{"_id":"6772d2c84b2c5268f1600587","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Can we give out gifts on non-Muslim holidays?\\n\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"What is the ruling on giving gifts out on non Muslim holidays to coworkers or neighbors?\\n\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"At its core, giving and accepting gifts is encouraged in Islam as a way to foster love and strengthen bonds, including with non-Muslims, especially relatives and neighbors. The Prophet ﷺ said in a ḥadīth narrated by al-Bukhārī in al-Adab al-Mufrad [\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://sunnah.com/adab:594\"},\"insert\":\"al-Adab al-Mufrad 594\"},{\"insert\":\"], \"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"“Exchange gifts to foster love between you.”\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"تهادوا تحابوا\\\"\"},{\"attributes\":{\"align\":\"right\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"\\nAt the same time, Muslims are exhorted to avoid participating in the religious traditions of others. This is not about unfriendly or harsh, but rather about safeguarding our Islamic identity and ensuring our faith remains uninfluenced by practices rooted in other religious beliefs. Preserving faith is one of the higher objectives of sharīʿah.\\n\\nWhile gift-giving is a social custom and not a religious act, it can become associated with a specific religious holiday like Christmas when it coincides with that time. However, if a Muslim gives a gift during this period without intending to imitate any specific non-Muslim traditions or harboring any reverence for the holiday or its associated beliefs, it is not considered haram (Al-Fatāwā al-Fiqhiyyah al-Kubrā, Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī).\\n\\nThat said, a more thoughtful and preferable approach would be to give gifts during Islamic occasions such as ʿEīd or Ramaḍān, while sharing the significance of these days with non-Muslim relatives, neighbors, or co-workers, instead of participating in their non-Islamic holidays. Should they later choose to give you a gift during their holiday, it is permissible to accept it.\\n\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9fe30b76658b4c23280f","tag":"Relationships: Non-Muslims","count":95},{"_id":"668d9ff00b76658b4c2329ae","tag":"Contemporary Life: Holidays","count":41}],"createdOn":"2024-12-30T17:05:12.465Z"}