his right hand into his sleeve before his left, in adherence to the sunnah, this too is a remembrance.

Thus, Muslims remember the Prophet ﷺ in all their circumstances. As for commemorations marked by these innovated rituals, for which Allah has sent down no authority, they destroy more than they build; for when the occasion—or the celebration of that occasion—comes to an end, the heart is left with a vast emptiness. Therefore, it is from the wisdom of Allah that whenever an innovation is established, a corresponding sunnah—or even more than that—is undermined.

Accordingly, whoever establishes a festival for any occasion—whether that occasion is a victory for the Muslims in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, a victory attained by them thereafter, or a nationalist victory—is an innovator. When the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah, he found that the Anṣār had two days on which they would play. He said: “Indeed, Allah has replaced them for you with two better days: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha” (1). This indicates that the Messenger ﷺ does not approve of his ummah introducing festivals other than the legislated festivals that Allah ﷿ has prescribed.

Question: What is the ruling on Mosque Week, Tree Week, and similar observances?

As for Mosque Week, it is an innovation, because it is held in the name of religion and of elevating the status of mosques. It therefore constitutes an act of worship, whose establishment requires evidence, and there is no evidence for it.