Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Respected Brother,

Is it true that if we do whatever is sunnah, it covers up ur mistakes which was committed in the fard??

and shouldnt we attend any of the celebrations of our friends?? My sister when invitied by one of her friends for a party, openly refused to attend it saying that we are not allowed too attend celebrations. Is this good? I think it hurts other people's feeling when we do so. Please advice.

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Answer:

Pagan festivals

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: Is it true that if we do whatever is sunnah, it covers up ur mistakes which was committed in the fard??

Abu Hurairah (r.a.) reports that the Prophet (saws) said: "The first thing that the people will be called to account for on the Day of Resurrection will be the prayers. Our Lord will say to the Angels although He Knows better: 'Look into the ‘salah’ of my servant to see if he observed it perfectly or been negligent in it. So if he observed it perfectly it will be recorded to his credit, but if he had been negligent in it in any way, Allah would say: ‘See if My servant has any supererogatory (Nafl, Sunnah, etc.) prayers.’ Then if he has any supererogatory prayers, Allah would say: ‘Make up the deficiency in My servant's obligatory prayer with his supererogatory prayers.' Thereafter all his actions will be examined in like manner"

Related by Abu Dawud.

Supererogatory (Nafl, Sunnah, etc.) worship is obviously no substitute for the worship which is considered as ‘Fard’ or obligatory in Islam; but in light of the absolutely clear guidance of the Messenger of Allah (saws), if one has been negligent or has a shortcoming in fulfilling his obligatory rites, in His Infinite and Sublime Mercy, The Lord Most Gracious Most Merciful will fulfill that deficiency of His believing slave through their supererogatory worship. 

Your Question: ….and shouldnt we attend any of the celebrations of our friends?? My sister when invitied by one of her friends for a party, openly refused to attend it saying that we are not allowed too attend celebrations. Is this good? I think it hurts other people's feeling when we do so. Please advice.

If one is invited by their believing brethren to partake food with them, it is considered ‘wajib’ or obligatory in Islam to accept the lawful invitation of their believing brethren.

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3732  Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar

The Prophet (saws) said: ‘He who does not accept an invitation which he receives has disobeyed Allah and His Messenger (saws)’ and he who enters without invitation enters as a thief and goes out as a raider.’

Al-Muwatta Hadith 28.50

Yahya related from Malik from Shihab from al-Araj that Abu Hurayra said, "The worst food is the food of a wedding feast to which only the rich are invited and the poor are left out. If anyone rejects an invitation, he has rebelled against Allah and His Messenger (saws)."

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.742         Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet (saws) said, "I shall accept the invitation even if I were invited to a meal of a sheep's trotter, and I shall accept the gift even if it were an arm or a trotter of a sheep."

Sahih Muslim Hadith 3348     Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Allah's Messenger (saws) said: ‘If any one of you is invited, he should accept (the invitation) In case he is fasting he should pray (in order to bless the inmates of the house) and if he is not fasting he should eat.’

Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 3747  Narrated by Abdur Rahman al-Himyari

A companion of the Prophet (saws) reported him as saying: ‘When two people come together to issue an invitation, accept that of the one whose door is nearer in neighborhood; but if one of them comes before the other accept the invitation of the one who comes first.’

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4643        Narrated by Ali ibn AbuTalib

Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "One Muslim should do six acts of kindness to another: he should salute him when he meets him, accept his invitation when he gives one, say 'Allah have mercy on you' when he sneezes, visit him when he is ill, follow his bier when he dies, and like for him what he likes for himself."

Your Question (again):….and shouldnt we attend any of the celebrations of our friends?? My sister when invitied by one of her friends for a party, openly refused to attend it saying that we are not allowed too attend celebrations.

From your note it seems your sister was invited to attend an unlawful pagan celebration by her disbelieving friend……

Every people have their own civilization, their culture and days of celebration.  Allah and His Messenger (saws) have appointed the two Eids for celebration in Islam, and have made every Friday a day of Eid and celebration for the believers.   For a true believer,  every day that dawns is a Sign from our Merciful Lord,  and every day that Allah gives us life,  can be a day of celebration for us.

There is absolutely no harm if one celebrates or congratulates one’s non-muslim friends on their personal accomplishments and happy occasions like their marriage, the birth of their baby, or their children’s graduation, or a promotion in their job, etc.  But it would neither behove nor befit a believer who believes in Allah and the Last Day to greet or celebrate any of their religious occasions with them like Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Holi, etc……for that then would be to intentionally witness a falsehood.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verse 72:

72      (The true slave-servants of Allah are) Those who witness no falsehood (intentionally), and if they pass by futility they pass by it with honorable (avoidance)

In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, the jurors in Islam have listed four categories which would make any celebration or gathering forbidden:

1. The celebration should not be a pagan religious festival.
2. The celebration should not involve any ‘shirk’.
3. The celebration should not involve or encourage ‘fahisha’ or indecency or any of the things absolutely forbidden in Islam (alcohol, gambling, etc.)
4. The celebration should not indulge in excess spending.

The pagan beliefs and religions and thus their religious festivals are based on absolute falsehoods, and it does not behove one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day as Truth to indulge in celebrations of falsehood.  To greet or celebrate pagans on their pagan and religious days of festivals would be to justify their false beliefs.

There are many other and better ways where a believer can display his well-wishes towards his non-muslims friends, neighbors, colleagues, etc. by being kind, just, honest, and always truthful with them, giving them good advice, and being their sincere well-wisher at all times.  If the believers strive with their good character and best manners as always befits a muslim, it would go a long way in promoting good cordial relations with their non-muslim brethren, rather than celebrating their pagan festivals with them.

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan