Imitating the Disbelievers

We recall the authentic report from the
Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, "Whoever imitates a
people he is one of them." And also, "You will follow
the tradition of those people who came before you
exactly..." [this portion is in the two
saheehs] And he confirmed, when asked whether he meant the Jews
and the Christians, by saying "who else?" [Ahmad, Aboo
Dawood, hasan hadeeth, authenticated by al-Albaanee in Saheeh
Jaami` us-Sagheer, #6025]

CONCERNING THE JUDGMENT OF
IMITATION

- excerpted from at-Tashabbuh bil Kaafireen, by dr. al-`Aql

The rulings on imitation cannot be dicated in detail because each
case has its own barriers set by the texts, based upon a
principle of the shar` which is accepted by the people of
knowledge, and the understanding of the religion.

But there are some universal rulings, concerning a group of
general categories of imitation which are not specified:

1. The type of imitation of the kuffaar which constitutes shirk
and kufr. Like imitation in creed, imitation of the Jews and the
Christians or the Zoroastrians in matters that affect Tawheed,
and creed. Like ta`teel: it is the negation of a name of Allaah
ta`alaa, and an attribute of His, and limitation in them, like
the belief that Allaah ta`aala is limited inside one of His
creatures and that He unites with His creation. As well as
glorifying certain Prophets and righteous people, and worshipping
them, and calling upon other than Allaah. As well as legislating
with a legal system other than the Shar`iah, all of these are
either shirk or kufr.

2. Some imitation is disobedience and sin, like copying the
kuffaar in some of their manners, like eating with the left hand,
and drinking with it, and wearing gold, and adorning oneself with
it by the men, and shaving beards, and the women resembling the
men, and the men resembling the women, etc.

3. Some of it is makrooh in which its ruling is
that it is between the lawful and the unlawful.

And one question remains: "Is there anything which the
kuffaar do that is lawful?"

I say, the allowable is that which is not characteristic of them
in their matters of life. That means it is from the Muslim
characteristics. This permissible action (imitation of it) must
not be harmful to the Muslims, nor contribute to the interest of
the kuffaar. One of the permissible actions (actions in which
imitation is permissible) is the positive materialistic
production which does not harm the Muslims. Also material science
which does not affect religion and morals, these kinds of actions
are permissible. Additionally, sometimes the Muslims must benefit
from the worldly sciences of the kuffaar. And what we mean here
by worldly, is that the science does not affect our belief or the
principles of Sharee`ah or cause the Muslims to fall into
subjugation and belittlement. This is what is meant under the
section of worldly.