Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtafil

Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtafil (Sham al-Nasim: Shall We Celebrate?) is an Islamic legal treatise by the contemporary Egyptian author Shehata Saqr, examining the history and legal status of the Egyptian spring festival of Sham al-Nasim Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1. Published in Alexandria by Dar al-Khulafa al-Rashidin and Dar al-Fath al-Islami, the book argues against Muslim participation in the holiday on the grounds of religious innovation and unlawful imitation of non-Muslim religious customs Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1.

Historical Background and Customs

The treatise traces the origins of Sham al-Nasim back to ancient Pharaonic celebrations associated with the spring season, creation beliefs, and agricultural cycles Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1. According to the author, these practices were later adopted by the Israelites as Passover upon their departure from Egypt, and subsequently incorporated into Christian traditions following Great Lent and Passion Week, fixing the festival on the Monday directly following Easter Sunday Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1.

The work details various traditional customs observed during the holiday, including gathering outdoors in public parks and gardens from sunrise to sunset, adorning girls with jasmine wreaths, and consuming specific foods such as salted fish (fesikh), lettuce, green onions, and colored or engraved eggs Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1. It highlights that decorating and coloring eggs originated from ancient symbolic rituals, later given Christian connotations where red dye symbolized Christ's blood, while placing onions near doors or under pillows stemmed from superstitious beliefs regarding healing and repelling spirits Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1.

Legal Arguments and Position

The author presents the ruling that celebrating Sham al-Nasim is strictly prohibited in Islamic law, classifying it as an introduced innovation (bid'ah) Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1. He emphasizes that Muslims are legally restricted to two canonical celebrations—Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha—and that religious festivals fall under prescribed acts of worship and sacred rites rather than arbitrary customs Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1.

The book outlines specific duties for Muslims regarding the festival:

• Refraining entirely from attending, celebrating, or partaking in the festivities Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf….
• Abstaining from assisting non-Muslims in their celebrations, including gifting, advertising, selling, or lending items used for the occasion Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf….
• Advising and admonishing Muslims who observe the holiday, and staying indoors with one's family to avoid participating in public festivities Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1.

The treatise also addresses and refutes common justifications offered for observing the day, such as the claim that people celebrate it merely as a social tradition without religious intent, or that the official public holiday can be utilized for general leisure Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…. The author argues that imitating the distinctive religious symbols and festivals of other communities is impermissible regardless of subjective intention Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf….

Sources

The work substantiates its positions using classical and modern references, most notably Ibn Taymiyyah's Iqtida al-Sirat al-Mustaqim (The Requirement of the Straight Path), statements by al-Azhar scholars such as Shaykh Ali Mahfuz and Shaykh Atiyya Saqr, rulings from the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta, and contemporary studies on non-Muslim festivals by Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Huqayl Shamm al-Nasim Hal Nahtaf…+1.