no obstacle stands in its way—especially in the hearts of children, women, and most people who have time on their hands.

Anyone acquainted with the Prophet’s biography knows with certainty that during his lifetime—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—the Muslims never shared with the unbelievers anything of their festivals, nor did they alter their own conduct out of regard for the disbelievers’ feast days. To the Messenger of Allah and the rest of the Muslims, such a day was nothing more than an ordinary day; they attached no special importance to it whatsoever, except where the Law had prescribed an act that openly contravened them, such as fasting on that day, as will be discussed, God willing.

Had the religion the Muslims received from their Prophet not prohibited and restrained them from this, some of them would inevitably have done at least part of it, for the impulse is present, as both human nature and common practice attest. Without the legal barrier, the motivating factor would have taken effect. This remained the stance of the Muslims throughout the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs.

The most that occurred among certain people was to go out on the unbelievers’ festival day merely to stroll about and watch their celebration; yet ʿUmar—may Allah be pleased with him—and other Companions forbade even that, as we shall mention. If that is the ruling for mere sightseeing, what would be said of actually doing what they do or engaging in anything that stems from their festival?

Indeed, when it became known that some Muslims were singling out the unbelievers’ festival day for fasting—in deliberate opposition to them—the jurists, or many of them, still discouraged it, because it carried an element of venerating their festival. Does this not prove that the Muslims learned from their Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—the prohibition of taking part in the unbelievers’ festivals? Upon reflection, this is abundantly clear.