This is analogous to what we shall soon cite from ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr (1), who said (2): “Whoever settles in the land of the polytheists, observes their Nayrūz and Mahrajan festivals (3), and continues to imitate them until he dies will be resurrected with them on the Day of Judgment (4).”

This may be understood as referring to total, unrestricted imitation, which results in disbelief and therefore renders every part of it unlawful. It may also be understood to mean that he is counted as “one of them” only with respect to the common element (5)(6) in which he resembled them; if that element amounts to disbelief, sin, or a distinctive emblem thereof (7), his ruling corresponds to it.

In any event, imitation is prohibited simply because it is imitation (8). It covers the one who performs an act solely because they performed it—though that is rare—and the one who adopts another’s practice for his own purpose when the practice itself originated with that other person (9). As for someone who does something and it merely coincides that another does it as well, with neither taking it from the other, whether this constitutes imitation is debatable. Nevertheless, it may still be forbidden as a safeguard against imitation and to maintain distinction, just as dyeing the beard (10) and trimming the moustache were enjoined—

even though his ﷺ statement goes on to say: “Change….”