Do Muslims Celebrate Christmas? Objective view over this topic

Celebrating Christmas is one of the thorny issues that garnered massive attention on social media.

Some people see it’s a novelty, a blind imitation of the west, and even a significant sin (Haram in Islam)…

While others think It’s acceptable to celebrate this day, send congratulatory messages to the Christian, and go out and feast.

In this article, we collected the opinions of the two camps

But first, ls Christmas is considered an official holiday in the Islamic states?

Do Islamic Countries Celebrate the Christmas Holiday?

Muslims do not celebrate Christmas as a holiday, and many even find it offensive to be asked the question.

• In some Islamic countries, such as Saudi Arabia, the festival’s display of Christmas trees and other common expressions was banned until 2021. However, this ban has been lightened since. The Bloomberg news camera spotted some supermarkets in the Riyad capital festooned with the spruce trees, standing along with flower wreaths and Santa Claus hats.
• In Somalia, celebrating Christmas is prohibited except for foreigners. Somali government’s pretext was that Chrismas breaches the society’s values, and some extremists could exploit this occasion to make acts of violence.
• In Indonesia, the Advisory Council of Scholars in Banda urged the Muslim community not to celebrate Christmas and New Year, arguing that the two holidays have nothing to do with Islamic traditions and thus should not be celebrated. Also, the Indonesian authority in the capital warned residents not to celebrate New Year’s Day in the streets, labeling it as a sin.
• In Iran, Authority prohibited the Christian in Tehran, the capital, from practicing festive rituals in the churches. Even a website had published an article about a priest detained by the Iranian police for his intent to make a festival in a nearby church.
• It goes less intense in Bruny, where the authority allowed non-Muslims to feast freely but imposed a penalty that might reach the imprisonment or paying a 20000 $ fine for any Muslim celebrating this occasion.
• Some governments in countries with a Muslim majority do not recognize Christmas as a formal public holiday, including Afghanistan, Iran, Morocco, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. However, December 25th is designated as an official holiday only for Christians in Pakistan.

What’s the point of not celebrating?

You might be asking? What’s the reason for banning celebrations for Christmas? Is It deserves such punishment?!

Do authorities exaggerate in their view for this day?

We’ve collected some reasons that can explain why people demonize celebrating this day?

It Contradicts Islam’s Beliefs and Spirit.

One of the opposing opinions against chrisms is its glaring contradiction with Islam beliefs and its association with self-indulgent pleasures like wine, lust, and sumptuous, luxurious meals. The concept of pleasure is entrenched in our contemporary world that focuses on materialistic things and neglects the soul’s needs.

Also, celebrating Christmas symbolizes America’s capitalist culture that incites people to consume volatile pleasure obsessively. This poisonous culture is transmitted through the American media and sneaks into the minds of the youth in the Arab world.

We can ask ourselves if there is no deliberate domination for the American culture ! so why do Muslims not celebrate the Chinese new year! Or any other festival!

It’s a novelty

Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus. It’s also a popular time to hang ornaments and lights, decorate cookies with icing, drink hot cocoa by the fireplace, and exchange gifts

. Some people see those traditions as a novelty, which doesn’t exist in Islam and its imitations of the western culture.

Muslims have two Eids:  Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, and those people even deny the celebration of the holy prophet Mohammed’s birthday…

Innovative festivals as one of the actions of the People of the Book, whom we are commanded to oppose.

Also, there is a hadith that forbids bearing resembling others.

Preserving Islam for Our Children

The third point is that celebrating Christmas obliterates the Islamic identity and creates a generation unaware of their roots. And No doubt that a nation that doesn’t know its past will never know its future.

Children grew up in a world dominated by media and injected with western thoughts around the clock. Even in kindergarten, it becomes harder to make children understand the nature of this festival? And why do people celebrate?

However, Parents shouldn’t rebuke children if they see them engaging in those festivals or eying up to the gifts hanging in the stores. Otherwise, they can be hurt emotionally.

