences i.e. cultural ways
Suffice it to say that in each area scholars have and will continue to differ, and so long as that is so, it proves only one point, that it is a gray area and so long as each individual acts within his/her conscious he is free of blame. We do not need a “police attitude” in this matters, relax guys Allah has power of all things, and if he wanted he could have made all this plain clear but he didnt due to his wisdom so we might as well deal with in a mature way.
muslim converts/reverts are a great gift Allah gives to this Ummah.
This is a very peculiar assertion, especially as it relates to the United States. In particular, George Washington said:
“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor– and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be– That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks–for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation–for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war–for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed–for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted–for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.
and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions– to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually–to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed–to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord–To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us–and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.”
George Washington Papers at Library of Congress. Library of Congress
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/GW/gw004.html
Since that time, the holiday was on again off again observed by different presidents. Some states took the holiday, others rejected it as throwbacks to the ill-regarded puritans. Lincoln eventually made it permanent in the middle of the civil war with the following statement:
“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.”"
INS Showcase
http://showcase.netins.net/web/creative/lincoln/speeches/thanks.htm
While I understand that there is no biblical basis for thanksgiving, I would argue there is also no biblical basis for much of christian celebrations and tradition that is still unique to them – that they have their own bid’ah that isn’t part of their texts and is only loosely connected to general themes and events appears irrelevant, when you consider our agreed upon stances on Christmas and Easter.
I’m interested in hearing other responses in the “mubah” camp, given what was presented above.
Siraaj