Answered by Shaykh Amjad Rasheed
Is it permissible to celebrate Mother’s Day and other celebrations that have become widespread but are originally from non-Muslims?
What can be derived from the words of our imams is that celebrating these festivities, such as Mother’s Day, that are common today with non-Muslims and then spread to Muslim lands is:
· If, by celebrating them, one intends imitating the disbelievers or believes in the day’s exalted rank or, for example, that there will be additional reward in being good to one’s mother that day over other days, then it is a prohibited innovation.
· Similarly, if one does not believe the above but the celebration involves the prohibited, such as: listening to music, drinking alcohol, eating pork, and prohibited mixing between men and women, such as the uncovering of some nakedness (Ar. ‘awrah), then this is prohibited, as is obvious.
· As for if the celebration occurs without any of the mentioned prohibitions, there is no harm in it. Even though it is originally from the disbelievers, imitating disbelievers is only prohibited if the participant intends imitating them.
– Amjad Rasheed
(Translated by Moustafa Mounir Elqabbany)