Source: Excerpt from the book "Ahkām wa Masā’il Kitāb-o-Sunnat ki Roshni Main" by Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani
What is the Islamic ruling on purchasing and sending Eid greeting cards to friends and relatives during Eid?
In the blessed and merciful month of Ramadan, a true believer must be concerned about his salvation and must strive to protect himself from the terrifying valleys of Hellfire. This month is marked by an abundance of spiritual purification—purification of the self, character, habits, and wealth—more than in ordinary times.
A practicing Muslim, through proper beliefs and righteous deeds, gathers spiritual bounties that secure freedom from Hell. Every night in this blessed month, Allah frees many from the Hellfire.
Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إِذَا كَانَ أَوَّلُ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ صُفِّدَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ وَمَرَدَةُ الْجِنِّ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ النَّارِ فَلَمْ يُفْتَحْ مِنْهَا بَابٌ وَفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ فَلَمْ يُغْلَقْ مِنْهَا بَابٌ وَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ: يَا بَاغِيَ الْخَيْرِ أَقْبِلْ وَيَا بَاغِيَ الشَّرِّ أَقْصِرْ، وَلِلَّهِ عُتَقَاءُ مِنَ النَّارِ، وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ
"When the first night of Ramadan comes, the devils and rebellious jinn are chained, the gates of Hell are closed and none of them remains open, and the gates of Paradise are opened and none of them remains closed. A caller announces: 'O seeker of good, come forward! O seeker of evil, desist!' And Allah frees people from the Fire every night."
While Allah is freeing His slaves from Hell, many Muslims—particularly the youth—are immersed in the imitation of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu cultures.
Young girls adorned in flashy clothes and makeup roam the markets, violating Islamic guidelines on modesty, engaging in intermixing, and neglecting ḥijāb, all under the deceptive slogans of "liberalism", "moderation", and "freedom."
Among these un-Islamic practices is the exchange of Eid greeting cards, often featuring indecent content, including images of male and female actors and singers that promote immodesty and immorality. These cards encourage lust and indecency and play a role in spreading obscenity and shamelessness.
Eid cards are essentially an imitation of Christian Christmas cards. Even Christian writers acknowledge this. A Christian priest, S. K. Das, writes:
“There are many traditions concerning Christmas cards. One tradition says that the custom began 500 years ago. Before that, New Year cards were sent. The first Christmas card was printed in 1446, showing Jesus (peace be upon him) as a child in the clouds. This card is still preserved in a famous museum in Britain.”
(Majallah al-Daʿwah, February 1995, p. 7)
Thus, Eid cards are a direct imitation of non-Muslim customs.
Islam provides pure and refined guidance and strictly prohibits imitating Jews and Christians.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ﴾
“Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long time passed over them, so their hearts hardened, and many of them are defiantly disobedient.”
[Surah al-Ḥadīd: 16]
Imām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله stated regarding "ولا يكونوا":
“This is an absolute prohibition against resembling them, particularly in the hardness of hearts, which is a result of sins.”
[Jilbāb al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, p. 163]
Imām Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله wrote:
“Allah forbade the believers from imitating the Jews and Christians in any of their essential or major practices.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ"
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
There are numerous authentic ḥadīths prohibiting Muslims from adopting the customs and ways of the People of the Book.
For further reading, refer to:
① They are imitations of Christian customs (Christmas cards).
② They often feature indecent images, promoting sin.
③ Attempting to "Islamize" them (by adding images of Kaʿbah or Masjid al-Nabawī) is just a deceptive dressing—like labeling democracy or socialism as "Islamic."
④ There is no trace of such practice in the life of the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, or the Salaf.
⑤ If Eid cards held any virtue, the Prophet ﷺ would have guided us, as Islam was perfected during his lifetime.
⑥ There is no basis for this practice in the Qur’ān or Sunnah.
Eid cards are a foreign custom that contradicts Islamic purity, modesty, and teachings. Instead of celebrating Eid by adopting non-Islamic practices, we should use the blessed days for worship, remembrance of Allah, obedience, and spiritual reflection.
Let us not waste these valuable moments—lest on the Day of Judgment, we are left with nothing but regret, loss, and ruined deeds.
May Allah guide the Ummah to the correct path, protect us from misguidance, innovations, and foreign customs, and grant us steadfastness on Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm.
Āmīn.
❖ Question:
What is the Islamic ruling on purchasing and sending Eid greeting cards to friends and relatives during Eid?
❖ Answer:
In the blessed and merciful month of Ramadan, a true believer must be concerned about his salvation and must strive to protect himself from the terrifying valleys of Hellfire. This month is marked by an abundance of spiritual purification—purification of the self, character, habits, and wealth—more than in ordinary times.
A practicing Muslim, through proper beliefs and righteous deeds, gathers spiritual bounties that secure freedom from Hell. Every night in this blessed month, Allah frees many from the Hellfire.
