No nation is without certain days in the year that it celebrates as holidays, showing its joy, happiness, and adornment. These holidays may be purely religious to commemorate historical events, or they may be seasonal, such as the celebrations of Nowruz and Sham Ennessim.
Moses, peace be upon him, chose a festival for the Egyptians during which they would be free from work so that they could gather to witness the outcome of the competition between him and the magicians of Pharaoh on the other side; he said: (Your appointment is on the Day of the Festival) (Taha:59) It is the day of their celebration and a time when they free themselves from their work; they adorn themselves and gather together.(1)
By the name of Islam, for His knowledge of the nature of His creation among humans and their need for joy and rest, He has established for them holidays in which they can rejoice, marked by acts of obedience and closeness to Him. Anas reported: "The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) arrived in Medina, and they had two days on which they played during the days of ignorance. He said: 'Indeed, Allah has replaced them with what is better than them: the Day of Fitr and the Day of Nahr.(2)
And beneath them are events that people remember for their greatness, whether they are disasters and defeats or victories and joys, etc…
The fall of Andalusia was a major disaster that befell the Muslims, as well as the infamous "Balfour Declaration" and the abolition of the Islamic caliphate. These are all events that people remember every year and cannot be forgotten, no matter how much time passes.
There are temporary events that do not last and are associated with a particular political system, whether monarchical or republican, such as the king ascending to the throne, or a revolution against a previous regime, etc...
Sometimes there is an expansion in the use of the word "Eid," as the Prophet ﷺ referred to Friday as an Eid day. Abu Huraira reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: "Indeed, Friday is a day of Eid, so do not make your Eid day a day of fasting, unless you fast before it or after it.(3)
Islamic occasions have become intertwined with the Muslim community, becoming foundational elements of its customs and traditions. For instance, the joy accompanying the arrival of Ramadan can be observed in all Islamic societies, reflected in the decorations of homes and streets. This illustrates the happiness of the people themselves. Similarly, the celebration of the Prophet's birthday is marked by communities preparing sweets in various shapes and types to express this joy, alongside studying certain events from the Prophet's biography and reciting some poems and praises related to him, and so on.
This is something you won't find in the West as their Christian religion and culture have originated customs that are completely different from those of Muslims. If a Muslim lives in the West, the community, with its traditions and customs, does not help him celebrate his Islamic occasions.
The religious commemorations or Islamic events among us have taken on a social character that brings people together, and the effects of this are evident in the community.
Recently, in Egypt, fathers or older brothers during the "season" - as it was referred to - would visit their married daughters and sisters, bringing them food, poultry, or money. These seasons could not be overlooked, even if it meant borrowing to fulfill this social obligation.
This social obligation remains the same whether the father or brother is close or distant in relation to their kin; they may travel long distances and far journeys to visit their daughter or sister during the season. Woe to those who fall short in this matter, as women become very angry about it. There have been fatwas declaring the celebration of such occasions to be an innovation, but the community has chosen the
The state was with the nation in this choice; the state itself participates through princes, sultans, kings, and dignitaries in those celebrations, providing food for the people, and making appearances and engaging with them during these festivities.
But when the state that was protecting the nation fell, the doors were thrown wide open to Westernization, which attacked us with customs that are contrary to our religious and social system. At the same time, the voice of the trend that sees those occasions as innovations grew louder.
Two workers gathered :
The first: An external foreign factor with customs that are alien to us, bearing the culture and religion of the other. The global system (the secular Christian) has imposed on us - as Muslims - the celebration of strange holidays; once Valentine's Day, where young people color everything red, even the heating pipes, and once Mother's Day, where mothers expect clothes, perfumes, and gifts from their children, and feel sad if none of them gives her anything, and once International Women's Day under the pretense of granting women some of their rights that have been violated by men, and of course the celebration of New Year's Eve (Christmas) which is a purely religious holiday for Christians.
Their holidays do not concern us and do not represent us, and a Muslim should not follow those who do not share his beliefs. Unfortunately, the Islamic celebrations that were once the hallmark of our culture, religion, heritage, traditions, and customs have gradually diminished.
The second: An internal factor that sharpened its determination and directed all its energy to prevent those celebrations and occasions; under the pretext that the Prophet ﷺ, his companions, and the righteous predecessors did not celebrate them, and they succeeded in this noticeably. However, their resolve weakened, and their ability diminished in opposing the incoming customs.
Some Islamists have opposed the celebration of Islamic occasions such as the Hijri New Year, Ashura, the Prophet's birthday, Isra and Mi'raj, and the Night of the Middle of Sha'ban, etc.
The incidents weakened in people's hearts, and they no longer had manifestations in the streets as they used to before. Conversely, they remained silent about the foreign influences, and we now have Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, and Halloween. They have destroyed everything dear to us, leaving us vulnerable to Western imports.
This, alongside another aspect, is that the call for renewal in everything has led us to a general disorder, even reaching customs and traditions; there is no longer any adherence to or respect for inherited customs and traditions.
They were oblivious to the fact that people, by their nature, cannot be serious and working throughout the year, but rather need days to relax, unwind, and enjoy themselves. Muslims used to frame these celebrations with Islamic occasions and seasons, but then some came and prohibited all of this, while remaining silent about the cultural invasion coming from the West.
Preserving Islamic seasons and occasions while avoiding transgressions and innovations beyond the Sharia is a religious necessity and a social obligation; otherwise, it leads to detachment and following the West.
Sources :
- See: Ibn Kathir's Tafsir (5/300), and Al-Qurtubi's Tafsir (11/213).
- It was narrated by Ahmad in "Al-Musnad," hadith number (12006), and Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut said: Its chain of transmission is authentic; its narrators are trustworthy men of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim).
- The previous reference, Hadith (8025), and its chain of transmission was improved by Sheikh Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut
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