Islam & Christmas – A Fatwa related to Christmas
Each Join/Like on this Facebook page above adds $1-to-$10 to the noble cause. Please consider saving these innocent little children.
ADMIN NOTE: In the light of the feedback by a commenter below, we establish that the content of this post had been controversial yet contradictory. We, therefore, are removing this post so to avoid being a source of misinformation to our beloved readers.
Each Join/Like on this Facebook page adds $1-to-$10 to the noble cause. Please consider saving these innocent little children.
Related posts:
- Islam & Christmas – Christmas in the Muslim World
- Islam & Christmas – Treating Christmas with Respect
- Moral System of Islam
- Wedding Customs & Islam
- Principles of Self Development in Islam
- Parenting in Islam
- Human Rights and Islam | Some Points of Convergence and Divergence
- Islam’s Position on Homosexuality
- aHadith Collection | 18000+ ahadith/hadis/hadees
- Misconceptions about Women in Islam
All that is provided above is extremly true but we fail to know the fact that in Islam there is a meaning for everything. Just like we are told to refer to others with Salam because there is a meaniing for such a greeting. Other greeting like Hello, Hi don’t have any proper meaning and as per the Oxford Dictionary they are nothing but forms of greeting. Likewise we can not get involved in Hindu traditions of Diwali e.t.c because there Idol worshipping is going on. By just saying that it is just a happy moment is not a part of Islam. We have to make sure what is this moment for? Why it is being celebrated? How it is celebrated? so on and so forth. Likewise a true Muslim would not attend Bear parties, alcohol parties by just saying “O’ it is just a celebration”. Now coming to the point, Christmas every one is aware of people of every religion. But if we see here how many number of people ever try to find out the real meaning of it? Do we actully know which religion celebrates it, whose religion is this culture, what is its background and most importantly why is it celebrated? Not many people try to find out. Infact every religion tries to jump in to it and even Muslims joyfully. Just hold on a moment do these Chistians ever jump in to our Eid-ul-Azha, our Eid-ul-Fitr, our Muharam, our Shab-e-Barat? You know why because they know the verse from the Quran:” If you follow people of a particular religion, i.e The Jews, The pagans e.t.c on the day of Akhira you will be raised from among them”. This is a warning to us Muslims too!!!Now coming to the real point actully Christmas is a day Christians celebrate on 25th of December to Acknowledge the Birth of The Christ(Hazrat esa) as son of God. They believe that on this day Allah gave birth to Hazrat Esa (noazubillah) because the real date of Birth of Hazrat Esa is not 25 th December rather birth of some Son of God that these Chrstians believe in( Dr. Zakir Naik Peace Tv). But this fact is unknown to many because Christians are very careful about their religion and would never want to convey the Truth. They would rather like each and every person to do as per they and so come to their religion. As pe Quran”the Jews and Christians would never be satisfied from O’ Prophet(pbuh) lest you come to their religion”. So if a Muslim says Merry Christmas just like the Christians then He too is Acknowleging the fact that Hazrat Esa is the son of Allah(naozobillah)….Beware!!!
Here is another Fatwa that describes my comments well…..
It is prohibited for Muslims to celebrate Christmas and other Christian festivals for the following reasons:
• Celebrating Christmas and other Christian festivals is a religious innovation that has no basis in the Islamic Sharee‘ah.
The Prophet, , warned us against introducing something new into the religion. ‘Aa’ishah narrated that the Prophet, , said: “Whoever introduces something in our matter (religion) that does not originally belong to it, it will be rejected.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] Another version of the Hadeeth (narration) that was narrated by Muslim reads: “Whoever does something that does not originally belong to our matter (religion), it will be rejected.” [Muslim]
Therefore, Muslims should not allocate a certain day to hold celebrations unless there is evidence in the Islamic Sharee‘ah that supports it.
• Muslims are not allowed to celebrate any feasts except the two Islamic feasts that the Prophet, , celebrated i.e., ‘Eed Al-Fitr and ‘Eed Al-Adh-ha.
Anas narrated that when the Prophet, , came to Madeenah, the people had two days on which they used to engage in entertainment. He asked aboutthese two daysand said: “Allaah The Almighty has given you better days instead: the Day of Fitr and Al-Adh-ha.” [Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i and others] [Saheeh (Authentic) chain of narrators]
The Prophet, , banned celebrating their feasts so that they would not be rendered equal to those of the Muslims. In fact, if Muslim, rulers and scholars were to be apathetic regarding this issue, the common Muslims would glorify and celebrate the feasts of the non-Muslims just like their own feasts.
• It is impermissible in Islam to celebrate birthdays, whether it is that of the Prophet, , other Prophets or righteous Muslims.
In fact, the birth and death of the Prophets are not considered religious events through which Muslims can draw closer to Allaah The Exalted, and Muslims should not show either joy or sadness or any other similar aspects of celebration on these occasions.
Therefore, when the sun eclipsed during the life of the Prophet, , people thought that it was because of the death of Ibraaheem, the son of the Prophet, . Al-Mugheerah bin Shu‘bah said, “The sun eclipsed in the lifetime of the Prophet on the day when (his son) Ibraaheem died. So people said that the sun had eclipsed because of the death of Ibraaheem. The Prophet said: ‘The sun and the moon do not eclipse because of the death or life (i.e. birth) of anyone. When you see an eclipse, pray and supplicate Allaah.’” [Al-Bukhaari]
Thus, there is no evidence in the Islamic Sharee‘ah (Islamic legislation) that validates celebrating the birth or death anniversaries of anyone, and it was not reported that the Prophet, , his Companions or the knowledgeable scholars whom the Muslims follow, celebrated the birth or death anniversaries of any person.
