I have for 3 years been a muslim revert, always doing 5 salah and never missing Jumu'ah. I have been invited to a kafir friend's birthday celebration where alcohol is to be served, what does the scholars say about attending such a function? My friend respects my faith in Allah. Jazakallah Khairan // Farouk Thawr

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad (ﷺ) is His Slave and Messenger.

We ask Allah to grant both us and you steadfastness and to enable us to do that which He loves and is pleased with.

We strongly advise you to be punctual in performing the five daily prayers in the mosque, for maintaining the prayers in the mosque is among the greatest means of remaining firm upon faith and dying upon iman.

ʿAbdullah ibn Masʿood () said: “Whoever would be pleased to meet Allah tomorrow as a believer should safeguard these prayers where the call to them is made.” [Reported by Muslim]

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Whoever hears the call to prayer while being fit and free (unoccupied by a valid excuse), and he does not respond to it, then there is no prayer for him.” [Reported and authenticated by Al-Hakim]

Know that it is not permissible for you to attend this birthday party in which alcohol will be present. It is also not permissible for a Muslim to fall into prohibited matters merely out of consideration for the feelings of non-Muslims.

Being present in places where sins are openly committed is not permissible except for one who is able to remove or change such evil. Allah, The Exalted, says (what means): {And those who do not witness falsehood, and when they pass by vain talk, they pass by with dignity.} [Quran 25: 72]

Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir () said in his Tafsir: “Among the qualities of the servants of Ar-Rahman (the Most Merciful) is that they do not attend falsehood. It has been said that falsehood here refers to shirk and the worship of idols. Others said that it refers to lying, sinfulness, disbelief, vain amusement, and falsehood in general.

Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah () said: ‘It refers to vain amusement and singing.’

ʿAmr ibn Qays () said: ‘They are gatherings of evil and immorality.’

Imam Malik () narrated from Al-Zuhri: ‘One should neither attend gatherings where alcohol is consumed nor show approval toward them.’ It has been narrated in the hadith: ‘Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not sit at a table where alcohol is being served.’” [End quote.]

Allah Knows best.