American Muslims and national holidays

[Grace Seeker]

I'm curious as to whether American Muslims celebrate things like Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, the 4th of July?

I know that Islam teaches against innovations, and that there are only two Islamic holidays. But I also know that Muslim regularly celebrate national holidays in countries such as Turkey. So, is there any sense among Muslims in the USA, especially among American born Muslims, not immigrants, as to the appropriateness of celebrating non-religious, national holidays?

['Abd Al-Maajid]

I dont know about Islamic holidays in The US

I know that Islam teaches against innovations, and that there are only two Islamic holidays.

And you know the most important thing in Islam, regarding innovation.

[Muslim Woman]

Salaam/ Peace

there are only two Islamic holidays.

We have 2 Eid festivals . Don't know if it means we can't celebrate any non-religious hoilday. In my country , we have holidays on National Victory Day , Independent day etc.

btw don't have much idea about how people celebrate Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, the 4th of July . If they drink alcohol and give thanks to Jesus pbuh , then a muslim can't take part in that .

[Grace Seeker]

btw don't have much idea about how people celebrate Thanksgiving, Memorial Day, the 4th of July . If they drink alcohol and give thanks to Jesus pbuh , then a muslim can't take part in that .

I suppose some people do. Some people celebrate Mother's Day that way. But that is not what the days are themselves about. These are not Christian holy days; they are national holidays. Any decision to drink alcohol or to give thanks to Jesus are purely personal choices.

The most religious in character would be Thanksgiving, and the specifics of it are laid out in the proclamation by Abraham Lincoln which set it:

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.
Abraham Lincoln

The 4th of July is our American Independence Day. A lot of alcohol is consumed that day, but drinking is not a prerequisite part of the celebration of the nation's independence.

Memorial Day officially commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while in the miliatry service. In practice it has become a time of remembering all who served in the nation's military and have since passed away. Many individuals also treat this as a sort of personal day of remembrance for any and all family members they have lost whether or not they ever served in the nation's military.

[Predator]

What is the logic of setting aside a day e.g. “Thanks giving day” for this?

Thanksgiving is 24/7 365 days to my creator.

‘Jesus is a prophet close to my heart. It does not mean I’ll be “celebrating” X-mas!

Likewise, it is laughable that a day in the year is allocated to “celeberate” Mothers Day.

Why not celebrate Haloween’s too because of our own belief in Jinns?

Such “celebration days” are random or paganistic allocations now used as money making schemes masked by noble cause excuses.

Our ‘Eid’s are but two.

Gratitude to Allah and His creation, good behaviour towards mother, loving the wife…. and other such noble actions are FOR LIFE… not for a date that is commodified and commercialised to milk out cash from hapless zombies lost in WalMart world.

As Muslims when We should not be mindless zombies just celebrating things left and right because thats the garbage society and media feed us.

In modern times people are known to overeat to disgusting excess, especially so during Thanksgiving and this is totally contradictory to the sunnah. Who are we emulating when we indulge in such practices ?

There’s obviously nothing wrong with a family getting together because they have break, however getting together because its thanksgiving and having a turkey and everything is completely following the ways of the non-muslims, pure imitation. There’s a saying that state, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery”, by imitating the non-muslims are we not saying that we have some type of love for their ways?

The Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “Whoever resembles a people is one of them.” (Recorded by Abu Dawud).

Why would ANY Muslim want to take the risk of being like the non-muslims, when this act is so disgraceful in the eyes of the Allah.And what are we taking this risk for anyway, to eat some turkey?

If any Muslims have doubt on this issue then may I remind you of another hadith, “Leave that which makes you doubt for that which does not make you doubt.”

May Allah swt guide the Muslims, may he protect us from following the wretched path of the disbelievers. Ameen.

[Grace Seeker]

Airforce, are you an American Muslim? I was specifically looking for the views of American-born Muslims.

[Yassouid]

Im an American Muslim and I've never celebrated any of these holidays; though i know some Muslims who do. Its hard to say whether they do or not because where do you make the distinction if they are celebrating the holiday or just coming together with family because school is out.

My parents would always tell me (and my siblings) that when Allah (saw) and the angels look down on earth and see some Americans drinking or partying (usually for new years) that we should do the complete opposite and pray or read Quran.

The same applies to birthdays, a lot of families have birthday parties even though i'm not sure its completely Islamic.

Lastly, you can have a lot of celebrations in your home other than the two Eids, but they should be based on merit such as graduating, good grades, and memorizing Quran. This is merely my opinion.
Allahu A'lam.

[جوري]

I am an American Muslims and NO I don't participate nor celebrate any national holiday or commercial one!

all the best

[Tyrion]

Yup, I celebrate things like Thanksgiving.

[Grace Seeker]

Thanks. It was just a curiousity, but these responses were helpful. I had wished a Muslim friend a Happy Thanksgiving, and later thought that maybe it would not be received in the way I had extended it.

If I read your replies properly, it seems that it is neither right nor wrong in and of itself to celebrate or not celebrate national holidays. But rather what you personally understand yourself as celebrating and the manner in which one actually engages in the celebration are the major issues.

[Maryan0]

Many holidays are celebrated all over the Muslim world besides the 2 Eids and I dont know if you can refer to them as bidah because in that case most things cultural would fall under that and we are allowed to have a culture. Very confusing? I wonder what the Islamic stance is on celebrating holidays specific to whatever countries.
I'm not from the USA but I am from n. America and as a kid we set off crackers on Canada day but we weren't exactly celebrating it was just an excuse.
Salam

[جوري]

Thanks. It was just a curiousity, but these responses were helpful. I had wished a Muslim friend a Happy Thanksgiving, and later thought that maybe it would not be received in the way I had extended it.

