What is the ruling on celebrating children's birthdays or attending a birthday party? What is the ruling on congratulating non-Muslim friends and colleagues on Christmas, and on their festival invitations and gifts? And what is the ruling on celebrating Mother's Day and Valentine's Day? A separate explanation of each case is required.

When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to Madinah, the people of Madinah had two days on which they played. He ﷺ said: "Allah has given you in exchange for these two, two days better than them: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr" (Sunan Abi Dawud: 1134; sahih according to al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him). And it is narrated from 'A'ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, that he ﷺ said on the day of Eid: "Every people has an Eid, and this is our Eid" (Sahih Bukhari: 952; Sahih Muslim: 892). From this it is known that appointing days as festivals is the right of the Shariah, and resemblance with non-Muslims in their days and rituals is prohibited: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them" (Sunan Abi Dawud: 4031; hasan sahih according to al-Albani, may Allah have mercy on him). It is on this principle that the decision of all the following cases takes place.

Celebrating a birthday — cake, candles, an annual party on a fixed date — has no basis in the Shariah; it is a custom that has come from non-Muslims which is adopted as an "Eid". Al-Lajnah al-Da'imah was asked about children's birthdays and said: "Celebrating a birthday, or fasting because of a birthday, is all innovation which has no foundation; a Muslim should seek nearness to Allah through the obligatory and voluntary acts of worship He has prescribed and thank Him in every condition" (Fatawa al-Lajnah al-Da'imah: 2/260–261). The fatwa of Shaykh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, is also the same: that celebrating a birthday has no basis in the pure Shariah. Since this party itself stands on an impermissible basis, accepting its invitation and attending, and giving a gift on this very occasion, also counts as participation in it, so that too should be avoided. Some scholars, declaring a birthday a purely worldly custom, did not call it a technical innovation, but still declared it impermissible due to imitation of the disbelievers — so the outcome regarding avoidance is one and the same. Making a child happy and thanking Allah is, however, prescribed, but the annual fixing of a date is not a condition for it; a gift, a supplication and gratitude on any day fulfils this purpose.

It is not permissible to congratulate non-Muslims on their religious festivals (Christmas, Easter, etc.). Imam Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote in "Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimmah" that congratulating the disbelievers on their specific religious symbols is haram by consensus, because in it there is endorsement of their false beliefs and deeds; and Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy on him, transmitted this very statement in his fatawa and gave fatwa upon it. Attending their festival invitations goes beyond that; that too is not permissible. If they congratulate us, they should not be answered in their religious words; general good conduct within the limits of courtesy and kindness is a separate matter. Likewise, holding gatherings like their festival rituals ourselves on these days, and adopting their specific forms of tree and decoration, also enters into this same imitation.

Mother's Day is also an imported custom of this same type; al-Lajnah al-Da'imah and Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymin, may Allah have mercy on him, counted it too among the days involving imitation of non-Muslims. Serving one's mother, taking her supplication and giving her a gift is the duty and virtue of every day; tying it to a non-Shariah fixed day is not correct. The prohibition of Valentine's Day is for two reasons: one, it is a festival of non-Muslims; second, its very content is encouragement of unlawful (non-mahram) relationships, so celebrating it, its gifts and its congratulations are all impermissible.

This prohibition does not mean that manners and relations with non-Muslim neighbours and colleagues should be ended. Allah Almighty said: ﴿لَّا يَنْهَاكُمُ اللَّهُ عَنِ الَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَاتِلُوكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَارِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوا إِلَيْهِمْ﴾ (Allah does not forbid you, regarding those who did not fight you over religion and did not expel you from your homes, from being kind to them and acting justly towards them) (Surah al-Mumtahanah: 8). In ordinary life, accepting their gifts and maintaining justice and kindness remains; the prohibition is only in endorsing their religious festival, congratulating, and imitating the rituals. Where there is compulsion of office or environment, excuse oneself there with gentleness and explanation — no compromise on the boundary of creed, and no harshness in tone either.

Maqasid-based caution: The Shariah has granted the Muslim a distinguished identity; festivals are the symbols of a people. Keeping one's own two Eids alive and maintaining distinction from non-Muslim symbols is the protection of this very identity, whereas in general human manners and dealings Islam has never taught withholding justice and kindness from anyone.

Translated from the original Urdu fatwa.