Ruling on celebrating Christmas, New Year, and other celebrations of the disbelievers

Questioner:

في الأيام القريبة القادمة يحتفل الكفَّار بأعيادهم التي منها: عيد الكريسمس، وعيد رأس السنة، وغيرها، وأنا في دائرةٍ حكوميةٍ، معنا بعض النَّصارى أعطوا إجازات لحضور وإقامة أعيادهم، ورأيتُ في الخطابات التي وُجِّهت لهم التَّهنئة والتَّبريك من بعض الناس، من رجلٍ مسلمٍ، كما أنَّ كروت التَّهاني تُوزَّع وتُطبع في البلاد، وتُباع في كثيرٍ من المكتبات العامَّة، فهل من نصيحةٍ حول هذا، وبيان الحكم الشرعي؟
“In the coming days, the disbelievers will celebrate their festivals, some of which are Christmas, New Year’s Day, and so on. I am in a government department, and with us are some Christians who have been given leave to attend and celebrate their festivals. I saw congratulations and good wishes from some people, a Muslim man, in the speeches that were addressed to them (in relation to this festival), just as greeting cards are distributed and printed throughout the country, sold in many public bookshops; so is there any advice on this and a statement of the Islāmic ruling?”

Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Bāz رحمه الله (d. 1420 AH) answered:

هذا لا يجوز، تهنئة الكفَّار بأعيادهم مُشافهةً، أو من طريق الهاتف –التليفون- أو بأوراقٍ تُطبع، كل هذا منكر لا يجوز من المسلم، لا في بلاد الإسلام، ولا في غير بلاد الإسلام، لا يُهنِّئهم بأعيادهم، ولا يُشاركهم فيها، ولا يعمل معهم فيها ويُعينهم عليها؛ لأنَّ هذه إعانة على الباطل، فلا يشترك معهم، ولا يُعينهم، ولا يُهنّئهم بأعيادهم الباطلة.
“This is not permissible. Congratulating the disbelievers by way of speech during their festivals, or by phone or printed cards, all of this is evil and it is not permissible for a Muslim to (do so), neither in Muslim countries or non-Muslim countries. Neither does he congratulate them during their festivals nor participate in them, nor does he work with them to aid them in that, because this is tantamount to aiding (someone) upon falsehood; therefore, he neither joins them nor helps them (in this affair), nor congratulates them in their false festivities.”

May Allāh have mercy upon Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbdullāh ibn Bāz and accept his efforts.

All praise is due to Allāh, may His peace & blessings be upon our final Prophet Muḥammad, his family, his companions, & all those who follow him in guidance.

Source:

Ṣafīullāh Labīb ibn Salīm ʿAbd al-Malik
8th of Jumādá ath-Thānī 1444