A FATWA CONCERNING PARTICIPATING IN KWANZAA

[Antar Ibn Stanford]

A FATWA CONCERNING PARTICIPATING IN KWANZA

Participation in certain aspects of Kwanzaa is haram (forbidden), namely using libations.

A Description of Libations

Libations is an ancient pagan ritual and thereby forbidden in Islam. It should be avoided at all costs. Participating in it only promotes paganism.

Libations is “a pouring out of wine or other liquid in honor of a deity.

The liquid poured out” (Libation Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com).

 Libation is “one of the oldest instances of pouring one out—technically known as making a libation—comes from Ancient Egypt, where the liquid offering for the dead was typically water”(origin of libations - Google Search).

 

“A libation is a ritual pouring of a liquid, or grains such as rice, as an offering to a deity or spirit, or in memory of the dead” (Libation - Wikipedia).

 

Allah (The Exalted) has said in the Qur’an 2:200, "Then when you have completed your ceremonies or rituals, remember Allah like you used to remember your fathers (ancestors). Or remember with a more intense remembrance."

 

This verse indicates that the remembrance of ancestors in ceremonies or rituals is something Muslims did prior to becoming Muslims. It was discontinued and replaced with the remembrance of Allah (The Exalted). This verse may be applied to any ritual or ceremony that honors your ancestors.