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Fatwa CenterAttending Religious Gatherings of Non-Muslim In-Laws
Question
Can I attend my non Muslim wife family gatherings (she's from the ahlul kitab) on their religious holidays to keep good ties with my in laws or to keep the marriage going or is it totally prohibited even if they are mostly social events but done on religious days so they become religious events for them as well? If it were only a social even would it be permitted?JAZAKALLAHU kheiran make dua for me IN SHA ALLAH
Answer
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 
is His slave and Messenger.
It is not permissible for you, my brother, to attend those religious events held by your Christian in-laws, as it is forbidden for a Muslim to attend the holidays and religious occasions of the disbelievers, whether they are from the People of the Book or others, because attending them leads to witnessing evil and increasing the number of its people, in addition to being satisfied with it. Allah Almighty in describing His faithful servants says: {Those who do not witness falsehood, and if they pass by some of evil play or evil talk, they pass by it with dignity.} [Quran 25:72]
Al-Qurtubi 
said in the interpretation of the saying of Allah the Almighty: (who do not witness falsehood): “it has been reported from Ibn Abbas that it is the holidays of the polytheists.” [End quote]
This opinion was also held by a group of predecessors other than Ibn Abbas 
such as Mujahid, Abu Al-‘Aaliyah, Tawus, Muhammad ibn Sirin, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi’ ibn Anas, and others.
Ibn ‘Ashur said in At-Tahrir wa At-Tanwir: “They (Muslims) should not attend the gatherings of falsehood that the polytheists attend, which are gatherings of futility, singing, backbiting, and the like. Similarly, the holidays of the polytheists and their games.” [End quote]
Additionally, the family gatherings of Christians are not devoid of other objectionable things, such as the beautification of their women, their mixing with non-Mahram (marriageable) men, laughing with them, and so on. Thus it is not permissible to sit with them in these gatherings, even on a non-religious occasion.
Furthermore, not attending their gatherings does not necessarily mean mistreating them, rather, you can treat them with kindness. Hence, there is no blame on you for visiting your wife’s parents or brothers, communicating with them, and being kind to them, as treating non-Muslims with kindness is a permission granted by Shariah law, as Allah the Almighty says: {Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and fairly with those who have neither fought nor driven you out of your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are fair.} [Quran 60:8]
Ibn al-Jawzi said in Zaad al-Maseer: “This verse permits keeping ties with those (non-Muslims) who did not wage war against the Muslims, and treating them with kindness, even if there is no intimate friendship with them.” [End quote]
Allah knows best.
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