and do other things that make the believer’s heart shudder—one whose heart has not died, but still recognizes good and rejects evil. Many of them leave their clothes out beneath the sky, hoping for the blessing of Mary’s descent upon them. Can anyone with even the smallest grain of faith in his heart doubt that the One who ordained a religious law requiring Muslims to differ from Jews and Christians—some examples of which we have already mentioned—would disapprove of even some of these abominations?

The root of all this is simply singling out the disbelievers’ festivals for some new practice, or imitating them in some of their observances. Thursday is their Feast of the Table, while Sunday they call Easter, the Feast of Light, and the Great Feast. Because it is a festival, they prepare dyed eggs and similar things for their children, since on that day they eat animal products such as meat, milk, and eggs; their fast consists of abstaining from animal flesh and animal products.

Satan has made most of these practices related about the Christians, as well as others not mentioned here, appealing to many who profess Islam. He has given these practices an esteemed place in their hearts and led them to regard them favorably. They have added to some of them and omitted others, brought some forward and postponed others. Whatever practices they or others reserve for these days, a Muslim may not imitate them, either in the practice itself or in the manner of performing it.

These practices also include covering their animals in red, coloring foods of a kind scarcely prepared even for the festival ordained by Allah and His Messenger, and exchanging gifts like those given during the pilgrimage seasons. Most of them have forgotten the origin of all this