Celebrations In Islaam
Impermissible Acts of Celebration

Sinning on `Eeds
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There are many sins and acts of disobedience practiced by some Muslims more frequently during the `Eed days than at other times of the year. To them, the `Eed is an occasion to give up some of the Islaamic principles. They are usually encouraged to do so by the state of joy that they experience during the `Eeds. In the rest of this section, a few of these acts of disobedience are highlighted.
Mingling Of Sexes
One of the frequently practiced acts of disobedience is for men and women who are not mahrams1 to mingle and do things prohibited in Islaam, such as2:
  • Touching and shaking hands.
  • Men and woman chatting, laughing, and sometimes flirting with each other.
  • Men and women looking intently at each other.

Playing Music And Drinking Alcohol
It is very common for people to play music and listen to it during the `Eed. They often associate this with drinking, or with national or belly dancing, all in the name of Islaam! All of this is prohibited by consensus among the early scholars including the Four Imaams. The Prophet saws said:
There will be among my Ummah those who would indulge in hir3, wearing silk4, Khamr5, and musical instruments. Some of those people would camp beside a mountain. A poor shepherd tending their animals would come to them in the evening asking for a need of his. They would say, "Come back tomorrow." So Allaah would destroy (most of) them during the night, bringing the mountain down over them, and would transform others to apes and pigs until the day of Resurrection.6

Muslims are supposed to dress up for the Eed. In doing so, however, both men and women commit many violations of Islaam, among which are the following:
  • Women exposing their heads and other parts of their bodies.
  • Women wearing perfumes, makeup, decorated and alluring clothing, and some national costumes (Sari for example) that contradict Islaamic teachings.
  • Men wearing natural silk or gold.
  • Men wearing tight pants and Western attire.
  • Men shaving their beards.

People often spend extravagantly during the Eed. They waste money on things that are useless and of no benefit for the Muslims. Allaah (SWT) says:

Do not waste your wealth senselessly. Those who spend wastefully are the brothers of the devils; and the Devil is ever ungrateful to his Lord.7
     And Allaah's Messenger saws said:
A son of Aadam will not depart from his position (of reckoning) before his Lord on the day of Resurrection until he is questioned about four things:
  • His lifetime - how did he pass it,
  • his body - how did he utilize it,
  • his wealth - where did he earn it, and how did he spend it,
  • and his knowledge - what did he do with it.8

Neglecting The Poor And Needy
In addition to the extravagance discussed above, many well-to-do people neglect the poor during the Eed. Sometimes, they would treat them in an arrogant and despising manner. Even when they give them zakaat ul-fitr or a portion of the sacrifice, they do that in a haughty way, impressing on them the great favor they are rendering to them. This defeats the purpose of these `Eed offerings, and contradicts the Islaamic teachings concerning brotherhood among the Muslims.
Neglecting The Jamaa`Ah Prayers Without An Excuse
After praying the `Eed prayer in the masjid or musallaa, some people avoid the masjid for the rest of the day! Unless they have an acceptable excuse, they would be committing a sin by that. As emphasized earlier the `Eed is an occasion to increase in obedience and good deeds - not a chance to run away from Islaamic obligations.
  1. Mahram derives from haruma, which means "became prohibited". It refers to specific relatives who, by virtue of blood, suckling, or marriage, become permanently prohibited to marry each other.
         Thus, in addition to a woman's current husband, her mahrams are: her father, grandfather, son, grandson, brother, immediate uncle (from the mother's or father's side), father in law, son in law, foster son, foster brother, etc.
         Examples of non-marams: cousins (on both sides), step brothers, brothers in law, etc.  - Back to text 
  2. These and other problems are discussed in our book, "Islaam vs. Anarchism", to be published, in shaa'a 'Llaah.  - Back to text 
  3. Adultery and fornications.  - Back to text 
  4. Wearing natural silk is prohibited for men.  - Back to text 
  5. Any alcoholic beverage.  - Back to text 
  6. Al-Bukhaaree recorded it without isnaad (no. 5590). But it was connected in four different ways recorded in Abu Daawood and others. It is authenticated by Ibn Hajar, al-Albaanee, and others.  - Back to text 
  7. Al-Israa 17:26-27.  - Back to text 
  8. At-Tirmithee and others; authenticated by al-Albaanee (Irwaa ul-Ghaleel no. 7300).  - Back to text 
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