Shaykh Muhammad Nasiruddin Al-Albani was asked:

Question:

“Is it allowed to establish lectures at the beginning of the New Gregorian Year to speak about Jesus and call non-Muslims, from the Christians and other than them, to Islam and convert them?

Answer:

Whoever is eager in calling non-Muslims to Islam, then he would not restrict the affair by seizing the opportunity when the Christians celebrate their festival so that we can participate alongside them claiming [we are] calling them to Islam. There are many areas for da’wah besides this, in terms of writing, delivering speeches, and the likes of this. There is nothing that justifies that. It is not from Islam what is said today [of the statement], ‘the ends justify the means’ because this principle is not an Islamic principle. Some of the Muslims have been influenced by this. So you find them falling into and mixing rulings that are not legislated claiming it leads to benefit. So many from the Islamists today seize the opportunity of Mawlid an-Nabawiyyah. They give speeches and remind [them]. Participating with them in that are some Salafis claiming it is an opportunity to seize and exploit to convey the Da’wah to these people. So like this, we do not see it allowed due to what is in it from participating in the festivals that are not legislated”. End quote. [Taken from Fataawa al-Emaraat no. 123 as cited in al-Masaail al-‘ilmiyyah wa Fatawaa ash-Shar’iah Fatawaa Shaikh al-‘Allamah Muhammad Nasruddin al-Albani fi Madinah wal-‘Emaraatpg.157]

Translated by

Faisal Ibn Abdul Qaadir Ibn Hassan
Abu Sulaymaan