Islamic view on Thanksgiving

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Mr. Lowe Hanrahan 100 later but I mean was that there was also the Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi Jemaine was selling with St. Monica to cathedral My bad. So Hanukkah alumina Illa Allah in the Candolim Hakeem rubbish sahalie So today we are silly Omri, one of the municipality of Mahakali. Every Tuesday night. We have we have the series about the Sahaba of yo lotta line home. But today I chose to, to change it up a little today and give a talk about a different topic. Which is that what does Islam say about Thanksgiving? As Muslims in this country? Can we celebrate Thanksgiving? Are we allowed to or are we not allowed to? So since we are coming to the day of Thanksgiving Thanksgivings

on Thursday, what does Islam say about celebrating Thanksgiving? So inshallah I will get to this slowly and gradually. But there are a few things I want you all to keep in mind. And I want you to understand before we even get to the subject of Thanksgiving, number one is that Allah subhanho wa Taala in a time of darkness in order to bring guidance to mankind and to humanity. Allah subhanho wa Taala he said, prophet after prophet, and this process came to an end with the coming of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, after the Prophet sallallahu it was send them there is no other prophet that will ever come. The Prophet sal Allahu Allah he was sending them was given guidance, also

behind the with the Isla and the as soon as the Prophet SAW Allah while he was sending would receive anywhere he from Allah subhanho wa Taala the Prophet I think you sound would have conveyed that and teach it to the Sahaba or the Allah Tala on whom the Prophet alayhi salam says in a hadith that the road to fi come Amrhein length of the Lewy Body Avada that I leave behind you to matters, they if you hold on to these two matters, you will never go astray where the two matters Kitab Allah was Sinatra Sudha he said, Allahu alayhi wa sallam, I leave behind you the book of Allah and the Sunnah of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the life of the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is

the most perfect life. There is no one who has stepped on the face of this earth, who was more righteous, who was more closer to Allah subhanho wa taala, then Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. One time, there were three people who came to one of the words of the Prophet alayhi salam. And they began to inquire about the daily routine, and who Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was when they heard about about Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. One of them said that I will pray. He says that I will. First one said I will fast every single day. Because there were some days of poverty. Some he fasted and there were some days where he did not fast. He this man said I will fast

every single day. Another the next man said that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. During the night there were some parts where he would take some rest. And there were some parts where he would pray and he would devote himself to Allah subhanho wa taala. This man said, I will pray every night all night long. The third man said that I will never ever marry women. I will I will observe abstinence from women. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came later on and the Prophet alayhi salam was informed about this. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam then went to the masjid. And he got he gathered everyone and he told them that out of every one of you I am more closer to Allah

subhanho wa Taala I am more connected to Allah subhanho wa Taala and keeping this in mind during the night, there are some times of the night that I pray and there are some parts that I take some rest. There are times when I fast and there are times when I don't fast and I also marry women. And then the Prophet Allah he says from unroll Eva on sunnah T fillet salmon knee, whoever turns his back to the Sunnah of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the Prophet alayhi salam made it very clear Felisa money he is not from amongst me. So what we learned from these two Hadith of the Prophet alayhi salam is number one

that the the life of the prophet Allah Islam is a complete life. The Shaddai Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he brought is a complete shutdown. There is nothing that needs to be added to it. To make it complete, there is nothing that needs to be subtracted to it to make it perfect. Unlike the world that we live in today, whenever you see any technology it has, there's always updates. When you study technology. You first you had small phones, simple phones, that as time evolved, there are different different phones. And we're not even even regarding the phones. There's one software after another software after another software. Why? Because something that has been

created by man, something that has been created by human being, it cannot be perfect, this Shetty that was given by Allah subhanho wa Taala to Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the perfect way of life. So this is number one.