• Celebrating Christmas and other Christian festivals implies a sort of exaggeration in praising and expressing love for ‘Eesa (Jesus Christ) and this is obvious in numerous Christian religious practices nowadays.
The Prophet, said: “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising the son of Mary, for I am only a Slave [of Allaah The Almighty]. So, call me the Slave and Messenger of Allaah.” [Al-Bukhaari]
In fact, Islam banned Muslims from exaggeration in praising and glorifying the Prophets and warned against worshipping them instead of Allaah The Almighty and raising their status above that which Allaah The Exalted set for them. Indeed, the Prophets were sent by Allaah The Almighty for people as bearers of glad tidings and warnings; they called people to worship Allaah The Almighty Alone and not to worship them instead, or to exaggerate in praising and loving them.
• Celebrating Christmas and other Christian festivals indicates associating oneself with the disbelievers and participating in their [false] religious rituals.
Furthermore, it encourages the disbelievers and makes them feel that what they are doing is right, which is totally forbidden and is considered to be a grave major sin in Islam. Allaah The Exalted Says (what means): {O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allaah guides not the wrongdoing people.} [Quran 5:51]
However, this ruling applies to Muslims who adopt this attitude towards Christians while not agreeing to their false religion and not approving [the doctrine of] Trinity, baptism, offering animal sacrifices for other than Allaah The Exalted, living in a monastery and other such Christian practices. If Muslims were to adopt this attitude towards Christians deliberately (i.e., participating in their [false] religious rituals), they would be considered as disbelievers and apostates from the religion of Islam according to the consensus of the scholars.
However, common Muslims, who may be ignorant of Islamic teachings, are not able to differentiate between the two stances; hence, Muslims should shun going to temples and churches during that day i.e., Christmas Day, or any other day of the disbelievers’ festivals as well.
• Celebrating Christmas and other Christian festivals implies imitating the Christians and following their religious practices, which is one of the gravest sins that is totally prohibited in Islam.
The Prophet, , said: “Whoever imitates a people becomes one of them.” [Abu Daawood] In fact, imitating the appearances and practices of others implies copying their beliefs as well and leads to the development of love and affection between the imitator and the one who is imitated. Hence, the law of Allaah, The All-Wise, leaves no chance for Muslims to develop an affinity with the disbelievers, feel satisfied with their false religion and embrace their religion.
• The Islamic feasts come after Muslims perform acts of worship; this is the essence of celebration i.e., offering due thanks to Allaah The Almighty for helping us to perform acts of worship and as an expression of the Muslims’ joy for having performed these acts of worship.
‘Eed Al-Fitr comes after Muslims fast the month of Ramadhaan and ‘Eed Al-Adh-ha comes after performing Hajj and [performing acts of worship in] the first ten days of Thul- Hijjah. ‘Eed in Islam is a source of joy, an act of worship, a means of offering thanks and repentance to Allaah The Almighty and not a celebration of [the birth or death of] any created being or any worldly affair. In fact, this concept cannot be found in Christmas. The true Christianity to which ‘Eesa called people has been abrogated by Islam; hence, it is impermissible for Muslims to celebrate Christmas or follow any Christian religious practices.
• Celebrating Christmas and other Christian festivals is against the teachings of the Prophet, , and a deviation from his path.
The Prophet, , always differed from the People of the Book, in performing acts of worship, appearances, morals, customs and in various affairs of life. For example, the Prophet, , differed from the disbelievers in the Qiblah (direction of prayer), in the manner of parting his hair, prohibiting Muslims from standing for him as a sign of respect, dying his grey hair and in establishing the unique Islamic greeting and so on.
In fact, this is crystal clear from the narrations and life of the Prophet, . Indeed, this is a fundamental principle in Islam to which Muslims should adhere. It was narrated that the Prophet, , said: “You will follow the (wrong) ways of those before you so completely and literally that if they enter the hole of a lizard, you too will enter it.” The Companions inquired, “O Messenger of Allaah! Do you mean the Jews and the Christians?” He replied: “Who else?” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] In fact, this is an obvious attitude adopted by the Muslims nowadays; may Allaah help us.
For this reason, it is impermissible for Muslims to venerate Christian feasts, attend their celebrations, participate with them in any way, exchange gifts with Christians on these occasions, congratulate them, trade in what might help them to hold these celebrations and promote such feasts and celebrations.
Dear Rabia,
In the light of your comments and evidence, I submit that it is a controversial topic hence decide to take it off the site. Thank you for indulging and being of help
Dear Admin. It is a reply to the Christmas topic thourougly disscussed by Mr.Mujahid I have just told some more comprehensive points to members in detail.
If Prophet PBUP warnd, not to add any thing in islam to why the new Firqas ,like Deobandi, Wahabi etc had been added to the muslim. Wrong thing is wrong, good thing that do not conflict with islam can be added, there is not any reasion for not adding, no any Hadees is present for this.