by Asma bint Shameem
ANSWER
🔺 Religious celebration
The vast majority of the scholars consider thanksgiving a ‘religious’ celebration, and thus say that it’s NOT allowed for us to celebrate it or participate in it.
🍃 The scholars of the Standing Committee said:
“It is not permissible to take part with the non Muslims in their holidays and religious celebrations, due to the description Allaah has given to the servants of the Most-Merciful:
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا
“Those who do not witness “zoor”, and if they pass by falsehood, they pass by it with dignity.”
(Surah al-Furqaan :72)
“al-Zoor” is explained to be:
“the celebrations of the non Muslims and witnessing them, attending them, or taking part in them.”
(The Permanent Council’s second series of Fatwas 1/452-453)
🔺But what if it’s not a religious celebration?
Although, there are some ulama who don’t consider it to be a religious holiday, it would still be wrong to celebrate Thanksgiving because it is an imitation of the non Muslims.
🍃 The Prophet ﷺ said:
‘Whoever imitates a people is one of them.’”
(Abu Dawood, 3512; hasan Saheeh by Al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood 3401).
A Muslim is PROUD of his Islaamic identity.
He does not need to conform to any other people.
🍃 Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said:
“The definition of imitating is when the imitator does something that is unique to those whom he is imitating. Imitation of the disbelievers refers to when a Muslim does something that is one of their unique characteristics.”
(Majmu’ Fatawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 12, question 198)
So think!
Who is it that celebrates Thanksgiving?
Who started this celebration?
🔺But I’m just “thanking” Allaah!
If someone says “We’re just ‘THANKING Allaah’”, it would still be wrong.
That’s because thanking Allaah is an act of ibaadah and doing any act of ibaadah on a specific day or in a particular manner has to have EVIDENCE from the Qur’aan and/or authentic Sunnah in order for it to be valid.
Otherwise it counts as bid’ah. And bid’ah is a huge sin.
In any case, a Muslim does not thank Allaah on ONE particular day; rather he thanks Allaah every single day, every day of the year.
In fact, even if we spends our entire LIFETIME thanking Allaah, it still wouldn’t be enough.
How can we even begin to thank Him for all that He’s blessed us with?
🔺 Know the history of thanksgiving.
🍃 Shaikh Moosaa Richardson said:
“Aside from being a Christian holiday, Thanksgiving is commonly represented by images depicting the “peace” made between the Native Americans and the European pilgrims who arrived in early America.
The bitter reality of true American history stands in stark contrast to the re-written politically correct version promoted by the Americans today.
Before European settlers arrived, America had an entire civilization of people living on its land.
The Europeans invaded, pillaged, and occupied this land.
They fought against its original inhabitants and conquered them, in an attempted mass-genocide of an entire race.
They conveniently re-write this terrible reality as a cheerful peace agreement including the sharing of the crops’ harvest in a warm and friendly dinner celebration called “Thanksgiving”.
To this day, they still credit Europeans with “discovering” America (a previously inhabited land!).
Sadly, many Americans refuse to investigate the real criminal history of their own land.
Even more sadly, some Muslims choose to take part in such a vile conspiracy by observing this day alongside the Christians!
Muslims have a complete Religion, rich with daily offerings of honest worship, thanking and praising Allaah alone.
It is hoped that most Muslims who know their Religion and seek to please their Lord are not involved in the non Muslims’ festivals and holidays in any way whatsoever.
What the majority of the people, Muslims or non-Muslims, feel about a topic has no place in a discussion on the rulings of Islaam.
وإن تطع أكثر من في الأرض يضلوك عن سبيل الله
“If you were to obey most people on earth they would lead you away from the Path of Allaah”
(Surah al-An’aam:116)”
Thus the SAFER and correct opinion is to simply stay away from such things.
What’s the big deal in eating Turkey on a specific day anyway?
And Allaah knows best