Comments on: “Independence Day” Sh. Abdullah Bin Bayyah

By: needyone

needyone — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:45:32 +0000

I think he should make hijrah, too because hijra is the right thing to do. Sorry didn't mean to rhyme there. But bro, it sounds to me like you're saying, “if you don't like it here, you can go back home”. I hope that's not what you meant.

By: needyone

needyone — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:39:40 +0000

There is only ONE way to get to the bottom of any fiqh question, and that is “ask the people of knowledge if you do not know”. In reality, this birthday question, and indeed all fiqh issues, can only be solved if each of us refers it back to our own authority (which is either 1 of the four schools, or a person of knowledge any individual trusts and therefore follows (and it's following whether you call it that or not, you know “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet)).
Dr. Bin Bayyah, as a Maliki, should be giving us his school's opinion and then that opinion applies to the Malikis.
There is a footnote at the bottom of the article that says that according to the Malikis congratulating non-Muslims on their holidays is makruh therefore mubah??? Is there some logical contradiction here?
Anyway, even if it is only makruh, persisting in a makruh affects one's piety. So yeah, you're not doing haram, but you're not exactly elevating your status before Allah either through these celebrations.
Why not celebrate your birthday the way the scholars recommend the Prophet's birthday is celebrated: in worship of Allah. Fast that day the way the Prophet fasted on his birthday. But why does it have to be a party with a cake, candles and a birthday song?

By: abu majeed

abu majeed — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:10:15 +0000

Dear brother,

This hadith is referring to the imitation that is of a religious basis.

By: J

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:03:20 +0000

Jazakh-Allah khair, Ustadh Abu Majeed.

Very nice answer. I appreciate it.

Do you have a personal website or blog? I'd like to follow your writings, insha-Allah.

Fi Aman Allah,
J

EDIT: Bro Qas, thank you for your kind words, although I think I do not deserve them at all!

By: Abu yusuf

Abu yusuf — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:33:25 +0000

Shouldn't we stay away from immitating the kuffar?

At-Tirmidhi narrated that Ibn Abbas رضي الله عنه reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم said: “He is not one of us who imitates other than us. Do not imitate the Jews or the Christians.”

By: abu majeed

abu majeed — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:57:14 +0000

as-Salamu alaikum J,

I would say culture is something that is seen as outside of religion, so it really shouldn't be such a big deal. The issue at hand is the percieved weakness of following even the the non-religious cultural practices of non-Muslims. I would say to be true to the understanding of many of our scholars to the hadith which heavily frowns upon imitating non-Muslims that we should look at the general perception of practicing Muslims and their scholars. If celebrating birthday's is still considered as foreign then it should be avoided. If the Muslims come to accept this as their own then it would not be a problem. There will always be those who make this into a big deal and say 200 years after it became a common practice amongst Muslims that this is Kufr and it came from the Kuffar. This rigidity is what is plauging this Ummah in many ways. The fact is, as Islamists we have many other issues of major priority which actually have to do with protecting our Aqeedah and the future of our identity as Muslims in the west as well as in our own lands. When we become a dominant group in the world again then we can realistically entertain the possibility of seeing things in the way many of our scholars wrote them since that was the reality in which they wrote them. I ask all those who disagree, “Is our Ummah in a position to claim such domination or are we as the Muslims were in Makkah where we need to focus on the foundations of Aqeedah”

By: Qas

Qas — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:40:20 +0000

MashaAllah, bro. You always have interesing and relevant questions and posts on all the forums you post. Keep it up!

By: J

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:01:59 +0000

Ustadh Abu Majeed, I have a question for you:

What about celebrating birthdays in a place like Pakistan? Maybe a couple decades ago–when this practice was not common in Pakistan–it would be imitating the kufaar…with only the elite wannabe Pakistanis trying to imitate the West. But nowadays this is no more the case, since the Western practice of birthdays has become widespread in Pakistan, such that it is not only the wannabes who practice it. So does the initial ruling of makrouh-ness change now that it has become widespread and is no longer imitating the kufaar, even though initially it only became widespread in Pakistan BECAUSE of people imitating the west.

Sorry if this is a confusing question. Jazakh-Allah khair.

By: abu majeed

abu majeed — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:39:58 +0000

If you feel that Islam is generally (even non-religious issues) against the culture fo non-Muslim countries, then I suggest you make Hijrah to a place where
you and your family can be comfortable as Muslims. If you remain in the west thinking you are making Da'wa then you are in dire need of a
reality check and some wisdom

By: abu majeed

abu majeed — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:37:15 +0000

Br. Mohamed,

Birthday's are something new, but so are graduations and even parties for completeing Qur'an memorization. Yes i do understand that a birthday happens every year, but here is the gauge;

1- Are you worshipping Allah by having a birthday celebration

2- Is that already a part of your country's culture.

If the answer to #1 is yes then it is haram. If the answer to #2 is no then it is Makrooh. If the answer to 1 is no and two yes then it is up to you (Mubah).

Personally, I am American and my kids are too so we have a get together with a cake, candles, and presents, but NO wish or Du'a at the blowing out of the candle. That's how I do it. You can do whatever you like.

And Allah knows best. Not necessarily me, my shaikhs or yours