The Obligation of Opposing the People of the Hell-Fire

"The celebrations and holidays of the disbelievers are countless and various, and it is not upon the Muslim to seek them out or to know them; it suffices [the Muslims] to know that any of their actions, days [of celebrations], or places [of observance], that the reason behind that action and glorification of that place or time originated from them. Even if one does not know whether or not it has originated from them, it suffices the Muslim knowing that it had no basis in the Religion of Islām, and the very least that could be said of it, its they it is from the innovated matters." - Iqtidā ' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim

Before the reader is Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah's classical work on opposing the disbelievers in their ways and practices in general, and in their holidays in specific. Although written over seven hundred years ago, it is still an essential discourse for the Muslim who desires to have the correct understanding as it relates to the non-Islamic holidays, resembling the non-Muslims, and adhering to the correct Islamic aqidah in general.

Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan said: “The intent behind this book is to lay down principles and guidelines which the believer can adhere to throughout his [or her] life, so that they can be upon the Sirat al-Mustaqim (i.e. the straight path), and be distant from the path of those who earned the anger of Allah and those who went astray.”