I have no feelings one way or the other toward national holidays and it doesn't give me the day off from work either, ironically so-- since the preference is to make Muslims in general grab the shifts those days to let others celebrate . strangely enough also on the nights when there is daylights savings time almost always end up on night-float so as to suffer an extra hour which doesn't count as over time.

[Perseveranze]

I have to admit something, even the non-religious people seem to celebrate Christmas, without even knowing any background or history of it. It's almost like Halloween, like a traditional celebration rather than a religious one.

[Yassouid]

I have no feelings one way or the other toward national holidays and it doesn't give me the day off from work either, ironically so-- since the preference is to make Muslims in general grab the shifts those days to let others celebrate . strangely enough also on the nights when there is daylights savings time almost always end up on night-float so as to suffer an extra hour which doesn't count as over time.

Yeah i remember my dad used to always be on call for the week before and after Christmas. It was upsetting as kids as we had off school and barely got to see him.

The day of day light savings has always confused me, its the only day you can start something at 1:30am and finish it by the same day at 1am.

[Ramadhan]

When the christian holidays (easter, christmas) are given official national holiday status, I wonder why Muslim not given theirs.

[جوري]

When the christian holidays (easter, christmas) are given official national holiday status, I wonder why Muslim not given theirs.

Have you seen Muslims painted in any positive light, even bidding on federal auctions yesterday by an Islamic center was met with the usual rabid gore like reaction.. these gits have a long way to go before we can even expect a day off. At my sister's hospital one Muslim girl asked for Eid off and the guy who shares her shift was so pissed off, he actually said along with an onslaught of foul tirade that Islam is a cult. I hope he got disciplinary action for it considering the director is Muslim, but I highly doubt it. Muslims who hold high positions here tend to cower from their true responsibilities. I had to write an email to get Eid off and everyone was looking at me funny the next day, like they'd never heard of such a holiday.. I am actually glad I explained what the holiday is and means to Muslims in my email..

:w:

[YusufNoor]

Airforce, are you an American Muslim? I was specifically looking for the views of American-born Muslims.

there is no need for these holidays, but you mentioned:

Thanksgiving - Alhumdulillah is better than any turkey day for it contains within in it, La Ilaha Illallah!

Memorial Day - people die so corporations and bankers can make billions, what's to celebrate?

the 4th of July - ah yes, the people of the colonies took their independence from the Bank of England and later gave it up for the Federal Reserve! brilliant! and their dignity? gone to the TSA!

But I also know that Muslim regularly celebrate national holidays in countries such as Turkey

uh huh, Turkey? there's a bastion of Islam, eh?

[Woodrow]

When the christian holidays (easter, christmas) are given official national holiday status, I wonder why Muslim not given theirs.

Here in the USA the 10 National Holidays are:

United States Legal Federal Holidays 2011
• January 1, 2011 (saturday): New Year's Day [Jan. 1 every year]
• January 17, 2011 (monday): Martin Luther King Day [3rd monday in Jan]
• February 21, 2011 (monday): Presidents Day (observed) [3rd monday in Feb]
note: Presidents Day is also Washington's Birthday (observed)
• May 30, 2011 (monday): Memorial Day (observed) [last monday in May]
• July 4, 2011 (monday): Independence Day [July 4th every year]
• September 5, 2011 (monday): Labor Day [1st monday in Sept]
• October 10, 2011 (monday): Columbus Day (observed) [2nd monday in Oct]
• November 11, 2011 (friday): Veterans' Day [Nov. 11 every year]
• November 24, 2011 (thursday): Thanksgiving Day [4th thursday in Nov]
• December 25, 2011 (sunday): Christmas Day [Dec. 25 every year]
December 26, 2011 (monday): federal employees extra day off for Christmas

Extra Federal Holiday every 4th year: Inauguration Day - next on January 21, 2013. It happens on Jan 20th after the U.S. Presedential Election, held every 4 years. Since January 20th in 2013 is on a sunday, observance is on monday, Jan 21st.

Be Aware if a federal public holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
Sometimes ... many Federal, State, City, Postal, Bank employees, other workers take an extra day off work. When a holiday falls on saturday, they might not work on the preceding friday. When a holiday falls on sunday, they might not work on the following Monday. See July 4th and Christmas in 2010 above.

SOURCE

Although many Americans consider Christmas as being a religious holiday the Federal Government doesn't. Most employers now allow workers to take off 1 or 2 religious holidays of the workers choice each year. In Austin TX Muslim School children are permitted to take off the 2 Eids as Religious Holidays. I do not know if any other school districts do the same.

[Predator]

there is no need for these holidays, but you mentioned:

Thanksgiving - Alhumdulillah is better than any turkey day for it contains within in it, La Ilaha Illallah!

Memorial Day - people die so corporations and bankers can make billions, what's to celebrate?

the 4th of July - ah yes, the people of the colonies took their independence from the Bank of England and later gave it up for the Federal Reserve! brilliant! and their dignity? gone to the TSA!

uh huh, Turkey? there's a bastion of Islam, eh?

Yeah its evident he is looking for the opinions of deviant sects for his own personal satisfaction.

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Volume 7, Book 69
From among my followers there will be some people who will consider illegal sexual intercourse, the wearing of silk, the drinking of alcoholic drinks and the use of musical instruments, as lawful. "

What else can one expect from someone who follows his own desires and abrogate his Lord's commandments

[glo]

In Austin TX Muslim School children are permitted to take off the 2 Eids as Religious Holidays. I do not know if any other school districts do the same.

The same happens in our local schools.

One of my social work colleagues is a Muslim, and she has never had any problems taking time off for Eid. Last year during Ramadan she worked shorter days so she could go home and prepare the Iftar meals; this year she took the entire month of Ramadan off, without any problems.