Muslims
adopting the Anno Domini (A.D.) calendar
*Please appropriately reference
this fatwa to: www.fatwa-online.com, thankyou!*
Question: Is adopting the Anno Domini (A.D.) calendar
considered as (displaying) loyalty to the Christians?
Response:
It is not considered as (displaying) loyalty (to the Christians),
rather, it is considered as resembling them.
And
during the time of the Sahaabah
(radhi-yallaahu
'anhum) the Anno Domini calendar was in existence, yet
they did not use it. Rather, they desisted from using it,
instead turning to the Hijree
calendar. So
they established the Hijree calendar and did not use the Anno
Domini calendar, despite the existence of the Anno Domini
calendar in their time.
This
is evidence (enough) for the Muslims to be independent of
the ways of the kuffaar
and blindly following them, especially since the Anno Domini
calendar is a symbol of their religion. This is because it
is symbolic of the(ir) glorification of the birth of (Prophet)
Jesus (`alayhis-salaam)
and celebrating it at the end of the year. And this is an
innovation which the Christians have introduced; so we do
not participate with them and nor do we encourage them upon
this; And if we were to adopt their calendar, then that would
mean we are resembling them, whilst we have the Hijree calendar
- and al-Hamdu-Lillaah
- which was introduced by the Leader of the Believers 'Umar
ibn al-Khattaab (radhi-yallaahu
'anhu) the rightly guided Khaleefah,
in the presence of the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar; (and) this
is sufficient for us.
Shaykh
Saalih ibn Fowzaan
al-Muntaqaa min Fataawa Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan - Volume
1, Page 257, Fatwa No.153
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