As for the idolaters’ festivals, they unite specious doubt with base desire and are nothing but falsehood, for they yield no benefit in the religion. Whatever fleeting pleasure they contain ends in pain, so they become pure zūr.

Simply attending such festivals counts as “witnessing” them. Now, when Allah has praised those who refrain from witnessing them—that is, from merely being present to see or hear them—how much more reprehensible must it be actually to participate, performing the very deeds that constitute zūr instead of merely observing it?

The verse itself, by praising those servants, of itself urges believers to avoid witnessing the idolaters’ holidays and every other form of zūr. It at least recommends staying away from them and may even imply dislike, since Allah has labeled them zūr.

Whether the verse alone makes attendance unlawful is debatable, yet its evidence for forbidding active participation is stronger; for Allah has called these festivals zūr, and He has censured those who utter zūr even when no one else is harmed, saying of those who pronounce ẓihār: “Indeed, they utter an evil statement and a falsehood” (al-Mujādilah 58:2). He also says: “So shun false speech” (al-Ḥajj 22:30). The one who does zūr is therefore likewise condemned.

Some may argue that uttering zūr is even worse than merely doing it, and that since Allah praised them solely for abandoning its witnessing, performing it must be blameworthy and shameful. Had doing it been permissible—while abstention was only preferable—there would have been little merit in merely attending or avoiding attendance, for being present at permissible activities that bring no benefit, or staying away from them, carries scant weight.