So Christmas has finished now, and the New Year has already begun.
For this reason, it might be a bit late to talk about Christmas and greeting people at this time of year.
However, since I came across this video and some non Muslims were perhaps offended by it I thought to comment on this.
The speaker here says he is asked if it is permissible to greet Christians with “Happy Christmas,” or not.
I myself had asked this question to Shayukh previously.
They told me there is nothing wrong in greeting and congratulating people who happen to be friends or relatives to keep up the good relationship.
Others say it is forbidden to greet people at Christmas because it is not an Islamic celebration and we are not supposed to celebrate the important days of other religions.
However, whichever perspective this speaker decided to take, he only had to calmly and politely give his perspective.
In this case it was enough to say “No, it is not permissible.”
If he wanted to explain, he only had to add, “we do not celebrate the important days of other religions.”
That would have been enough and clearly understood by everyone.
That is simply stating a fact, it is not offensive or insulting.
The fact is that many Muslims have different situations.
People have family and neighbours who may be Christians or other religions, so it is understandable that they want to know how to address them at this time.
Would it be right to call them all these neighbours and relatives kuffar and not speak to them for some days?
Actually, there are some neutral terms that non Muslims use with each other instead of saying “Happy Christmas,” especially when not Christian.
For example, Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays, as well as good day and so forth.
These things are more neutral.
However, one of the main problems that I had with this speech, even as a Muslim, was that the speaker was just so insulting.
No wonder some non Muslims spoke about this.
Are we asked to speak this way about Christians and other religions in the Quran?
Actually Christians are never referred to in the Quran as Kuffar, heretics, or any other such terms.
When Allah refers to Christians as People of the book, I think we should too.
In fact, the Quran highlights a lot of the similarities and closeness of the Christians to Muslims.
A verse tells us that the “ closest in love to the believers are those who say we are Christians.”
Historically there was a good and close relationship between Christians and Muslims. Of course, before those crusades.
If the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him had had the attitude of this speaker Muslims would have never been sent as refugees to Ethiopia to live under the Christian King.
If they had said he was a “kaffar man,” and refused to talk to him or accept help from him they would had no where to go.
Instead, Jafar, a companion, told him the story of Mother Mary and how she gave birth as a virgin to baby Jesus peace be upon him.
The najashi (the Ethiopian king) was happy with the story, since it confirmed what he believed in the Bible about Jesus peace be upon him and granted them refuge.
Before he died he accepted Islam.
When there was a war between the Christians of Rome and the Persians in Iran the Muslims wanted the Christians to win because they were monotheists.
They prayed for their victory and it happened as mentioned in the chapter of Rome in the Quran.
“Victory is to Rome, in a faraway land..”
In fact, when a Christian becomes a Muslim they are asked to testify not only belief in Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him but to confirm their belief in Jesus peace be upon him.
All people are rewarded when they believe in the message of Muhammad peace be upon him, but Christians are said to have two rewards. One for belief in Prophet Jesus peace be upon him and second for believing in Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.
Christians and Jews have special rules and are treated as closer to Muslims by being called the People of the Book and so sharing the belief in monotheism as well as belief in many of the Prophets.
Men can marry Jewish or Christian women but not pagan women.
Therefore, when the speaker refers to Christians as Kuffar and so forth, this is wrong and against the Quran and he should not be doing that. Rather, he should refer to them as Allah has done in his book.
Many non Muslims feel offended by the term kuffar and understandably so.
It has traditionally been applied to non Muslims who war against or fight against Muslims.
People celebrating the birthday of Prophet Jesus peace be upon him and try to keep up good relationships with Muslims should not be called kuffar.
In fact, a verse of the Quran tells us that Allah does not forbid us to treat nicely those who have not turned us (Muslims) out of our homes or fought against us (Muslims).
People are encouraged to keep up ties with their non Muslim relatives, and these times would be especially important to them.l
We are ordered not to insult other peoples so called gods or religions, because if we insult them they will insult us. This is from a verse in the Quran.
This of course, will cause fighting and wars.
Surah Hujirat tells us not to call each other by insulting nicknames. It does not say this is only for Muslims.
In fact, looking at the life of the Prophet peace be upon him, did he insult Christians, Jews and others by calling them insulting nicknames?
Would anyone have become Muslim had he done so?
They would have hated him and Islam and there would have been many more wars most likely.
Therefore, this way if speaking actually contradicts the Quran.
Even when Moses peace be upon him was told to go to Pharaoh to invite him to Islam, he was told to speak to him in a gentle way.
If a Prophet was asked to speak to the biggest oppressor and tyrant in history in a gentle way, then what about Muslims now in addressing innocent people who do not know anything about Islam?
It is also strange that this speaker compares greeting people at Christmas time to greeting someone who commits adultery, drinks alcohol or has relationships with children.
There is no comparison at all. In fact, such things are also forbidden in the Christian religion as well.
No one would ever think to congratulate people on such things, even non Muslims.
Yet, Christmas is celebrating the birthday of Jesus peace be upon him, who is not only a Christian Prophet and Saviour according to Christians but a great Muslim Prophet as well.
For this reason, saying it is not allowing to congratulate people at such a time is not so clear. It is not from the religion, but it does not clearly contradict it as well.
I mean, as Muslims we fast the day of Ashura and this was originally a Jewish day of fasting because it was the day Moses peace be upon him got the Israelites across the sea.
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him fasted this day and recommended us to fast saying that we have more right to Moses and he even said he would fast three days if he had lived long enough. However, he did not manage that.
Therefore, not everything from the People of the Book we are asked to be against. There are some things that we do that are shared, and some things are merely neutral.
Rather than upsetting people on their Holy day when people are celebrating and trying to be happy and remember Jesus peace be upon him by calling them heretics it would make more sense to take the opportunity to tell people about the story of Jesus peace be upon him in the Quran.
I really like the story of Jesus and his Mother Mary and you can learn a lot from that.
What is more is that whenever I have told Christians – especially Catholics – that we believe in Mary giving birth to Jesus as a virgin they are usually very happy to hear that and want to know more about the story and even about the Quran and Islam.
Therefore, in my opinion, even if we do not agree with celebrating, greeting or getting involved in Christmas we can at least be polite and respectful towards others by not insulting them on their special days.
If we do that then we may be equally insulted on Eid days and we cannot claim it is Islamophobia.
As a hadith tells to treat others how we would like to be treated.
Also to speak good or say silent.
These sorts of sermons prevent Islam from being seen as it really is, with underlying teachings of love rather than hate, aggression and abuse.
Therefore, I would only ask that some of these speakers think about what they are saying, who will hear it and why they are saying it before they give sermons next time.
Comments
Post a Comment