Al-Hamdulillah, All praise be to Allah alone, for making us
Muslims and bestowing us the Deen of Islam to distinguish right and wrong. The holiday
season is upon us again, and the ugly head of Satan is rising again to inspire people to
indulge in innovation and shirk.
What proceeds is an analytical view of Christmas and appropriate Muslim conduct during the
Christmas season.
Any belief system or ritual (Christmas or otherwise) in any religion should satisfy each
of the following criteria to be labeled as authentic:
1. It should have its evidence from the scriptures or from the
authentic sayings of the Messenger.
2. The Messenger himself and his companions should practice and propagate it.
3. The Scripture or the Messenger's sayings in which this belief system is present should
be preserved from alterations or perishment.
Does Christmas have Biblical
Evidence?
The word 'Christmas' is not even present in the entire Bible. The
Bible has closed lips on the entire feast of Christmas with one exception, the decoration
of tree. Fortunately, for the Christians, the Bible does has a word or two to say on the
decoration of the Christmas tree, but unfortunately for them, their own Bible criticizes
the use of decorating tree:
"The customs of the people are worthless, they cut a tree
out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel, they adore it with silver
and gold, they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter" (Jeremiah
10:3,4).
Pre-Christian pagans superstitiously believed that the evergreen
tree has special power of protection. In fact, the use of Christmas tree began in the 17th
century, in Strasbourg, France and from there it spread to Germany, Britain and then to
the U.S. "Tree worship was a common feature of religion among the Teutonic and
Scandinavian peoples of northern Europe before their conversion to
Christianity
German settlers brought the Christmas tree custom to the American
colonies in the 17th century. By the 19th century its use was quite widespread". (Compton's
Encyclopedia, 1998 Edition)
Was Jesus Born on Dec. 25th?
Neither the date 25th Dec. nor any other date on Jesus' birth is
mentioned in the Bible. Not until the year 530 C.E., that a monk, Dionysus Exigus, fixed
the date of the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25th. "He wrongly dated the birth of Christ
according to the Roman system (i.e., 754 years after the founding of Rome) as Dec. 25,
753". (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998 ed.) This date was chosen perhaps in
keeping with the holidays already indoctrinated into pagans.
Roman pagans celebrated Dec. 25th as the birth of their 'god' of light, Mithra. "In
the 2nd century A..D., it (Mithraism) was more general in the Roman Empire than
Christianity, to which it bore many similarities" (The Concise Columbia
Encyclopedia, 1995 ed.)
"The reason why Christmas came to be celebrated on December
25 remains uncertain, but most probably the reason is that early Christians wished the
date to coincide with the pagan Roman festival marking the "birthday of the
unconquered sun" (natalis solis invicti); this festival celebrated the winter
solstice, when the days again begin to lengthen and the sun begins to climb higher in the
sky". (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1998 Ed.)
Other pagan 'gods' born on Dec. 25th are: Hercules, the son of
Zeus (Greeks) Bacchus, god of wind, (Romans),Adenis god of Greeks Freyr the Greek-Roman
god.
What about Santa Claus?
Once again the word 'Santa Claus' appears no where in the bible.
However Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) was a real person, bishop, who was born 300 years
after Jesus (pbuh). According to legend he was extremely kind and went out at night to
distribute presents to the needy. After his death on the 6th of Dec., school boys in
Europe celebrated a feast day every year on the anniversary of his death. Queen Victoria
later changed the celebration date from Dec. 6th to Dec. 24th eve.
Thus Christmas is an innovation (bidah) in their religion, associating it with
Santa Claus, and changing the original date of death anniversary of Saint Nicholas are
further deviations.
Did Jesus or his companions
celebrated Christmas?
Of course not. If Jesus meant his 'Ummah' to celebrate
Christmas, he would have practiced it himself and enjoined it on his followers. Even the
'supposed pseudo-companions' of Jesus (and not the companions of Jesus mentioned in the
Quran who called themselves as Muslims) mentioned in the bible made many innovations in
their religion, but celebrating Christmas was not their endeavor.
