Do Muslims Celebrate Thanksgiving? Islamic View Explained

Do Muslims celebrate Thanksgiving? Thanksgiving is not an Islamic festival, so Muslims do not celebrate it as a religious occasion. However, because it is mainly a national, cultural holiday in the USA and Canada rather than a religious one, scholars differ on whether a Muslim may join a family Thanksgiving dinner: some say Muslims should avoid marking it at all, while others allow sharing a halal meal with family as long as it is not treated like Eid. For Muslims, gratitude (shukr) to Allah is a daily act of worship, not a once-a-year event.

This guide explains both scholarly views fairly, what the Quran and Sunnah say about gratitude, and practical rules about halal turkey, greetings and school activities.

Urdu khulasa: کیا مسلمان تھینکس گیونگ مناتے ہیں؟ یہ اسلامی تہوار نہیں۔ بعض علماء اسے بالکل نہ منانے کا کہتے ہیں، جبکہ بعض علماء حلال کھانے کے ساتھ خاندانی دعوت میں شرکت کی اجازت دیتے ہیں بشرطیکہ اسے عید کا درجہ نہ دیا جائے۔ مسلمان کے لیے اللہ کا شکر روزانہ کی عبادت ہے۔

What Is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is a public holiday in the United States (fourth Thursday of November) and Canada (second Monday of October). It grew out of harvest celebrations and early colonial history, and today it is mostly about family dinners, travel, football and charity food drives. Unlike Christmas or Easter, it does not centre on a church service or a doctrine about Jesus — which is why scholars treat it as a separate question.

Do Muslims Celebrate Thanksgiving? The Two Scholarly Views

View 1: Do not celebrate it

Many scholars — including those whose fatwas are published on sites such as IslamQA — say Thanksgiving is an annually recurring festival (an “eid” in the linguistic sense) that originated outside Islam, so Muslims should not mark it, hold special dinners for it or exchange greetings for it. They cite the hadith of Anas (RA): when the Prophet ﷺ came to Madinah, people had two festival days, and he said Allah had replaced them with two better days, Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr (Sunan Abi Dawud 1134, sahih).

View 2: A halal family meal is permissible

Other contemporary scholars in North America view Thanksgiving as a civic holiday with no religious ritual. They allow a Muslim to join relatives or neighbours for a halal meal, especially to keep family ties with non-Muslim or revert families, provided there is no alcohol, no religious ritual, and the day is not treated as a festival equal to Eid.

Both groups agree on the core points: Thanksgiving is not an Islamic holiday, Muslims have only two Eids, and gratitude to Allah should be shown every day. If you are unsure which view to follow, ask a trusted local scholar.

Shukr: Gratitude in Islam Is Every Day

In Islam, gratitude (shukr) means recognising a blessing in the heart, praising Allah with the tongue, and using the blessing in ways that please Him. Allah promises:

لَئِن شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ

“If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more.” — Surah Ibrahim 14:7

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ

“Remember Me; I will remember you. And thank Me, and never be ungrateful.” — Surah Al-Baqarah 2:152

Allah also told the family of Prophet Dawud (AS): اعْمَلُوا آلَ دَاوُودَ شُكْرًا — “Work, O family of Dawud, in gratitude,” adding that few of His servants are truly grateful (Surah Saba 34:13). Gratitude in Islam is shown through actions, not only words.

Gratitude in the Sunnah

• The Prophet ﷺ said: “The affair of the believer is amazing — there is good in all his affairs. If something good happens he is grateful, and that is good for him; if hardship befalls him he is patient, and that is good for him” (Sahih Muslim 2999).
• He prayed at night until his feet cracked. When Aisha (RA) asked why, since Allah had forgiven him, he replied: “Should I not love to be a thankful servant?” (Sahih al-Bukhari 4837). You can follow this Sunnah with our Tahajjud prayer guide.
• “Whoever is not grateful to people is not grateful to Allah” (Jami at-Tirmidhi 1954). Thanking teachers, neighbours and colleagues is itself part of Islamic manners.

Daily habits of gratitude

A Muslim says Alhamdulillah on waking, after eating and in every prayer. Simple ways to build the habit: recite the dua after eating, keep up the azkar after prayer (SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu Akbar), and count your dhikr with our digital tasbih counter.

Practical Questions About Thanksgiving

Can Muslims eat turkey on Thanksgiving?

Turkey itself is halal. The issue is how it was slaughtered: most supermarket turkeys in the USA and Canada are not zabiha. Muslims who attend a meal should use certified halal meat or bring their own halal dish, and avoid alcohol and pork products (for example, stuffing cooked with bacon or wine-based gravy).

Can Muslims say “Happy Thanksgiving”?

Scholars who permit the family meal generally see no problem in returning a polite greeting, since the holiday has no religious doctrine. Scholars who hold the first view advise against greetings tied to the day. A neutral option that fits both is: “Thank you — wishing you and your family peace and blessings.”

What about school Thanksgiving activities?

Children often make crafts and hear stories about gratitude. Parents can use this as a chance to teach that Muslims thank Allah every day, while gently explaining that Thanksgiving is not one of our festivals. Parents who teach at home may find our Islamic homeschooling curriculum guide useful.

Mistakes to Avoid

• Treating Thanksgiving like Eid — with more preparation, money and excitement than the two Eids.
• Eating non-halal meat or sitting at tables where alcohol is served.
• Thinking gratitude is seasonal, when shukr is daily worship.
• Being harsh with family members who see the day differently — good character is also obedience to Allah.

For more Islamic guidance on daily life, visit the Spiritual Solutions Hub or read uplifting Islamic quotes and daily reminders.

Related reading

• Do Muslims Celebrate Christmas? Islamic View Explained
• Do Muslims Celebrate Easter? Islamic View Explained
• Eid ki Namaz ka Tarika (Eid Prayer Method)

FAQ

Is Thanksgiving haram in Islam?

Scholars differ. Some say Muslims should not mark it because it is a recurring festival from outside Islam; others allow joining a halal family meal as long as it is not treated like Eid. Both agree it is not an Islamic holiday.

Can Muslims eat Thanksgiving turkey?

Yes, if the turkey is halal (zabiha). Most regular supermarket turkeys are not, so use certified halal meat and avoid alcohol and pork-based sides.

Can Muslims attend Thanksgiving dinner with non-Muslim relatives?

Scholars who permit it say yes, to keep family ties, provided the food is halal and there is no alcohol or religious ritual. Scholars of the stricter view advise visiting family on another day.

What is the Arabic word for gratitude?

Shukr (شکر). It means recognising Allah’s blessing, praising Him for it and using it in obedience to Him.

What does the Quran say about gratitude?

Allah says: “If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more” (Surah Ibrahim 14:7), and “Remember Me; I will remember you. And thank Me” (2:152).

Source & review: References: Quran (quran.com), Hadith (sunnah.com). Content reviewed by Qilaj editorial team. For a personal situation, please consult a qualified local scholar.