Islamic Seasons and Incoming Customs
No nation exists without certain days in the year set
aside for celebration — days that express joy, festivity, and collective
identity. Some holidays are religious, commemorating sacred or historical
events. Others are seasonal, such as Nowruz or Sham En-Nessim, marking
transitions in nature and the rhythm of the year.
Even in the Quran, we see this human tendency acknowledged.
Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) chose a public festival day for his
confrontation with Pharaoh’s magicians, saying: {Your
appointment is on the Day of the Festival} [Taha 20:59]
It was a day when people were free from work, adorned
themselves, and gathered in large numbers. The occasion ensured maximum public
attention—because festivals are moments when communities come together. (1)
Islamic Holidays: Joy Rooted in Worship and Divine Wisdom
Islam, in its understanding of human nature, recognizes that
people are not meant to live in continuous seriousness and labor. They need
joy. They need renewal. They need shared moments of happiness.
Thus, Allah Replaced the pre-Islamic festivals of Madinah with
something better. As narrated by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), when the
Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived in Madinah, he found people celebrating two
days from the time of ignorance. He said: “Indeed,
Allah has replaced them with what is better than them: the Day of Fitr and the
Day of Nahr.” (2)
Islamic holidays are not empty celebrations. They are joy
anchored in worship—happiness framed by gratitude, charity, prayer, and
remembrance of God.
Beyond the two major Eids, there are also significant
historical events that live in the collective memory of the Muslim Ummah—moments
of triumph and moments of tragedy.
Historical Islamic Events That Shaped Collective Memory
Certain events never fade from the consciousness of a people. The fall of Andalusia remains a wound in Muslim history. The Balfour Declaration marked a political catastrophe whose consequences continue to
this day. The abolition of the Islamic Caliphate represented a civilizational
rupture.
These events are remembered annually not because they are
“holidays,” but because nations preserve memory as part of identity.
Other commemorations may be tied to specific political systems
— such as coronations or revolutions — and may fade with time as regimes
change.
The Meaning of Eid in Islam
The word Eid itself carries broader meaning. The
Prophet (peace be upon him) referred to Friday as a weekly Eid. Abu Huraira
(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah (peace
be upon him) say: “Indeed, Friday is a day of
Eid, so do not make your Eid day a day of fasting, unless you fast before it or
after it.” (3)
This shows that Eid in Islam is not merely an annual
festivity. It is any recurring occasion that brings people together in worship,
gratitude, and communal spirit.
Over time, Islamic occasions became woven into the social
fabric of Muslim societies. Ramadan,
for example, is not just a month of fasting — it transforms cities. Homes and
streets are decorated. Families gather. Markets flourish at night. The
atmosphere itself changes.
Similarly, the celebration of the Prophet’s birth in many Muslim lands became an occasion for preparing sweets,
reciting poetry, revisiting the Sirah, and expressing love for the Messenger (peace
be upon him).
These expressions were not merely rituals; they strengthened
social bonds and reinforced shared identity.
In Western societies, however, cultural and religious
traditions developed along entirely different lines. A Muslim living in the
West often finds little communal support in celebrating Islamic occasions. The surrounding environment does not reinforce his
religious calendar.
Islamic Social Traditions and Community Bonds
In many Muslim societies, religious seasons took on an
additional social dimension.
In Egypt, for instance, during certain annual seasons, fathers
or older brothers would visit their married daughters or sisters, bringing
food, poultry, or financial gifts. These visits were not optional courtesies;
they were social obligations deeply rooted in custom.
Even if financial hardship required borrowing, the duty was
fulfilled. Distance was not an excuse. Men would travel long journeys to uphold
this tradition. Failure to do so could cause real resentment within families.
While some scholars issued opinions labeling certain seasonal
practices as religious innovations, society at large preserved them as cultural
expressions connected to religious time.
Historically, the state itself reinforced these communal
occasions. Rulers—whether sultans, kings, or governors—would participate in
public celebrations, distribute food, and visibly engage with the people.
Religion, culture, and political authority were aligned in reinforcing shared
seasons of joy.
Westernization and the Cultural Replacement of Islamic Holidays
When the political structures that once reinforced Islamic identity weakened or collapsed, the door opened widely to Westernization.
At the same time, internal voices grew louder condemning many
traditional Islamic occasions as illegitimate innovations.
Two forces emerged simultaneously.
1.
External Cultural Influence
and Imported Western Holidays
The first force was external: a global secular order shaped by
Christian cultural heritage. Through media, education, and globalization, new
holidays were normalized in Muslim societies.
Valentine’s Day arrived, turning everything red and centering
romantic consumerism.
Mother’s Day followed, creating social pressure around gift-giving.
International Women’s Day spread, framed within ideological narratives of
rights discourse.
New Year’s Eve celebrations, rooted in Christian tradition, became global
spectacles.
These occasions do not arise from Islamic theology or Muslim
civilizational memory. Yet they have become increasingly visible in
Muslim-majority societies.
Meanwhile, many traditional Islamic occasions have faded in
public presence.
2.
Internal Opposition to
Islamic Occasions
The second force was internal. Certain religious movements
concentrated their efforts on preventing celebrations such as the Hijri New
Year, `Ashura
commemorations, the Prophet’s birthday, Al-Isra’ Wal Mi`raj, and the Night of Mid-Sha`ban, arguing that such practices were not observed by the
earliest generations.
They were effective in reducing public expressions of these
occasions. However, their resistance to incoming Western customs was noticeably
weaker.
As a result, public space changed. Islamic seasons became
quieter. Imported holidays became louder.
Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, and even Halloween now occupy
visible cultural space, while many Islamic occasions remain confined to private
observance.
The Social and Religious Consequences of Abandoning Islamic
Seasons
The broader call for unrestricted “renewal” in all aspects of
life produced confusion, even in matters of tradition. Respect for inherited
customs weakened. Continuity fractured. Yet human nature has not changed.
People cannot live in perpetual seriousness. They require moments of joy,
collective gathering, and emotional renewal.
Historically, Muslim societies framed this need within Islamic
seasons. When these were stripped away or confined—a vacuum emerged. That
vacuum did not remain empty; it was filled with imported cultural forms.
Preserving Islamic seasons and communal occasions, while
avoiding genuine excess or religious transgression is not merely a theological
debate. It is a matter of civilizational continuity and social cohesion.
If Islamic identity does not shape communal joy, something
else will. And if a people abandon their seasons, they will eventually adopt
someone else’s.
For Further Reading:
- Understanding Identity
- Role of Worship in Preserving Islamic Identity
- The Sacred Months: Allah’s Sanctity and Believer’s Duty
Footnotes:
- See: Ibn Kathir's Tafsir (5/300), and
Al-Qurtubi's Tafsir (11/213).
- It was narrated by Ahmad in
"Al-Musnad," hadith number (12006), and Shu'ayb al-Arna'ut said:
Its chain of transmission is authentic; its narrators are trustworthy men
of the two Shaykhs (Bukhari and Muslim).
- Ibid, Hadith (8025),
and its chain of transmission was improved by Sheikh Shu`ayb Al-Arna'ut
