Muslims Not Celebrating Christmas? Why?
By Faddy Shaheen
The two considerations of a Muslim wishing a Christian Merry Christmas are as follows: When a Muslim wishes a Christian Merry Christmas in terms of acknowledging or encouraging the legitimacy of God's birth or the son of God's birth on December 25th, it is considered prohibited and blasphemy in Islam. On the other hand, when a Muslim wishes a Christian Merry Christmas in terms of expressing and sharing joy, peace, and goodwill without acknowledging or encouraging any religious beliefs other than Islam, this is permissible. This is because, in Islam, God was never created; Allah is the Creator and everything else is His creation. The terms death and birth do not apply to Allah himself, for he is the Lord and the Creator of all things. He is eternal, with no beginning or end, and infinite in His Being.
Muslims are taught to be sincere with people of beliefs other than Islam, expressing respect and tolerance for all. Sincere love and care for all beings, including the environment, is an act of worship in Islam. Additionally, kindness and help towards those less fortunate, such as the poor, orphans, and widows, are highly encouraged to foster a better society where everyone is respected and appreciated for their differences. Islam promotes harmony, peace, unity, understanding, love, and justice amongst all people regardless of their religion or cultural background. Muslims should strive to build bridges of friendship and understanding with people from different backgrounds, helping create a stronger sense of community where everyone is accepted and respected for who they are.
Every Muslim living in a predominantly Christian society must take great care to conduct themselves with proper religious behavior. Poor conduct could lead to confusion and misguidance for future generations and may even displease Allah. Therefore, it is imperative that Muslims act responsibly when interacting with those of other faiths.
Allah said in Chapter 109, Verse 6, "To you be your religion, and to me my religion". Allah also said in Chapter 2, Verse 256, "There is no compulsion in religion". Both of these verses make it clear that Allah does not force His religion upon anyone. He leaves it up to an individual to choose their own faith and practice it as they see fit. The beauty of this is that we can all coexist peacefully, regardless of our beliefs. We can respect each other's faith without forcing our own onto them. This is one of the many reasons why Islam is such a tolerant and peace-loving faith. So let us all remember to practice tolerance, understanding, and acceptance towards those who have different beliefs than ours. By doing this we can ensure that our world remains a harmonious place where everyone can live in harmony with one another.
I end off with what Allah has said in Chapter 3, Verse 19: "Truly, the religion of Allah is Islam". Allah also said in Chapter 3, Verse 85: "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him and in the Hereafter, he will be among the losers".