disobedience to Allah.” Thus, if slaughtering at a place where their festival was held is an act of disobedience, what then of joining them in the festival itself? Indeed, the Commander of the Faithful, Umar ibn al-Khattāb, the Companions, and the other imams of the Muslims stipulated that they must not celebrate their festivals publicly in Muslim lands, but only privately in their homes. What then if Muslims themselves celebrate them publicly? Umar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him, even said:

“Do not learn the languages of the non-Arabs, and do not enter the polytheists’ churches on their festival day, for divine displeasure descends upon them.”

If someone who enters to watch, or for some other purpose, is forbidden to do so because divine displeasure descends upon them, what then of someone who performs the very practices that bring Allah’s displeasure upon them and form part of their religious rites?

More than one of the early Muslims, commenting on the words of Allah Most High,

“And those who do not bear witness to falsehood,”

said that this refers to the festivals of the disbelievers. If this applies to attending them without taking part, what then of performing the practices distinctive to them?

It is reported from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in the Musnad and the Sunan collections that he said:

“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”

Another wording states:

“Whoever imitates those other than us is not one of us.”

This is a good hadith. So if this is the case with imitating them, even if it is