THE DAILY ISLAMIC REMINDERS. Yaum Al-thalaatha, 25th day of Zul-Qa'adah (Tuesday, 7th August 2018). RULINGS ON IMITATING NON MUSLIMS. BismilLahir Rahmaanir Raheem. As Muslims, we must study our religion properly and ensure whatever we do is within the teachings of ALLAH and HIS Messenger or Consensus of Scholars as the Prophet certified. Any other ways of life can weaken our faith, corrupt it and eventually invalidate our shahaadah that we hold that certify us as Muslims that's why ALLAH warned us not to follow or listen to non Muslims or else they will deviate us into their disbelief and in the next verse ALLAH warned us not to live a life other than the teachings of the prophet and then the next verse warned us not to die as non Muslims which means, imitating non muslims by ignoring the sunnah can lead us into disbelief (Study Qur'an 3 Vs 100 going for all the above) . Imitating others is something that happens to humans. It is indicative of great love of the one whom one imitates, but in many cases it is an unhealthy phenomenon. Islam pays a great deal of attention to this issue (Muslims imitating disbelievers), and aside the warnings from ALLAH above, the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) definitively prohibited it and said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu Dawood (4031); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. We can only see the wisdom behind the prohibition on Muslims imitating disbelievers if we understand the harm to which this imitation may lead and the bad consequences thereof, which include the following If a Muslim imitates the disbelievers, it indicates that he prefers the way the disbeliever looks to the way he himself looks, and this may be an implicit objection to the law and will of ALLAH, may He be exalted. If a woman imitates a man, it is as if she is objecting to the appearance with which ALLAH has created her, and is not pleased with it. By the same token, when a Muslim imitates a disbeliever, it is as if he is saying that the appearance of the disbeliever is better for him than the appearance with which ALLAH has honoured him or her and has commanded him or her to keep. Imitating someone else is indicative of a sense of inferiority and psychological defeatism, but Islam does not accept for the Muslims to declare such defeat, even if it is real. Admitting and declaring defeat increases the weak person in weakness, and increases the strong person in strength. This may be one of the greatest obstacles to the weak person rising up and rectifying his situation. These are some of the clear reasons for the Islamic prohibition on Muslims imitating the polytheists. The Muslim has to comply with the rulings of ALLAH, may HE be exalted, and believe that ALLAH, may He be exalted, will never command him to do anything but that which is wise, in his best interests, and will lead to his happiness in this world and the hereafter. May ALLAH keep guiding our faith and protect us from imitating the kuffar. Aameen.