MUSLIMS, STOP IMITATING THE KUFFAAR!

It is said in a Hadith: "Whoever imitates a people (a community) is considered one of them."

In addition to this Hadith, which is clear and explicit, Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) has, in various ways, made the Ummah-Muslimah (the Muslim community) understand that he must not, in any way, imitate the Kuffaar. For example, he forbade the shaving of the beard and the keeping of the moustache like the infidels. Similarly, he forbade fasting on the tenth day of the month of Muharram only as opposed to the practice of the Jews and consequently recommended fasting either on the ninth and tenth day or the tenth and eleventh day. The prohibition of imitating others is essentially aimed at preserving Islamic identity. This prohibition covers virtually all areas of life – dress, behaviour, worship, marriage, partying, funeral, etc.

Moreover, the Ummah Muslimah is called the best by Allah Ta'ala in the Qur'an Sharif and therefore this ummah should guide, and not be guided by others. The others must imitate him and not vice versa. If he imitates others, this suggests that the way others do things is better than that commanded by Allah Ta'ala and taught by Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam), which would be tantamount to discrediting both Allah Ta'ala and Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) and Islam.

Muslims must understand the significance of their actions and must not stoop to that extent. Their dignity and honour reside in Islam. Hadhrat Umar Faruq (Radiyallahu anhu) said:

"We are a community that Allah has honoured due to Islam."

If today this community is dishonoured, he is the only one to be blamed. This is the inevitable result when one abandons the teachings of Islam, the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) to devote oneself to the practices of the Kuffaar and the Mushrikeen.

The salvation of Muslims, as we have just seen, is found in the practice of the teachings of Qur'an Sharif and in the Sunnahs of Rasulullah (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam). Let us therefore stop imitating the practices of the enemies of Islam when we have a perfect model in our beloved Prophet (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam). The Prophet (Sallallaahu A'laihi Wasallam) said that Muslims have two festivals - Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-Ul-Adha. Other holidays, such as Christmas, New Year, etc. have nothing to do with Islam. Therefore, it is haraam for Muslims to celebrate Christmas or New Year. Those who abstain from these two festivities, to begin with, will have received our message five out of five. As for those who persist in imitating the Kuffaar and the Mushrikeen, we pray to Allah Ta'ala that they may understand before death overtakes them!

[English version of "Musulmans, cessez de singer les kouffaar !" – Al Haadi – Vol. 1 No. 3]