Number two,

there's a hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam narrated by Norman even Bushido the Allah Tala iron which is mentioned in Bukhari and Muslim. The Prophet alayhi salam says in an Halal Albanian, well haram Albanian in our deen the halal is very clear. The Haram is very clear. But between the halal and haram the Prophet alayhi salam says, well obeying the human will move on with a shabby hurt between the halal and haram there are many matters which are not clear lejana wouldn't a cathedral Amina nurse, the majority of people have no knowledge about this. Now when we look at our deen there are things that are absolutely clear that these things are halal. For example, when

you look at food, let's just take the example of food. There are some things that Allah Subhana Allah has made clearly he has made them lawful you can eat you can you can consume cattle, you can consume animals from the ocean, there are some things that Allah Subhana Allah has made halal, but then there are some things that Allah subhanaw taala has clearly made it haram that it doesn't matter what it is it is haram for example, for any person to consume pig or pork is completely haram we know this the halal is clear The Haram is clear. But then for example today when we study our foods and the ingredients that is used in our foods, like a lot of us you know we are you know we

are in debate and we are doubtful that you know if a product has enzymes or these enzymes halal or haram right, we get into these kind of debates. Is this allowed or this is this ingredient okay or is this ingredient not okay? These are muda Behat. Once again the halal is clear The aroma is clear, but there are some ingredients that we are unclear about when we study about business. Allah subhanaw taala has says he says in the Quran yum Haku Allahu riba where you will be sadaqa Allah tells us sadaqa is okay. It is very clear. On the other hand, riba consuming riba associate associating yourself with libre consuming EBA is absolutely haram. So the hilarious clear the Haram

is clear. But what is the area which is with a shabby hat? Islamic financing. A lot of people believe in the concept of Islamic financing. A lot of people don't believe in the concept of Islamic financing. It comes down to every single person and their theory and their opinion. There are some things that Allah subhanaw taala has made halal such as water, there is no doubt about that. But on the other hand, there is something that's absolutely clear that Allah subhanaw taala has made haram such as alcohol. So there are things that ALLAH SubhanA has made halal, and there are some things that Allah subhanaw taala has made haram. Now, keeping this in mind, I'm going to go to the next

thing by wants you to keep that in mind, the halal, the clear halal, the clear haram and the areas which are the gray areas. The next thing I want to mention is that when we talk about Thanksgiving and we will talk about many other matters, you have to take into consideration the subject matter of culture versus religion, culture versus religion. See in our times, there are things that are considered as religious such as only give me an example let's talk about attire clothing, see, you know, when you go overseas, there are many people who are of the opinion that the way many people they dress here in America like when you go to work, you wear you wear a shirt like this gentleman

is just here.

People when you go overseas, the one the very first thing things that they may say is that this is the labasa who

have the of the kuffaar Right, have you heard that or not? This is the labasa Dooku fan. Now, all the orlimar they agree that nothing can be considered as the boss of the kuffaar only boss

of the Muslim unless there is some religious significance to it. So for example, when you go to China today, whether the proof the person is a Muslim or non Muslim, their style of attire and their style of dress code is going to be very similar. You go to the Middle East, whether that person is a Muslim, or he's a Christian, they're all dressed in the same way. They all wear thobes I'm sure you've seen this, you go to Pakistan, the way they dress over their weather, because they have Christians there too. You will find churches there in Pakistan till today. And you know, they are they are increasing there too. You will see that whether the person is a Muslim, or he's a

Christian, they're all dressed in the in the in the which is the national dress, they should work. I mean, that's, that's that is what the journey were here in America, the wage, we journey you dress, whether it's khakis, whether it's jeans and a shirt, this has nothing to do with religion. This is just the culture of the United States of America. So for us to say that this is a religious attire, this is wrong. This is just a cultural attire. Now on the other hand, there are some things which which have religious significance, for example, I'm sure a lot of you have when you have seen a Jewish man, you've seen that they always had a small cap, right? They take a cap and they put like

headpins, or hairpins in the clip it onto the hair so that it remains firm in one place. Now, if a Muslim today were to go and take one of those small caps, and put it on the back, we will say no, no, now you're crossing the line. Why? Because that small head is very specific with Jewish people. If a Jewish man was walking with a cross hanging from his neck, the other Jewish you will tell them that now you are crossing the line, you're not supposed to be wearing something like this, if we saw a Muslim brother or sister walking around with a cross hanging, who will say now you're crossing the line, because that in itself has something to do with religion in itself. So we have to truly

understand that there is a difference between culture and religion.

