Salamun alaykum, dear readers!
This is an article dedicated to certain cultural issues, since people have various misconceptions about cultural issues in Islam that are not supported by the Quran.
Those misconceptions range from the idea that befriending non-Muslims are forbidden, to the idea that celebrating secular holidays and festivities are forbidden, such as New Year, birthdays, harvest fests, etc.
To begin with, it is worth noting that saying “this is lawful” and “this is unlawful” and falsely attributing it to God has been explicitly denounced in the Quran.
- [16:116] And do not say for what you attribute with your tongues of the lie, “This is lawful, and this is unlawful,” for you may fabricate the lie against God. Indeed, the ones who fabricate the lie against God will not succeed.
Secondly, as seen in multiple Quranic study sessions on YouTube, the Messenger of the Covenant himself celebrated people’s birthdays at his mosque (Masjid Tucson) by leading a group recitation of Surah al-Fatiha for that person, then telling that person to turn to God and ask what that person’s dearest wish is, with the best wish being to stay on the right path.
- He did the same for when someone was about to travel somewhere, or was sick, or had a big test or life event coming up (such as when his sister Soad was about to take the MCAT).
Holidays
It is a common Sunni argument that Muslims must differentiate themselves from disbelievers, thus their holidays should not be celebrated, even if those are secular holidays.
It has been claimed that even if certain habits are secular and non-religious, they are prohibited for Muslims to do if such habits are unique to non-Muslims. Those habits include clothing, food, language, how to braid or tie the hair, how to shave or groom the beard, etc.
However, that is not correct. Islam comes from the Quran, not the words, traditions, and cultures of other human beings. God doesn’t prohibit having the same customs and celebrations as non-Muslims as long as nothing in the Quran is violated.
So if non-Muslims drink alcohol, Muslims should not do it. If anyone steals, murders, lies, or spreads corruption, Muslims should not celebrate that. Muslims should also not celebrate any holidays, rituals, and practices dedicated to the worship of other than God, nor should they do anything else forbidden in the Quran.
But secular holidays are not a category of holidays that are prohibited in the Quran. Therefore, it is not prohibited to celebrate secular or non-religious holidays such as Independence Days, New Year’s Day, Labor Day, birthdays, and harvest fest days.
A holiday is just any day of the year that is picked to celebrate a certain event or occasion. Some holidays occur every year and some holidays occur only once. If your son or daughter graduates college, and you celebrate it with a graduation party, then this is a one-time holiday. Birthdays are an example of a holiday that occurs every year.
So feel free to have fun and celebrate! Just make sure not to forget to worship and show appreciation to God.
Should an Activity Be Avoided if the Prophet Never Did It?
It is a common claim that if the prophet didn’t do something, Muslims shouldn’t do it. This includes celebrating birthdays or other holidays.
But the prophet never drove cars, ate biryani, went to outer space, used the U.S. dollar, spoke English, or traveled by airplane, so is being an English teacher or travelling by plane and having biryani suddenly prohibited? Obviously that’s not true.
All Islamic prohibitions come from the Quran alone.
Why Muslims Can Befriend Non-Muslims
As for the issue of befriending non-Muslims, this misconception that one cannot befriend non-Muslims is based on a mistranslation of the term “awliya” (allies) in certain verses, such as this:
- [4:144] O you who believed, do not take the disbelievers as “awliya” aside from the believers. Do you intend that you make for God a clear authority against you?
People translate “awliya” here to mean “friends”. But “awliya” does not actually mean a friend.
The word for friend in the Quran is “khaleel” , not “awliya”.
This was the case when God stated He took Abraham as a “Khaleel (friend)”.
- [2:254] O you who believed, spend from what We provided you from before that a day may come in which there is neither trade, nor “khullah” (friendship), nor intercession. But the disbelievers are the wrongdoers.
- [4:125] And who is better in religion than whoever submitted his face God, is a good-doer, and followed the creed of Abraham in inclination to correctness? And God has taken Abraham as a “khaleel” (friend).