Sayyidunā Abū Hurayrah رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إِذَا كَانَ أَوَّلُ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ صُفِّدَتِ الشَّيَاطِينُ وَمَرَدَةُ الْجِنِّ وَغُلِّقَتْ أَبْوَابُ النَّارِ فَلَمْ يُفْتَحْ مِنْهَا بَابٌ وَفُتِحَتْ أَبْوَابُ الْجَنَّةِ فَلَمْ يُغْلَقْ مِنْهَا بَابٌ وَيُنَادِي مُنَادٍ: يَا بَاغِيَ الْخَيْرِ أَقْبِلْ وَيَا بَاغِيَ الشَّرِّ أَقْصِرْ، وَلِلَّهِ عُتَقَاءُ مِنَ النَّارِ، وَذَلِكَ كُلَّ لَيْلَةٍ
"When the first night of Ramadan comes, the devils and rebellious jinn are chained, the gates of Hell are closed and none of them remains open, and the gates of Paradise are opened and none of them remains closed. A caller announces: 'O seeker of good, come forward! O seeker of evil, desist!' And Allah frees people from the Fire every night."
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Khuzaymah: 1883
,
Reference: Jāmiʿ al-Tirmidhī: 682
,
Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Ibn Ḥibbān: 3435
,
Reference: al-Mustadrak lil-Ḥākim: 1532
❖ The Sad Contrast:
While Allah is freeing His slaves from Hell, many Muslims—particularly the youth—are immersed in the imitation of Jewish, Christian, and Hindu cultures.
Young girls adorned in flashy clothes and makeup roam the markets, violating Islamic guidelines on modesty, engaging in intermixing, and neglecting ḥijāb, all under the deceptive slogans of "liberalism", "moderation", and "freedom."
Among these un-Islamic practices is the exchange of Eid greeting cards, often featuring indecent content, including images of male and female actors and singers that promote immodesty and immorality. These cards encourage lust and indecency and play a role in spreading obscenity and shamelessness.
❖ Origin of Eid Cards: A Christian Custom
Eid cards are essentially an imitation of Christian Christmas cards. Even Christian writers acknowledge this. A Christian priest, S. K. Das, writes:
“There are many traditions concerning Christmas cards. One tradition says that the custom began 500 years ago. Before that, New Year cards were sent. The first Christmas card was printed in 1446, showing Jesus (peace be upon him) as a child in the clouds. This card is still preserved in a famous museum in Britain.”
(Majallah al-Daʿwah, February 1995, p. 7)
Thus, Eid cards are a direct imitation of non-Muslim customs.
❖ Islamic Teachings on Imitation of Non-Muslims
Islam provides pure and refined guidance and strictly prohibits imitating Jews and Christians.
Allah Almighty says:
﴿أَلَمْ يَأْنِ لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَن تَخْشَعَ قُلُوبُهُمْ لِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نَزَلَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ وَلَا يَكُونُوا كَالَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلُ فَطَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَمَدُ فَقَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْۖ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ فَاسِقُونَ﴾
“Has the time not come for those who have believed that their hearts should become humbly submissive at the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth? And let them not be like those who were given the Scripture before, and a long time passed over them, so their hearts hardened, and many of them are defiantly disobedient.”
[Surah al-Ḥadīd: 16]
Imām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله stated regarding "ولا يكونوا":
“This is an absolute prohibition against resembling them, particularly in the hardness of hearts, which is a result of sins.”
[Jilbāb al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah, p. 163]
Imām Ibn Kathīr رحمه الله wrote:
“Allah forbade the believers from imitating the Jews and Christians in any of their essential or major practices.”
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ"
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
Reference: Abū Dāwūd: 4031
,
Reference: Musnad Aḥmad: 5114, 5115, 5667
There are numerous authentic ḥadīths prohibiting Muslims from adopting the customs and ways of the People of the Book.
For further reading, refer to:
- “Jilbāb al-Mar’ah al-Muslimah” by Shaykh al-Albānī رحمه الله
- “Yahūd o Naṣārā se Mukhālafat Kyun aur Kaise?” by Ḥāfiẓ Muḥammad Ibrāhīm Salafī (shaheed, in shā’ Allāh)
❖ Why Eid Cards Are Impermissible:
① They are imitations of Christian customs (Christmas cards).
② They often feature indecent images, promoting sin.
③ Attempting to "Islamize" them (by adding images of Kaʿbah or Masjid al-Nabawī) is just a deceptive dressing—like labeling democracy or socialism as "Islamic."
④ There is no trace of such practice in the life of the Prophet ﷺ, the Companions, or the Salaf.
⑤ If Eid cards held any virtue, the Prophet ﷺ would have guided us, as Islam was perfected during his lifetime.
⑥ There is no basis for this practice in the Qur’ān or Sunnah.
Conclusion:
Eid cards are a foreign custom that contradicts Islamic purity, modesty, and teachings. Instead of celebrating Eid by adopting non-Islamic practices, we should use the blessed days for worship, remembrance of Allah, obedience, and spiritual reflection.
Let us not waste these valuable moments—lest on the Day of Judgment, we are left with nothing but regret, loss, and ruined deeds.
May Allah guide the Ummah to the correct path, protect us from misguidance, innovations, and foreign customs, and grant us steadfastness on Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm.
Āmīn.
