Playing Games with Halloween or Christmas Event
Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question
Is it haram to play video games Halloween or Christmas or Easter events? Is it haram to build a Christmas tree or collect candy corn, Easter eggs, or to buy new items?
Answer
I pray you are well.
It is forbidden to imitate the religious actions and practices of people of of other religions, as explained by the late Damascan hadith expert, Dr Nur al_din ‘Itr, when commenting on the hadith “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (Abu Dawud) (‘Itr, I’lam al-Anam)
Practices non-Muslims that are not religious in nature, such as celebrating birthdays, would not come under this prohibition. Playing a game that has a temporary Halloween or Christmas theme is not the same as celebrating the events of the occult or the Christians.
A Christmas tree is more complicated. Many aspects of the current cultural practices of Christmas are celebrated by non-Christians all over the world, to the point that it could be argued in some places that it is not a religious event for those people; it’s merely a cultural event for them.
However, Christmas is still celebrated by many Christians globally, and much of the discourse around it in popular culture still involves its Christian roots. It’s not possible, therefore, to say that having a Christmas tree in one’s house is permissible. The same would apply to giving Christmas gifts.
Some contemporary scholars do argue that Christmas has largely lost it’s religious significance globally, and they do allow greeting one’s neighbours and colleagues with the greetings particular to those festivals.
It’s safer to avoid, but for someone in this situation, it should be fine to a neutral statement like “Season’s greetings” if one had to say it in an office email for example. Allah knows best.
We ask Allah to allow us to see the great worth of the beautiful religion He has gifted us, and to allow us to celebrate that, always.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with many erudite scholars. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Quranic recital and he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Quranic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.