- [17:73] And indeed, they almost tried you (Muhammad) from the one which We revealed to you, for you may fabricate upon Us other than it, and at once they definitely would have taken you as a “khaleel” (friend).
And not only that, but the Quran declared that the only “wali” (singular form of awliya in Arabic) of the believers is God, the messenger, and other believers. Needless to say, we are not personal friends with God, nor are we personal friends with Muhammad, nor are we personal friends with every single believer on this planet. Thus, “awliya” means ally, rather than friend.
- [5:55] Your only “wali” (ally) is God and His messenger, and the ones who believed—the ones who establish the Salat and give the Zakat—and they are those who bow.
So what does it mean when the Quran states not to ally with non-Muslims?
The term “ally” has a wide range of meanings, and one of them is being allied through shared beliefs. This kind of alliance is also known as “affiliation“. You don’t have to be personal friends with people you are affiliated with.
If you believe that America should have universal healthcare, for example, then you are allied (via affiliation) with those who believe the same thing, even if you aren’t personal friends with them.
There are multiple kinds of affiliations, such as religious affiliation (Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist) and there are political affiliations (Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, etc.) Regardless of what kind, affiliation is a form of alliance made through sharing the same identity or core beliefs.
Likewise, when the Quran forbids allying with non-Muslims, the only form of alliance it is talking about is religious affiliation, which means having shared religious identity and beliefs.
Believers are allies (awliya) with one another and with God and the messenger by no other way except religious affiliation, because we share the same identity and core belief in God through the teachings of the Quran.
- Believers are not personal friends, business allies, trading allies, or any other kind of ally with God and with the messenger beyond religious affiliation or alliance.
A second confirmation that “awliya” in the Quran refers to religious because the Quran states that if one allies themselves with the Jews and Christians, they become one of them.
A practicing Muslim cannot logically become a Jew or Christian simply by taking one of them as a personal friend (khaleel). But if a Muslim switches his religious affiliation to that of Christianity and believes Jesus is God, for example, then logically he is no longer a Muslim and is now a Christian.
- [5:51] O you who believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as “awliya” (allies). They are allies of each other. But whoever among you allies with them, then indeed he is of them. Indeed, God does not guide the people of the wrongdoers.
So in short. the term “awliya” in the Quran does not mean “khaleel” (friends) because the Quran says believers are “awliya” (allies) with God and the messenger, and with each other, but we are not personal friends with God, nor with the messenger, nor with every single believer on the planet.
- Verse 5:51 defines “awliya” as being allies via religious affiliation, because it said allying one’s self with a Jew and Christian means that person becomes a Jew and a Christian. Logically, a Muslim can only become a Jew or Christian by switching their religious affiliation.
- Verse 5:55 provides further proof that “awliya” means alliance through a shared religious affiliation, because it says the only allies are God, the messenger, and the other believers, and we are not allied with God and the messenger in any other way except by religious affiliation (having the same core religious beliefs).
Other Cultural Issues
Drawing, Music, Silk, Wigs, and Pant Length
As for drawing animate objects, music, string instruments, dancing, wearing wigs/hair extensions, wearing silk (for men), wearing pants above the ankle line (for men), eating or drinking with the left hand, drinking water while standing, and shaving the beard, those prohibitions are only found in the Hadith and not the Quran.
Here is an awesome quote from myself on this matter:
“As a Muslim, proudly and confidently draw all the life you want with your left hand, and dance to great music with a clean-shaven face, wearing nice-looking silk clothing that flows past the ankles, all while rocking a stylish wig! Don’t forget to drink a cup of refreshing water with your left hand after all that activity, while standing!”
A wise man
Can Women Be Imams, Khatibs, and Muezzins? Can Men and Women Pray Side-by-Side? Can Women Be in Front of Men in Salat?
Yes to all questions!
I would be honored to have women lead the Salat, call the Adhan, and be khatibs (those who do Friday sermons) at Masjid at-Tajdeed as requested, once this masjid becomes established!
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