UNDERSTANDING ISLAM: Al Wala’ wal Bara’ during Non-Muslim holidays

Al Wala’ wal Bara’ literally translates into loyalty and having nothing to do about something. Al Wala’ is the loyalty and love of the Muslim towards his fellow Muslims while Al Bara’ although sometimes translated into enmity or opposition, I’d rather translate it into having nothing to do about something because Al Bara’ does not teach us to hate Non-Muslims, rather it teaches us to distance ourselves from other religions’ belief that is opposing that of Islam and that we should not actively or passively participate in their religious festivities.

Al Bara’ also does not mean that Muslims should hate the Non-Muslims in a harmful way. Rather, it should only be on the basis that Allah’s rights are being violated by Non-Muslims during these festivities in all the wrong belief and vice involved. Al Bara’ only meant that there are limits to the coexistence and cooperation Muslims may have with Non-Muslims.

On the other hand, Al Wala’ does not mean that Muslims should tolerate any form of injustice of the Muslims against the Non-Muslim. Al Wala’ wal Bara’ is the gold standard through which the Muslim deal with other people whether Muslims or Non-Muslims. It wishes to only bring about benefit and keep harm away from people.

Al Wala’ wal Bara’ is safeguarding our own Muslim identity, tradition, and heritage.

GENERAL GUIDELINES

Al Wala’ wal Bara’ is most tested during Non-Muslim holiday seasons in which many Muslims do not have much idea about.

As a general rule, Muslims cannot have any form of participation in their celebrations such as birthday, anniversaries, and holidays such as Christmas and New Year and others. Not participating means that one should not attend their parties, exchange gifts, and others.

Greeting or exchanging greetings with Non-Muslims in their holidays is also forbidden in Islam. Christmas and other religious festivities are among these because these celebrations are made to commemorate things that Muslims do not believe in even though Muslims love and respect Mary and Jesus in Islam.

What a Muslim must do during these times is to avoid these and if ever he was invited or greeted he only has to politely declare that he or she is a Muslim and make a brief explanation on why we cannot greet them back or celebrate with them. Actually, you may find this awkward at first or quite impolite but most people will respect your decision.

Participating in Non-Muslim festivities is easy enough to understand but there are some issues that are vague to many Muslims such as the passive participation in these events by selling Christmas décor, gift wraps, firecrackers and others. These are all forbidden in Islam too, because the Muslim vendor may not be greeting them or physically present in their parties, he is indirectly supporting them in their festivities.

However, if a Muslim vendor is selling food that may be served in a Chrismas or New Year’s party, the scholars see no problem in it because this was sold not with the intention of having people use it for their holidays but rather as a prime commodity. The same applies to those who sell toys, clothing or anything that may be bought by the buyer with the intention of being given as gift. A Muslim may still sell these to the buyer even during Christmas season.

Another issue that occurs during the holiday season is whether a Muslim may or may not accept gifts. Generally, most scholars have agreed that Muslims may accept gifts in order to avoid alienating the Non-Muslims much and in hopes that they come closer to Islam. However, Muslims may actively decline any gifts that are of Haram or forbidden kinds such as gifts of liquor, pork, religious images or statues as he will not have any use for it and it will only end up being thrown away. Muslims may not actively seek out to be given gifts too. The situation given is only when gift was given without the Muslim asking.

Christmas bonuses is also an issue of concern of many Muslim employees in Non-Muslim companies on which our scholars say that there is no problem in accepting it. This is usually the 13th-month pay that is stipulated by our own labor laws but was renamed as such because companies usually pay it off during December. And even if it is just a gift, our scholars have already allowed us to accept it as earlier discussed.

MUSLIMS WHO CELEBRATE NON-MUSLIM HOLIDAYS

Any Muslim who celebrates Non-Muslim holidays or even his birthday, anniversary or others are sinning. This is because Muslims only have two holidays, Eidul Fitr after Ramadhan and Eidul Adha after Hajj.

The celebration of Non-Muslim holidays also constitutes heresy as this celebration is a form of acquiescence in the belief that is accompanying it. Celebrating Christmas is symbolically a celebration of the divinity of Jesus and greeting them for Christmas is showing that you are happy that people see Jesus as a god that should be worshipped other than Allah.

Any participation is a participation in disobedience in Allah and associating partners with Allah in worship.

Another danger of having Muslims celebrate Non-Muslim holidays is that the Non-Muslims will have the opinion that it is ok for Muslims to celebrate these making them come to the wrong conclusion that any Muslim who do not celebrate Christmas or other Non-Muslim holidays are extremists or fundamentalists. And this is really not helping at all in our effort to dispel that Islam is a religion that coexists with other religions.

I know that it does feel awkward at times to be different from the people around us but as Muslims, we are proud to be different because we are different for a noble reason. We are different in upholding Allah’s unity in His right to be worshipped alone.

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