Collecting Donations To Give Gifts To Poor Families At Christmas - Joint Ventures With Kuffars

Islamic Rulings - Living Shariah Verdicts

Islamic Questions & Answers

In my school it is Christmas time. My school has this Christmas tradition. Every year a classroom gets an adopted family that is poor so they can buy gifts, food, and donate money to them for Christmas. Unfortunately, I have refused to donate any money or give any food for the following reason: -These denotations will be done in the name of christmas, so that when the adopted family receives these donations, they will say "God Bless The Christians".

Am I right for refusing to give donations?


Praise be to Allaah.

It seems that you are referring to the birth of the Messiah (peace be upon him), an occasion which the Christians venerate and have taken as a festival. The festivals of the Christians are part of their religion, and if the Muslims venerate the festivals of the kuffaar by expressing joy and giving gifts, this means that they are imitating them. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Muslims must beware of imitating the Christians in their festivals and of following the customs that belong only to them. You did well and you did the right thing when you did not agree to collect donations for poor families on the occasion of Christmas, so adhere to that and advise your brothers and explain to them that this action is not permissible, because we Muslims have no festivals apart from Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adhaa. Allaah has given us these two festivals and we have no need of the festivals of the kaafirs.

Written by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Barraak.

If we Muslims want to give in charity, we can give to those who really deserve it, and we should not aim to do that specifically on the days of the kaafirs’ festivals. We should do that whenever there is a need, and make the most of good and great occasions such as the month of Ramadaan and the first ten days of Dhu’l-Hijjah, and other virtuous occasions when rewards are multiplied. We should also do that at times of hardship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“But he has not attempted to pass on the path that is steep (i.e. the path which will lead to goodness and success).

And what will make you know the path that is steep?

(It is) freeing a neck (slave)

Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine),

To an orphan near of kin.

Or to a Miskeen (poor) cleaving to dust (out of misery).

Then he became one of those who believed (in the Islamic Monotheism) and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion.

They are those on the Right Hand (i.e. the dwellers of Paradise)”

[al-Balad 90:11-18]

May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

Ruling on Muslim And Non-Muslim Joint Ventures

Is it permissible for a Muslim to enter into a partnership with a Christian in order to raise sheep or deal in them or any other kind of business?.

Praise be to Allaah.

With regard to a Muslim entering into a partnership with a Christian or any other non-Muslim in raising livestock or farming or anything else, the basic principle is that it is permissible so long as it does not involve too close a friendship, and it is only cooperation in some kind of wealth such as agriculture, livestock and so on. A number of the scholars said that that is permissible provided that the Muslim himself is in charge of the business, i.e., he himself is in charge of running the venture in agriculture or raising livestock, and the kaafir should not do that, because he is not to be trusted.

This is subject to further discussion. If this partnership will lead to too close a friendship or doing that which Allah has forbidden or failing to do that which Allah has enjoined, then this partnership is haraam because of the corruption to which it leads. But if it will not lead to any of those things and the Muslim is the one who is in charge, and he is the one who will take care of it so that he would not be cheated, then there is nothing wrong with that.

But whatever the case, it is better to avoid such partnerships and to enter into partnerships with his Muslim brothers rather than others, so that he will keep his religious commitment and his wealth safe, because entering into a partnership with one who is an enemy to him in religious terms poses a danger to his morals, religious commitment and wealth. So it is better for the believer in every situation to keep away from such matters, so as to protect his religious commitment, to protect his honour, to protect his wealth and so as to avoid betrayal by one who is an enemy to him in religious terms, except in cases of necessity when there is a need for that, in which case there is nothing wrong with it, subject to the conditions mentioned above, namely that it should not cause any harm to his religious commitment, honour or wealth and on condition that he should be in charge, because that is safer for him. So the kaafir should not be in charge; rather the Muslim should be in charge of the business or a Muslim should act on his behalf.

End quote.

Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him)


Fataawa Noor ‘ala al-Darb, 1/294.

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