The students in some schools stand up, clasp their hands and repeat the words “O our Father we thank you for the night…” What is the ruling on that?
Question

                In a school, every morning a school prayer is sung, where every student is required to stand up and join his/her hands like that of the hindus, and sing as follows- "father we thank thee for the night ...................." Then in hindi " he bhagwan,do wardaan......"

Questions

1) Is it permissible?

2) Is it permissible to do the above by clumping our hands and saying

"ALLAH we Thank THEE FOR THE NIGHT..............."
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon 
    him,) who is the most truthful one, told us that this ummah would follow the 
    ways of the Jews and Christians. It was narrated from Abu Sa ‘eed (may Allah 
    be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon 
    him) said: “You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you 
    hand span by hand span, cubit by cubit, to the extent that if they entered 
    the hole of a lizard, you will enter it too.” We said: “O Messenger of 
    Allah, (do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?” He said: “Who else?” 
    Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1397; Muslim, 4822. 

    This hadeeth indicates that it is haraam to imitate the Jews 
    and the Christians, and that those who follow them and tread the same path 
    as them are criticized. Islam has reinforced this prohibition, by describing 
    those who imitate the kuffaar as being of them.  

    It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be 
    pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon 
    him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Narrated by Abu 
    Dawood, 3512; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 
    2691.  

    Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah have mercy on him) 
    said: 

    This at the very least indicates that it is haraam to imitate 
    them, although the apparent meaning is that the one who imitates them is a 
    kaafir. 

    Iqtida’ al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem, 
    237. 

    The phrase asked about here (“O our Father we thank you for 
    the night…”) Is most likely to be a Jewish or Christian prayer, because they 
    are the ones who describe God, may He be glorified, as their Father, exalted 
    be Allah above what they say. Indeed Allah, may He be glorified, and His 
    Angels and His Messengers have nothing to do with them or their disbelief. 
    This is confirmed in the Qur’an where Allah, may He be exalted, says 
    (interpretation of the meaning):

    “And (both) the Jews and the Christians say: ‘We are the 
    children of Allah and His loved ones.’ Say: ‘Why then does He punish you for 
    your sins?’ Nay, you are but human beings, of those He has created, He 
    forgives whom He wills and He punishes whom He wills. And to Allah belongs 
    the dominion of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, and 
    to Him is the return (of all)”

    [al-Maa’idah 5:18]. 

    In fatwa no. 160791 we stated that it is not permissible to 
    address Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, by saying “O my Father” or 
    “O our Father”; these are the words of the people of the two previous Books, 
    the Jews and Christians. 

    Based on that, it is not permissible to use this phrase in 
    supplication (du‘aa’). 

    Secondly: 

    With regard to the question about using this phrase in the 
    prayer “O Allah, we thank you for the night…”, this, by Allah, is something 
    strange and is indicative of how far this ummah has sunk into humiliation, 
    feelings of inferiority and backwardness, and defeatist thinking. Hence it 
    hastens to imitate the disbelievers even in their prayers and religious 
    rituals. It is absolutely astounding that anyone would forsake the Qur’anic 
    du‘aas that are from the words of the Lord of the Worlds, may He be 
    glorified and exalted, and would forsake the Prophet’s du‘aa’s, and the 
    adhkaar of the morning and evening which are the words of the best of 
    mankind, then hasten to use the prayers of the disbelievers after 
    introducing some modifications and improvements to them. 

    One may say that there is nothing wrong or objectionable in 
    saying “O Allah, we thank You for the night” in and of itself, for morning 
    and evening (or day and night) are among the blessings that Allah has 
    bestowed upon His slaves, for which they should give thanks, as Allah, may 
    He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

    “Say (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)): 
    ‘Tell me! If Allah made day continuous for you till the Day of Resurrection, 
    who is an ilah (a god) besides Allah who could bring you night wherein you 
    rest? Will you not then see?’

    It is out of His Mercy that He has put for you night and day, 
    that you may rest therein (i.e. during the night) and that you may seek of 
    His Bounty (i.e. during the day), and in order that you may be grateful”

    [al-Qasas 28:72-73].
    

    But if the one who says that is bearing in mind what the 
    disbelievers say and paying attention to their wording in their 
    supplication, then this undoubtedly comes under the heading of imitation of 
    the disbelievers which is prohibited, especially when it has to do with a 
    matter of worship and remembering Allah, may He be exalted. 

    Therefore it is haraam to stick to such wording and to choose 
    it deliberately, in this regard. 

    Moreover, the matter becomes even more emphatically 
    prohibited, and the one who does it definitely falls into the category of 
    imitation of the disbelievers which is prohibited, if that is accompanied by 
    clasping the hands in the manner mentioned, as the disbelievers, Hindus and 
    others, do in their prayers and worship. 

    For more information, please see the answer to question 
    no. 
    21341 

    And Allah knows best.