Asalaam alekom. Are we allowed to contribute in Christmas hamper competition at school? Where your toddler is supposed to bring some item according to colour theme and they will be collected for contest.
is it ok to participate in? Also they ask for donation. Will participating in donations be ok? And be acceptable? Kindly let us know asap
“There are a number of points that must be considered when discussing (the non-Muslims’) festivals and holidays. First, festivals and holidays are from the wide range of laws, ways, and rites that Allah (Subhaanu wa ta’ala) describes in the verse, ‘For every nation We have established rites that they follow,’ such as facing the Qiblah, prayer and fasting. There is no difference between joining them in their festivals and joining them in their other rites. Agreeing to their holiday is agreeing to infidelity (Kufr), and agreeing to some minor aspects (of their religion) is like agreeing to a branch of infidelity. In fact, the holidays and festivals are one of the major items that distinguishes their customs and laws, and are one of the most obvious of their rites. Agreeing to it is agreeing to one of the most specific of the acts of infidelity and one of the most blazon of their rituals. There is no doubt that agreeing to or being in accord with something of that nature can only lead to apostasy, in general, given its conditions”
“Giving congratulations on the special events that are specific to the disbelievers, such as congratulating them on their holidays by saying, “Blessed holiday for you,” or other similar greetings, is considered forbidden by the agreement of the scholars. Even if the one who states it is free from any aspect of apostasy, it is still a forbidden act and it is the same as congratulating them upon their prostrations to the crucifix. In fact, that is one of the greatest sins in Allah’s (Subhaanu wa ta’ala) sight. That is a greater sin than congratulating them for drinking wine, having illegal sexual intercourse and so on. Many of them who are not very religious do such things and they do not know how evil what they are doing really is. Whoever congratulates another human for any sin, heresy, or act of apostasy has exposed himself to the punishment and anger of Allah (Subhaanu wa ta’ala). The pious people from the early scholars would avoid congratulating the oppressors when they received positions of authority or the ignorant when they were given judicial or teaching positions in order to avoid the punishment of Allah (Subhaanu wa ta’ala) and falling from His Grace. If a person would be compelled to go to such people to repel any evil that he expected from him, only to speak well to him and to ask Allah (Subhaanu wa ta’ala) to guide him, there is nothing wrong with that.”
“In the same way that is not allowed for them to publicly (celebrate their holidays), it is not allowed for the Muslims to assist them for the holidays or to help them or to attend (their ceremonies) with them according to the agreement of the people of knowledge. In fact, the jurists who follow the four legal schools have made this clear in their books. Abu al-Qasim al-Tabari wrote, ‘It is not allowed for Muslims to attend their (the disbelievers’) holidays and festivals because they are a type of evil falsehood. If the people of good mix with the people of evil without putting an end to what they are doing then they become like those who are pleased and influenced by the evil. And we fear falling into Allah’s (Subhaanu wa ta’ala) anger because of their gathering.’”
Sheikh al-Islam ibn Taimiya wrote in Iqtidha al-Sirat al-Mustaqeem (vol.1, p.470),
Indeed, beyond that, the scholars have even stated that it is not allowed for Muslims to congratulate the non-Muslims on their holidays or festivals. Ibn al-Qayyim in Ahkam Ahl al-Dhimma (vol. 1, p. 205) writes,
Ibn al-Qayyim has included a beneficial section mentioning the opinions of the scholars concerning this matter (Ahkam Ahl al-Dhikmma, vol. 2, p. 722). It shall be reproduced here with some abridgment:
Base on all above quotations, answer is clearly no. Excuse yourself once and they will not bother you again. Or else you will have to be part of this festival every year and it will eventually make you or your kids one of them.
School observance of festivals of different religions is part of religious education and overall has a secular motive to it, I. E to have good interfaith relations respecting one another's religions, under the umbrella of secularism, so they are not meant as religious in nature
However, overly religious things of non Muslims' religions should be avoided, such as the nativity play or singing cumbaya.
It is best to avoid participation in non Muslim religions' activities altogether, however if it means kids often missing school or its against school's wishes, this could be problematic as school staff and headteacher can give the child's family a hard time if they want such as getting social services involved on slightest excuses
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