Fatwa ID: 08550

 

 

Answered by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

 

Question:

 

My oldest son is in second grade of elementary school. In about 2 weeks carnival will be celebrated at his school. Attendance is compulsory as it is officially part of the curriculum. Elements involve wearing a costume and listening and singing locally traditional carnival songs. I’d rather he didn’t participate in it at all due to the hadeeth “whoever imitates the disbelievers is one of them”.

 

One option for him would be throwing a sickie but this would also entail lying. I don’t think teachers would make an exception to exempt him from class because of his religious background. How can I figure out this dilemma? 

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

Handling situations like a school carnival involves balancing Islamic principles with making sure your child feels comfortable at school as a Muslim. The Hadith “Whoever imitates a people is one of them” suggests avoiding practices or symbols from other religions. Abdullāh ibn Umar (ra) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

 

“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”      [Abu Dawud, 4031] [1]

 

If the carnival has religious meanings or involves activities against Islamic beliefs, it’s better not to participate and you will need to speak to someone to express these concerns. However, if the event is just cultural and doesn’t have religious importance, and the activities are neutral, it might be okay for your child to join in to avoid any consequences.

 

Lying about being sick to avoid the carnival goes against Islamic values of honesty. Instead, talk openly with the school about your religious concerns and see if there are alternative ways for your child to participate, like wearing a simple costume or only joining in some activities which are not contradictory to your belief. With honest conversation, creative thinking, and trusting Allah’s guidance, you can find the right way to handle your child’s situation at school. Many schools are open to reasonable accommodations when approached respectfully.

 

This is also a chance to talk with your child about the importance of being Muslim and how to handle situations that might not fit with Islamic teachings. If you’re still unsure, you might want to ask for advice from a local Islamic scholar/Mufti who knows about both Islamic rules and the way things are in your area.

 

 

 

 

References:

 

[1]  عن عبد الله بن عمر رضي الله عنهما عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: «من تَشبَّه بقوم، فهو منهم»

 

 

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Alimah Saleha Bukhari Islam

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham