Congratulating Christian during Christmas by Yusuf al Qaradawi

An Abridged Translation of Al - Qaradawi's Fatwa
By Abdullahi A. Lamido


Sheikh Yusuf Al - Qaradawi was asked about the status of congratulating Christians during Christmas by a Muslim PhD student who was studying in a University in Europe. He said his colleagues and lecturers congratulate him and present gifts to him during Eid celebrations, so could he do the same to them during theirs. The fatwa he gave, which was later adopted by the Fatwa Council of Europe, is translated below (in an abridged form):


The Qur'an has provided a general formula that will guide our relations with non Muslims when it says:

"Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who do not fight against you on account of religion nor drove you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity. It is only as regards those who fought you on account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that Allah forbids you to befriend them. And whoever befriends them then such are the wrongdoers. (QS 60:8-9).

In our relationship with peaceful non - Muslims, the Qur'an requires that we do al - birr and al - qist to them. And al - birr is beyond Justice as it entails doing good and extending kindness to them. Justice is to give a person his due while al - birr is to give him more than his rights in form of kindness and generosity.

Al - birr is the term used by the Qur'an in describing the most important right in Islam after that of Allah, ie birr al - walidain, kindness to parents.

Bukhari and Muslim report that Asma' bint Abubakar asked the Prophet (SAW) whether she could visit her mother who was a mushrikah (not even ahl al - Kitab who are closer to Muslims) and extend kindness to her. The Prophet approved that to her.

The Qur'an has permitted eating the food and slaughtered animals of the people of the book and marrying their women (QS 5:5).

One natural implication of marriage is mutual love between the couple as the Qur'an says: "And among His signs is that He has created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find tranquility in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy". (QS 21:21).

After all how would one not love his wife who is also the guardian of his home, his life partner and mother of his children, despite Allah's saying in respect of the mutual relations between married couple that " they are your garments and you are their garments (2:187).

Again among the implications of marriage and its fruits are that the families of the couple would become in - laws to each other, and that is one of the things that naturally create strong ties among human beings as described in the Qur'an: Furqan 54.

Another natural consequence of marriage is motherhood and the attendant rights associated with it including the right of the mother towards her child.

Now, would it be part of al - birr and good relationship for a son not to congratulate his mother during her most important celebrations? And what would be his stand in relation to her relatives such as his grandparents, aunts and children of her sisters? All these are his relatives who have rights over him as stated in the Qur'an (anfal 75) and Nahl 90.


Given that the rights of motherhood and kinship make it necessary on Muslim men and women to strengthen the ties of kinship to them, then it is necessary for a Muslim to demonstrate to them the good characters taught by Islam. 

The Prophet (SAW) says "... And relate to all people with good characters". Here he says "all people", not only Muslims. The Prophet also encourages rifq towards non Muslims and warned against 'unf against them.

Another reason for the permissibility of congratulating them - specifically those among them who also congratulate Muslims during their festivities - is that we have been commanded to respond to good with good and to respond to greetings with better forms of greeting as in Qur'an 4:87.

It does not behove a Muslim to express lesser kindness and good to the people who do same to him. Rather the Muslim should demonstrate more kindness and magnanimity to the other as explained by the Prophet (SAW): "The best of the believers are the best of them in terms of character". And he says "I have only been sent to perfect good characters".

This kindness is even more relevant when we want to call them to Islam and draw them closer to it and also cause them to like Muslims. These cannot be achieved through harshness.

The Prophet (SAW) used to relate with the mushrikun of Quraish based on kindness throughout the Makkan period despite their hostility and persecution of him and his companions, to the extent that they, because of how they trusted him, used to give him their properly for safe keeping. 

When he was to migrate to madinah he had to ask Ali (RA) to take back some of those property to their Mushrik owners.

Therefore, it is not forbidden for a Muslim individual or Islamic organization to congratulate them in this occasion, either verbally or through sending a card that does not carry any symbol of their faith or religious proclamation that contradicts Islamic principles, such as the cross, as Islam is against the concept of the cross (see Qur'an 4:157).

It is known that the words used here are usually free from supporting or agreeing with their faith. They are rather ordinary words of mujamalah, kindness.
Again it is not wrong to collect their gifts and reciprocating same to them, for, the Prophet (SaW) accepted gifts from non Muslims such as Muqauqish the leader of the qibts of Misr. But this is with the condition that the gifts do not fall within forbidden things such as intoxicants and pork etc.

I am aware that Sheikhul Islam Ibn Taymiyyah had gone strong in the issue of the festivities of mushrikun and Ahl al - Kitab in his excellent book: Iqtida' Sirat al - Mustaqim Mukhalafat Asha al - Jahim.

And I am with his opinions regarding forbidding Muslim's celebration of the festivities of mushrikun and people of the book, like some Muslims who celebrate Christmas as they do for Eid, or even more. This is forbidden. 

We have our festivities as they have theirs. However, I do not see any harm in congratulating the people for their festivities by a person who has connection, blood relations, neighbourhood social friendship or other social relate with them which will often require mutual affection and kindness.

It is clear that Ibn Taymiyyah issued his fatwa in the light of the realities of his age. And if he (may Allah be pleased with him) were to live in our world and witness how close relationships have been built between human communities and how the world has been reduced to a global village; if he sees how Muslims are in need of relating with some Muslims, and how non Muslims have become Professors and lecturers of the Muslims - unfortunately! - in the sciences and engineering; if he observes the necessity of going close to them for the purpose of da'wah and presenting Muslims as people of kindness not harshness, as givers of glad tidings not rejectors; if he realises that a Muslim's congratulatory message to his neighbour or colleague or his University Professor during such festivities does not in any way imply accepting his christian belief or supporting him in what according to our belief is kufr; if he sees how even the Christian himself does not see that festivity as a religiously sanctioned celebration that draws him near to God but ordinarily a socio-cultural event (as believed by most Christians) used for enjoyment and exchange of gifts, food and drinks among families and friends; if Ibn Taymiyyah were to live in our age and see all this he would have changed his position - and Allah knows best - or at least he would have softened his fatwa. This is because he (may Allah be pleased with him) used to consider time, space and circumstances in issuing fatwas.


Translated 24th December 2015

Wallahu'alam