"In fact, the church did not observe a festival for the
celebration of the event until the 4th century" (Grolier's Encyclopedia).
Even if Christianity passed the above two test, they still have
to prove that their Bible have remained unaltered since its revelation. A whole separate
article could be written on this topic.
We'll mention three brief points, insha Allah. (1) Bible, unlike our Quran, was not
written down during Jesus' lifetime and no evidence of it ever being memorized. (2) The
oldest bible (Codex Siniticas) in possession of Christendom is only from the 4th
century C.E. (3) verses are missing or added as to the Bible throughout the centuries.
Compare different Bible versions (eg. compare the King James Version with Revised
Standard Version. For verse: 1 John 5:7, this verse is missing in Revised Standard
Version published in 1952).
How unfortunate and pitiful: parts of the original Bible has been lost. Part surviving has
been corrupted and the corrupted parts has been misinterpreted.
How should Muslims React to
Christmas?
Being the custodians of Truth and the 'Best Ummah created for
mankind" and "witnesses unto Mankind", we Muslims just can't stay still as
the society around us is entrapped by Satan. Enjoining good and forbidding evil should be
our theme.
The foremost thing to realize is that Christmas is a big innovation which is leading a big
part of humanity to shirk (associating partners with God). Christianity has
transgressed the limits set by Allah; therefore showing happiness and joy on Christmas,
Halloween, Easter, Good Friday is like shaking hands with Satan and telling him to carry
on the good work.
Remember Allah commandment to us in the Quran:
"Help you one another in virtue and righteousness,
but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah, verily Allah is
severe in punishment". (Quran, 5:2)
Therefore, a Muslim can't enjoin in any aspect of Christmas in
the disguise that Jesus is our Prophet too, we are just honoring him by celebrating
Christmas. We should recognize the bidah of Christmas and the Prophet's warning that all
bidah should be rejected. Therefore, accepting Christmas invitations, attending Christmas
parties, buying small plastic Christmas trees to please the kids (some Muslims actually
do) should be avoided.
By greeting Christians with 'merry Christmas' we are legitimizing Christmas, by driving
out on Christmas eve to witness the decoration of houses, we are appreciating bidah
with our eyes, by placing our kids on the laps of Santa in the malls we are handing them
in the hands of a fiend, by closing our Islamic Schools or shops during Christmas we are
giving it our silent approval, by selling Christmas items in our shops, we are
strengthening the pillars of Kufr.
By purchasing for children books with Christmas themes ('The Night before Christmas'), by
watching Christmas movies and by giving holidays to our regular Islamic schools or weekend
schools, we are passing them a misguided message.
Indeed Islam came to tear down the pillars of kufr and replace them with the
pillars of Islam. Armed with facts on Christmas and eloquent words of Islam, the door of Dawah
to the Christians should be wisely open.
When the Christians see us restraining from observing Christmas, they will curiously ask
us for the reason. This opportunity should be used by each single Muslim to discuss Islam
and invite non-Muslims to Islam.
It is highly recommended for all Muslims to carry brochures on Islam with them to pass on
to non-Muslim classmates, co-workers, neighbors etc. after discussing Islam. Free
brochures on various topics on Islam can be obtained by calling 1-718-658-1199 (for U.S.
and Canadian residents).
Writing articles in campus and local newspapers on 'Jesus (pbuh)
in Islam', conducting soup kitchens in impoverished neighborhoods, clothing drives in
schools and college campuses for the needy etc. are some proper modes of conduct during
the Christmas holiday season.
Thus the hearts and minds of non-Muslims should be exposed to the beautiful message of
Islam.
Truth comes, falsehood disappears; Islam came, now shirk must clear.
Sabeel Ahmed
October 1997.
-----------------------------
[Currently, he is the co-chairman of the Da'wa Committee and Board of Director at the
Muslim Community Center, Illinois. A student of Ahmed Deedat and now works for the
1-800-662-islam hotline of ICNA. His main interest is in comparative religion.]
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