Contributing to a fair of the disbelievers

Question

(1) In the country of Burma there is a custom that every year in every neighbourhood a fair is held for a month, at which there are also dancing, merrymaking, music and singing and other games and spectacles. In the Burmese language this fair is called “phiya philari” (پھیا پھیلڑی), that is, “the fair of spirits”, and people give contributions of money to it. Is it permissible for Muslims to give contributions to it or not? (2) The people who give contributions say: “As the times are, so one should go along.

Answer

(1) Rather, it is impermissible, because of the words of the Exalted: [ar]وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ[/ar] “…and do not cooperate in sin and transgression” (Surah al-Maʾida, 5:2). (2) These people are not acquainted with Islam, which is why they say this.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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