Fatwa No : 88504
Is It Permissible to Eat Food Served at a Birthday Celebration?

Is It Permissible to Eat Food Served at a Birthday Celebration?

If someone sends food from a birthday celebration, is it permissible to eat it or not? They did not send any cake, as we had already informed them that we do not eat birthday cake. So they sent biryani instead, which was prepared for the people attending the birthday. Our neighbor organized the birthday celebration for one of their relatives.

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

It should be noted that the celebration of birthdays originates from Western culture. Those people also celebrate the birth of Prophet Isa عليه السلام. However, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ disliked adopting the religious or cultural practices of other nations, and there are explicit hadiths prohibiting such imitation. Therefore, the questioner and other Muslims should avoid such customs. Moreover, even though the cause or occasion (i.e., birth) exists, the absence of any such celebration—either in word or action—in the Qur’an, hadith, or among the Companions and early righteous Muslims (salaf salihin) is itself a proof of prohibition. Hence, organizing or participating in such programs should be avoided. However, if food or other items are sent home by neighbors or relatives without one’s participation in the celebration—and provided the food contains no haram (forbidden) ingredients—then eating it is not outright prohibited. Yet, since consuming such food may indirectly encourage these un-Islamic practices, it is better and more prudent to abstain from eating it.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی مرقاة المفاتیح: (وعنه): أي عن ابن عمر (قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم - (من تشبه بقوم): أي من شبه نفسه بالكفار مثلا في اللباس وغيره، أو بالفساق أو الفجار أو بأهل التصوف والصلحاء الأبرار. (فهو منهم): أي في الإثم والخيراھ(کتاب اللباس، ج: 8، ص: 155، ط: حقانیۃ)۔
وفی فتح الباری: قال بن المنير فيه أن المندوبات قد تنقلب مكروهات إذا رفعت عن رتبتها لأن التيامن مستحب في كل شيء أي من أمور العبادة لكن لما خشي بن مسعود أن يعتقدوا وجوبه أشار إلى كراهته والله أعلم الخ ( باب الانفتال والانصراف عن اليمين والشمال، ج: 2، ص: 430، ط: قدیمی)۔