When we look at marriage practices for another example, marriage practices, there are some marriage practices, which have to do with culture. There are some marriage practices that have to do with what with religion, for example, today, when you go overseas, like in like Bangladesh or in Pakistan, till today, there's a lot of practices that take place in marriage, which have no Islamic significance to it. It has no place in Islam, but these are the practices of who the Hindus, but till today, we practice them. Now we have to keep in mind is that there's a difference in culture and religion. The same applies to holidays. Now, if I as a Muslim see here and I celebrate the

money, then a person then this is me crossing the line, I cannot cross a line because that is considered as what, as a religious holiday. On the other hand, if a Muslim went in started celebrating Christmas, Christmas is a very specific Christian holiday. That is something that we cannot celebrate. Likewise, Easter, Easter is a very is considered as a Christian holiday. We cannot celebrate that. But then the question is, this is where the this is where the whole question comes, is that, and this is why there's so much debate. is Thanksgiving, considered as a religious holiday? Or is it considered as a cultural holiday? Is it a holiday where where people in America just

generally celebrate? Or is there some significance or religious significance to that? What do you think? What do you think anyone?

Is cultural or religious? is cultural? Now, when we say cultural, does that mean that it is allowed to celebrate Thanksgiving?

Yes.

Who are the people who say Yes,

Chef chef, Sadat Chima in the back?

Because you said, right, if it's cultural, then it's okay. If it's religious, it is not okay. But then when I when I asked you that, can we celebrate Thanksgiving? Like, I don't know. I don't know.

There's few things we have to keep in mind. First of all, is that

when it comes to Thanksgiving, when you study the history of Thanksgiving in this country, it's all about a day, where pilgrims now there's so many different narrations and there's so many different versions when it comes to the history of Thanksgiving in this country. But just one version I'm going to share with you is that pilgrims and Native Americans, they came together and they thanked God for the harvest that they were granted. Okay, they think God for them

Within that they were given when you talk to people who are the seniors of this country, and you ask them that what is the essence of things giving? They will tell you that it's all about a day of giving our things to God. That's all it is. Now as time has evolved, as time has evolved, so has Thanksgiving. So as Thanksgiving, nowadays Thanksgiving is not just about giving things. Thanksgiving nowadays is about family get togethers. It's about a turkey. In fact, how many of you have heard the term turducken? Just just raise your hand? How many of you have heard the concept of turducken? What does it turducken?

Your he's right actually, it is a chicken.

Chicken stuffed inside a duck and a duck stuffed and say a turkey. turducken.

Okay, many people eat this today. Okay. Yeah, there's so many mixtures of birds there. Right. But it's so nowadays Thanksgiving is about what? It's about family get togethers. It's about Turkey in food. It's about football. Okay. And as you know, the culture here. Everything's given the Dallas Cowboys play. Okay.

So they'll win this week. Okay.

Then the next thing is, what's the last thing left on the on the on the list for Thanksgiving Day? Black Friday. Okay, Black Friday. This is what today Thanksgiving is now strictly from an Islamic point of view. When we talk about Thanksgiving, we as Muslims, we give our things to Allah subhanho wa Taala every single day. When I wake up in the morning, what do I say? Alhamdulillah right. That's the first thing that comes from comes from my mouth. Alhamdulillah Hilary, Jana Bioderma Emmerton our elation assured when I send her for salad, every single raka the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa salam says last Allah Ellerbee fatty hadden kitab. There is no Salah that is accepted. Unless you

recite al Fatiha you have to recite to the Fatiha how do we begin to them Fatiha Alhamdulillah here are benign Amin and your Alma they mentioned that just like soup salad can will be incomplete. Once again salad is incomplete with without certain Fatiha likewise your life is incomplete without showing gratitude to Allah subhanho wa Taala

our life is not complete unless we show that sugar to Allah subhana wa to Allah. Allah says in the Quran Allah in Shakira tomb that as Eden ACOEM when an Inca fell tomb in either be Lucia de, if you show your graduate to Allah Subhana Allah Allah, Allah will increase in your Neshama and if you show your if you don't show graduate to Allah, and you show that you are unfaithful to Allah subhanho wa Taala times of trouble come, every person, my brothers and sisters, every person goes through challenges in their life. When those challenges come, there's a choice that we that we there's a choice for us. Either I can say Alhamdulillah Allah Holy hell, and I can continue to make dua to

