Example 2 – The incessant encouragement of people to accept and join each other’s religious celebrations.

Allah (S.W.A) forbade us to belittle or abuse other people’s beliefs. Allah (S.W.A) speaks:

“Revile not you those who they call upon besides Allah (S.W.A), lest they, out of spite, revile Allah in their arrogance. Thus have we made alluring to each people its own doing. In the end, will they return to their Lord, and we shall then tell them the truth of all that they did. (6:108)”

 This verse does not imply in anyway that we should celebrate with them as a gesture of cooperation and goodwill. To do so is wrong. Other people may celebrate their celebrations. We don’t judge them, but we don’t join them either. Celebration is worship. When we celebrate religious holidays with people who join Allah (S.W.A) with other gods, we are committing a sin of shirk. What if death meets us there in merry-making where people worship other objects other than Allah (S.W.A) – what will we tell our creator the purpose of our being there?
Again, other people’s holiday celebrations promoted as worldwide celebrations will soon drown out our own celebrations and make them obsolete. There will come a time when people will not remember to pray Salat Eid-al-Adha, because no one reminded them and their own minds would be full of other holiday celebrations (hyper activated to captivate all humankind’s senses).

    These are the only celebrations Muslims should focus on and keep in mind: the two eids – Eid-al-Fitr, and Eid-al-Adha; Aqiqah – that is a sacrifice of an animal and a celebration held for the birth of a child, and this is done once in a lifetime; the wedding ceremony; and the funeral prayer.

    Do you know how people all along through history went off the straight path and began to worship entities like the sun, dead parents, or righteous people extra? It all began like it is happening today. One person, for example, suggests to the common people to do something nice for the sun, for example, for the great part it plays in food production. Well, the people do not think of or see anything seriously wrong about it, and therefore, see no harm in saying thank you to the sun. Not before long, the old people who know about Allah (S.W.A), as the reason for the sun’s existence die off. After two or three generations the people completely forget about the real power behind the sun, which is Allah (S.W.A), and start worshiping the sun itself. You may say, ‘That is common sense. Who in his/her right mind would worship the sun?’ The Mayas of South America did it to the extent that they sacrificed their own daughters and sons to the sun god. These people were not stupid at all. Mayas were great astronomers and great mathematicians. The Egyptians, too, threw their carefully chosen daughters to the crocodiles of River Nile – all for the worship of the river. How can great men and women of Egypt, well known for the great structures they left behind, swerved from the true worship of Allah (S.W.A), their creator? They succumbed to the glittering temptations to worship these dieties. The same thing is going to happen to us if we give in and start to celebrate ourselves, our parents, our teachers, Shaitan himself (so that we can scare him away) etc. Let us respect, be grateful, and hold dear these good people in our hearts, but it is wrong to designate any of Allah (S.W.A)’s days for their praises and celebration. Allah (S.W.A) speaks:     

     “Among His signs are the night and the day, and the moon and the sun. Adore not the sun and the moon, but adore Allah (S.W.A), who created them, if it is Him you wish to serve (41:37)”.

Save celebrations and praises for the true owner of them. Be very careful and sure before you join in the many celebrations in the world today. If they do not make us forget the praises of Allah (S.W.A), our children or the children of our children may not escape this fate, which may mount to shirk. Remember, shirk is the only one sin not forgiven by Allah (S.W.A).