Abu Dawud

Benefits and Issues:
➊
The clothing of non-Muslims, which is their religious and national symbol, is forbidden (haram) for Muslims to adopt.
In addition, the same ruling applies to other specific customs.
This includes their culture and civilization, participation in their festivals and holidays, and so on.
Imam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah’s well-known book *Iqtida’ al-Sirat al-Mustaqim* is an outstanding and valuable work on this subject.
This book has also been translated into Urdu under the title *Fikr wa Aqeedah ki Gumrahiyaan aur Sirat-e-Mustaqeem ke Taqazay*, published by Darussalam.

➋ This hadith clearly indicates that the people of faith and Islam should not imitate the disbelievers, polytheists, hypocrites, and people of innovation (bid‘ah) in any matter.

Takhrij (Source Authentication):
«حسن صحيح»
[ابوداود 4031],
[ صحيح ابي داود 3401]
Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah said in Al-Iqtida (p. 39): Its chain is good (jayyid).
Al-Iraqi said in Takhrij Al-Ihya [342/1]: Its chain is authentic (sahih).
Al-Hafiz said in Fath Al-Bari (10/222): Its chain is hasan (good).
For detailed source authentication and verification, see Hijab Al-Mar’ah Al-Muslimah by Al-Albani [104], Al-Irwa [1269], and Tuhfat Al-Ashraf [275/6].

Benefits:
➊ Whoever imitates a people is one of them. It is understood from this that if a Muslim adopts the distinctive style, dress, or haircut of the disbelievers (kuffar), then he is counted among them, because adopting their style is evidence that he prefers the style of the disbelievers over that of the Muslims. Preferring the way of disbelief is contrary to faith (iman). We have been commanded to oppose the disbelievers. For example, it is narrated from Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «جزوا الشوارب وارخوا اللحي خالفوا المجوس» "Trim the mustaches and let the beards grow; oppose the Magians." [مسلم/222 ]
Similarly, it is narrated from Zubair radi Allahu anhu that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «غيروا الشيب ولا تشبهوا باليهود» "Change the whiteness of your hair and do not imitate the Jews." [صحيح الترمذي 1433 ]
When even in matters such as the whiteness of hair, and the style of beards and mustaches, opposition to the Magians and Jews is considered, then how can it be permissible for Muslims to adopt the distinctive customs of the disbelievers which are symbols of their separate religious or national identity?

➋ It is a natural fact that when a person outwardly imitates a people, gradually his inner self also becomes colored in their ways. For this reason, imitation of the disbelievers has been declared forbidden (haram).

➌ Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah wrote an extremely excellent and precious book on this subject: Iqtida al-Sirat al-Mustaqim Mukhalafat Ashab al-Jahim. In it, he established from the Qur’an, Sunnah, and the reports of the Companions that it is obligatory upon Muslims to avoid imitating the disbelievers and to oppose their ways and customs. An abridged Urdu translation of this book has been published by Maktabah Salafiyyah, Lahore, under the title "Rah-e-Haqq ke Taqazay" (The Demands of the Straight Path).

Takhrij:
«أخرجه أبوداود، اللباس، باب في لبس الشهرة، حديث:4031، وأحمد:2 /50، 92، وابن حبان.»©Explanation:
➊ This hadith is evidence for the prohibition of imitating the disbelievers (tashabbuh bil-kuffar).
From this, the scholars have declared adopting the fashion of non-Muslims to be disliked (makruh).
The scope of this “imitation” is very broad.
It includes acts of worship, customs and manners, food and drink, clothing, adornment, etiquette and rituals, as well as inclinations and tendencies.
The hadith prohibits all of these things.
If there were not a fear of excessive length at this point, we would have presented the textual evidences for all of these in detail here.
Allamah Nasiruddin al-Albani rahimahullah has discussed this topic in an excellent manner in his book “Hijab al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah” from pages 78 to 109, third edition.

➋ Shaykh al-Islam Imam Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah, regarding this hadith, writes in his book “Iqtida’ al-Sirat al-Mustaqim” that this hadith at the very least necessitates the prohibition of imitating the disbelievers, even though the apparent meaning of this hadith, in the form of imitation of the disbelievers, implies disbelief (kufr), as is stated in the Divine command:
﴿وَ مَنْ یَّتَوَلَّھُمْ مِّنْکُمْ فَاِنَّہُ مِنْھُمْ﴾ (al-Ma’idah 5:51)
“Whoever among you takes them as allies, then indeed he is of them.”
And this is similar to the statement of Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma, in which he said: “Whoever builds a house in the land of the polytheists, celebrates their festival days—Nayruz and Mahrajan—and continues to imitate them until he dies, then such a person will be resurrected with them on the Day of Judgment.”
Sometimes this is interpreted as absolute imitation (tashabbuh mutlaq), which necessitates disbelief (kufr), and necessitates the prohibition of certain aspects of imitation.
And sometimes, being counted among them is based only on the shared aspect (qadr mushtarak) in which he imitates them; thus, if that shared aspect is disbelief, or sin, or is their distinctive sign (shi’ar), then its ruling will be the same.
In any case, the reason and cause for the prohibition of imitation is solely and only imitation of the disbelievers; thus, if imitation occurs, the ruling of prohibition applies, otherwise not.
And imitation (tashabbuh) is general; included in its generality is the person who does something solely because the disbelievers have done it.
And this is rare.
And also included in this generality is the person who follows others in some action for his own purpose or benefit, provided that action is an innovation of others, i.e., of the disbelievers.
But if someone does something and it happens to coincide with the action of others by coincidence, and neither has taken from the other, then his resemblance to the disbelievers is questionable.
However, even this is prohibited so that it does not become a means to imitation of them, and also because in it is opposition to the disbelievers, as is the command to dye the beard and trim the mustache.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Change the whiteness of the hair and do not imitate the Jews.”
This is evidence that not dyeing the hair results in resemblance to them, even without our intention or action, and this is a clear example of coincidental practical conformity with them, which occurs merely by not changing the natural state of our bodies.
Then Allamah Ibn Taymiyyah rahimahullah, mentioning the extremity and result of this prohibition in the light of his inner insight, said that there is a very strong connection and relationship between the outward and the inward, and imitation of the disbelievers leads to friendship and mutual affection with them, and causes compromise and hypocrisy in religion, and due to this, their morals and evil habits, along with their losses, all harms, and causes of Allah’s wrath, infiltrate the ranks of the Muslims—and this is a witnessed reality of this era, which we see with our eyes and hear with our ears.
(Iqtida’ al-Sirat al-Mustaqim, p. 116, Dar al-Kitab al-Arabi edition)