Allah subhanho wa Taala or I can sit there and begin to complain to Allah subhanho wa Taala when I say complain, I don't mean complain to him because we are supposed to complain to him. But I mean, complain about Allah subhanaw taala Why did Allah do this to me? Why did Allah do this, to me, these are things that we cannot do. So every single day, there is a way to show sugar and show your gratitude through your heart. There's a way that you show gratitude through the lives of your body. And there's ways that you show sugar from your heart. There's ways that you can do that. There's ways you can show you can you can express your gratitude verbally too. And Allah subhanaw taala He

wants us to do that. He wants us to do that. Now, every single day. When I wake up in the morning, Dr. Diaz I can recite that show my graduate to Allah subhanho wa Taala when I go to sleep a night, ask Allah subhanho wa Taala show your gratitude to Allah Subhana Allah to Allah, O Allah, I thank you for everything that you have given me. In times like today when there are people who are hungry, Oh Allah, you have provided me in times like this today when there are people who don't have a place to sleep. Oh Allah, you have provided me a home. Oh Allah when there are times that people cannot use people do not even have a comfortable bed. They're simply on the floor. Oh Allah. I thank you

for giving me a comfortable bed. There are people who have put a stone

under their head as a pillow, oh Allah I thank you for giving me this comfortable pillow. Oh, there are people today who are going through garbage cans, looking for food my brothers and sisters, when we are sitting down with our children, right before we eat, ask them who gave you this food? Who will provide you today this food and teach them that it is Allah subhanahu wata Allah and you need to thank Allah subhanho wa Taala for that one thing that we all want. Every human being wants is security, safety and security.

Do we have that? Yes, I understand. There's a lot of Islamophobia going on. There's some there is some backlash going on. But are we not in a better position compared to so many million people on the face of the earth? Absolutely. Think Allah subhanho wa Taala for that don't sit there and complain why hola wiser. Islamophobia. Why? No, we are Alhambra in a much better situation that so many other people so shook on my brothers and sisters is so so important. Now coming to the subject of things giving that is Thanksgiving celebrating this give me halal or haram.

Since this is considered, since this is considered as a cultural holiday, and not a religious holiday, some scholars you'll hear some scholars say that their Islam does not recommend it. But if someone celebrates it, it is considered as MOBA. Let me tell you what my opinion is. You know, when you study the Quran, there is something there's something very specific that you will find in the Quran. For example, we Islam Allah subhanaw taala has made Zina haram yes or no.

Does Allah subhana wa Tala anywhere in the Quran say that do not commit Zina.

Does Allah say anywhere in the Quran, do not commit Zina?

Does you're not?

What do you say in fact, let the horrible Zina meaning what? The path that can lead you to Zina? Did I even take that path? Because see, you know what happens to a person imagine if a person took that path of Zina, and he gets all the way to the point where right in front of him he can commit Zina at that time, can a person really control himself? Yes or no? is extremely difficult. Do you agree or not? So Allah subhanho wa taala, in order to make things easier for the person, he says, Do not even take the path of Zina. You will protect yourself altogether. You won't have to be you won't have to worry about when you get to the point of committing Zina of protecting yourself. When you protect

yourself right now, you don't take the path you are protecting your iman, Allah said didn't even take that path. Now.

I personally believe that if we began to create an atmosphere within our home, that we are celebrating things giving, then you know what, we are putting ourselves on the path that it is very possible that in the future if us today, our kids, or our upcoming generations may celebrate other holidays in this country. Think about this. Some people will come today and ask you Is it halal to consume a turkey? Yes, it is. Is it halal to watch football? Yes, it is minus the commercials? Is it halal to is a halal to spend time together with your family? Yes, it is halal, you in fact, Islam encourages that. Taking care of your kith and kin and spending time with your family. We find this

in the life of the prophet saw Salem, on the other hand, going further ahead. If I go in, I stand and I shopped on on you know, on Black Friday, I'm gonna get to Black Friday right now do but if you do that, is there anything really wrong with that? If I go in the morning and I shop shopping in itself? Is anything wrong with that? No, there is not. But what happens is that we put our upcoming generations are at risk. Why? Because once again, if the environment is created within the home, that we are celebrating Thanksgiving today, then it is very possible that in the future our kids may celebrate Christmas too. And think about this. A person may say in the future that can I put a plant

in my home? Yes you can. You can put a plant in your home. Can I put a tree in my home? Yes, you can put a tree in your home. Can I exchange gifts? Yes, you can exchange gifts. So people they will begin to change their attitude when it comes to religion. That's why I personally believe that there are some things on Thanksgiving Day that we should do. For example, spend time with your family. We don't get times like this to spend with our family. We're very busy. The weekends come we have so many errands to take care of and

