Imitating The Non-muslim
Praise be to Allaah.
The Muslims have no need to imitate any of the other nations in matters of religious rituals and acts of worship, for Allaah has perfected His religion and completed His Favour, and chosen for us Islam as our religion, as He (may He be Glorified and Exalted) had said in Sūrah al-Maa'idah 5: vs 3.
Islam forbids the Muslims to imitate the kuffaar in any way (dressing - eg asslevel/sagging, barbing, walking, talking etc), especially the Jews and Christians, but this prohibition does not apply to all their affairs, rather it applies to matters of their religion and things that are unique to them, by which they are known.
It was narrated from Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you hand span by hand span, cubit by cubit, to the extent that if they entered the hole of a lizard, you will enter it too.” We said: “O Messenger of Allaah, (do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?” He said: “Who else?” [Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1397; Muslim, 4822]
This hadeeth indicates that it is haraam to imitate the Jews and the Christians, and that those who follow them and tread the same path as them are criticized. Islam has reinforced this prohibition, by describing those who imitate the non-muslim as being of them.
It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” [Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3512; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 2691]
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “This at the very least indicates that it is haraam to imitate them, although the apparent meaning is that the one who imitates them is a disbeliever.” [End quote from Iqtida’ al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem, pg. 237]
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “With regard to the phrase “imitation of the kuffaar”, that does not mean that we should not use anything that they have manufactured. No one says such a thing. At the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and afterwards the people used to wear clothes made by the kuffaar and use vessels made by them.
Imitation of the kuffaar means imitating their clothing and appearance, and the customs that are unique to them. It does not mean that we should not ride what they ride or wear what they wear. But if they ride in a specific way that is unique to them, then we should not ride in that way. If they tailor their clothes in a certain fashion that is unique to them, we should not do likewise. But if we have cars that are similar to theirs and fabric that is similar to theirs, there is nothing wrong with that” [End quote from Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 12, question 177]
And he (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “The definition of imitating is when the imitator does something that is unique to those whom he is imitating. Imitation of the kuffaar refers to when a Muslim does something that is one of their unique characteristics. With regard to that which has become widespread among the Muslims and is no longer something by which the kuffaar are distinguished, then this is not imitation of the kuffaar, and it is not haraam because it is an imitation, unless it is haraam for some other reason. What we have said is what is indicated by the meaning of the word tashabbuh (imitation).” [End quote from Majmoo’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 12, question 198.]
Allah knows best.
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