As discussed earlier, Allaah (T) and His Messenger (S) have warned us against following or imitating non-Muslims in things which are characteristic of their religions or beliefs. This is more emphasized in the case of their eids or occasions, which always hold some religious or ideological non-Islaamic meanings, and on which the kuffaar indulge in many evil practices. Differing from them on such occasions includes the following:

1. Staying completely away from the kuffaar's celebrations. This means to avoid places where they perform their holiday practices and to avoid participating with them in such practices (Christmas and New Year parties, Halloween trick-and-treat nonsense, Thanksgiving celebration and dinner, Fourth of July fireworks, First of April lies, birthday parties, anniversaries, etc).
2. Avoiding doing, ourselves, things which pertain to the practices of the kuffaar on such occasions (allowing Christmas trees in our homes or offices, inviting our friends to a Turkey dinner on Thanksgiving day, allowing members of our families to purchase or borrow Halloween attires, holding birthday or anniversary parties for our family members, etc).
3. Avoiding to congratulate the kuffaar on their occasions. For, How can we bring ourselves to congratulate or wish people well for their disobedience to Allaah (T)? Thus expressions such as: happy Thanksgiving, happy birthday, happy New Year, etc, are completely out. The only possible happiness is in true imaan!
4. Avoiding to celebrate our eids in a way which is meant to copy the ways of the kuffaar (mingling and shaking hands between men and women, improper cover for both genders, etc).
5. Avoiding to initiate certain occasions or eids in imitation to theirs (the Day of the Earth, the Day of Iowa Muslims, etc.)

Bid'ahs and Sinning on Eids

It has been shown above that eids are meant to be purely Islaamic occasions and practices. They are not liable to the innovation or disobedience of people. The warnings concerning bid'ahs (and sinning in general) clearly applies to them. Thus:

1. Celebrating so called Islaamic occasions other than the three days prescribed by Allaah is a bid'ah which is rejected by Islaam, because it consists of introducing new rites and worships which only Allaah or His Messenger (S) have the right to do. This applies to occasions like the Prophet's Birthday, the Hijri New Year's Day , the Middle of Sha'baan and the like.
2. ntroducing certain baseless practices during the three legitimate days is also a bid'ah. On these days, people choose, for instance, to visit graveyards and distribute sweets there, to read specific portions of the Qur aan, to specify the preceding night for extended worship, and to do other things which have no valid evidence.
3. Committing all sorts of innovations and sins in imitation to the kuffaar and the ignorant Muslims is obviously a combination of bid'ahs and other forms of disobedience which are emphasized by that people get involved in them at the time when they are supposed to be performing a purely religious worship.

Conclusion

To preserve our identity and our dignity, and to attain Allaah's love and acceptance (which means peace and happiness in this life and ultimate prosperity in the Hereafter), let us adhere to what pleases Him as he instructed in His Book or in His Messenger's Sunnah; and remember: eids and celebrations are no exception to that. We ask Allaah for guidance. H3>Footnotes

1. Abd - Devoted servant and worshipper.
2. Bid'ah - Innovation in the creed or in acts of worship.
3. The foregoing paragraphs are a translation of Khutbat ul-Haajah (the Sermon of Need) with which the Messenger (S) used to start his speeches and which he was keen to teach hs companions.
4. Eids - Holidays and other recurring events.
5. Deen - The reliigion od Islaam practised as a complete way of life.
6. Qiblah - The Direction (of Al-Ka'bah) faced by Muslims in prayer.
7. Jannah Gardens of Paradise
8. Aayah - A portion of the Qur'an which is usually about one sentence long.
9. Kuffar - Those who reject Islam - disbelievers.