Ron, so if we're getting time in the middle of the week, spend time with your family get together. But instead of having a turkey that day, have videos on that day, okay? Have something else in that day, but or have Moncef on that day, but don't have a turkey because when you bring that Turkey in the house on that specific day once again, please do not say that Imam Nadeem said that eating turkey is haram. Okay. I'm not saying that I love turkey myself. Okay. What I'm saying is that especially on that day, when you bring that Turkey inside your home, you are we you are subconsciously putting in the mind of your own children, that we are making this day a significant

day within our household.

Should you spend time with your family? Absolutely. Should should you watch football? That's up to you. Should you go on Black Friday? Let me explain something on Black Friday. Today nowadays, people are objecting to Black Friday. Why? Because the overall objective of Thanksgiving was that you share the love with other people. For example, you will see with all these non Muslim travel organizations, as Thanksgiving Day is coming around, they go and they you know they they feed others right? You've seen this yes or no. You see people feeding each other. These are the days where people feed each other. So you're giving thanks. People are being fed, they are thanking God that

they are getting some food. But when people line up for Black Friday, and they're pushing each other and they're shoving each other and they're pushing people on the floor and people are being stepped upon and trampled upon,

then the overall idea of Thanksgiving is gone. A lot of people normal sons are saying today, Christians Jews, they were talking about this today that the because of Black Friday, it has taken away from the essence of Thanksgiving in general. Because Thanksgiving is about thanking Allah for what we have thanking God for what we have. On the other hand, Black Friday has made us white, greedy, right? It has made us greedy. Now the next thing about Thanksgiving. The next thing about Black Friday is

people will sit there all night long, especially nowadays because once again the understand and this has been so hyped. so hyped. The first all the stores were going to be opening at what time three o'clock for one year it was five o'clock. The next year. It was three o'clock. The next day was 12 o'clock. Now there's back Thursday. Okay, stores opening at what time, six o'clock. People aren't going to people aren't going to go and stand over there. And same spending time with your family. People are rushing, they're pushing each other they're shoving each other greed there's there's so much greed. But then you know what happens with our Muslim brothers and sisters. They go there. They

spend all their time there and they miss falafel Fajr. during Black Friday, they're doing southern Fudger during Black Friday sales, their Black Friday sales. You're supposed to be here for southern Fajr.

And let me give you one other suggestion.

There is a Thanksgiving Day right.

Thursday's also the day what the prophesy son would do what on Thursday. He would fast on Thursdays.

You know what Thursday is also coincidently this Thursday is according to some calendars the 13th of Suffolk according to some calendars, the 14th of Safar what is 13th 14th and 15th.

Fasting a young would be the three white days. You can pass also on fat you fast on Thursday. Not only are you implementing the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW Salem, but you're also getting the reward for fasting the three the three days, the three white days, one to three white days. This is the son of the Prophet SAW Allah Hardy was setting up. So let's just let's just keep this in mind that you know you can have turkey the next day, but do not bring the turkey in your home on Thursday. Teach your children you know, teach our children that when we get together as a family, we don't get together as a family because it's Thanksgiving. But we get together on we get together when we have

these times off because Islam encourages family get togethers. Islam tells us spend time with your family. Make sure your kids understand that we are not meeting because it's Thanksgiving. But we're meeting because we have time off from work. We have time off from school. And in these kinds of times we can spend time with our family. And so this we need to use this day as a day to educate our children as a way to educate our children. I pray to Allah subhanho wa Taala that he gives the ability to act upon what's been sent to her and and I pray to Allah subhanho wa Taala that he gives us the ability to truly understand, truly understand the situation and teaching our children and

also may Allah subhanaw taala give us the ability to thank him continuously till our last breath exactly Allah Subhan Allah we humbly Subhana Allah 100 National Allah either

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