Instead, parents should tell their children it’s not wrong if we copy their good deeds like decorating streets and houses with ornaments. Even it’s beautiful if we praise and imitate them when celebrating Ramadan or Eid Al Fitr.

Read also: Life After Death: Islamic View to The Afterlife That Will Melt Your Heart.

Christmas Is a Pagan Holiday.

Christmas is a pagan holiday with roots in Germanic and Celtic winter solstice festivals.

According to Catholic Church, Jesus, the son of Mary, was born on December 25, the same day Sol Invictus, the invincible deity of the sun in the Roman civilization, was born.

From a historical perspective, it seems Jews, and early Christians did not celebrate the birth of a “person”, and therefore it is not surprising that there is little information about the birth of Christ. Even in the evangelists of Mark and John, there is no evidence about Jesus’s birth, and they narrated his story when he reached puberty.

The 1944 edition of the American Encyclopedia said: “In the fourth century AD, people begin to commemorate this birth of Christ. And in the fifth century, the Western Church commanded that it be celebrated forever. Yet, Since they didn’t know the exact date of Jesus’s birth, they chose the Roman celebration of the birth of “Sol” and claimed it to be the date of christ’s birth.

Is It Shirk (polytheism)

Some people say that The doctrine of the Trinity and the belief in Jesus as the son of God in Christianity is shirk (polytheism), and they don’t participate in anything related to them.

Also, they see that that expression of celebration like the Christmas trees has pegan roots from the roman empire.

The “Christmas tree” idea goes back to medieval Germany, rich in evergreen coniferous forests, where pegan tribes lived and worshiped the god (Thor), the god of forests and thunder. They were accustomed to decorating the trees, and then one of the tribes offered one of their sons as a human sacrifice to appease their god.

Is It a Part of Showing Unity, Peace, Love, and Support?

On the other hand, some people see participating in Chrismas and congratulating Christian for their Eid is a way to spread peace, especially in the region torn by the Sectarian war..like Iraq and lebenon..and people that includes various sects like Pakistan and India.

In the conflict of policy and religion, Many Christians are subject to be persecuted or killed due to their beliefs in those countries. So, the government in those countries is always careful to send congratulatory greetings to the churches.. and Muslims call their Christian friends or send them congratulatory messages.

In Pakistan and India, “At Christmas, faithful Muslims and Hindus actively participate in the Christian celebrations and welcome invitations addressed to them… They see this celebration as an opportunity to solidify unity and spread peace.

Also, some scholars think there is no haram in celebrating Christmas as long as Muslims don’t commit sins on this day since Jesus is one of the prophets. According to Islamic teachings, Muslims shouldn’t favor any prophet and respect them to the same degree.

"They ˹all˺ believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His messengers. ˹They proclaim,˺ “We make no distinction between His messengers."

Also, prophet Mohammed said in a hadith, expressing his closeness to Jesus.

More Facts about Jesus’ story in Islam

• The Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him, is related to his mother’s family, the Virgin Mary, because he was born by a divine miracle without a father- Thus, he did not pass through the formation cycle of any embryo, which begins with the fertilization of the woman’s egg by the sperm of the man.
• He is God’s prophet to Bni Israel.. and Allah revealed to him one of the heavenly books (Gospel).
• There were many miracles of Jesus; peace be upon him, as he used to do extraordinary things by order and permission of God Almighty. Among his miracles is returning sight to the and healing the sick with God’s resurrecting the dead again with God’s permission.
• Islam revered the Messenger of God, Jesus. May God’s prayers and peace be upon him.
• In Quran a verse, Jesus is one of the five messengers with great stamina and resolve. Also, it described him with the most honorable and good attributes, along with his friendly mother, Mariam.
• One of the stories that came in the Noble Qur’an recounts that the Apostles, who are the companions of the Prophet Jesus, son of Mary, peace be upon him, asked him to supplicate to God Almighty to descend upon them a table from heaven that would be evidence of his message and that they would have a feast.
• Allah responded to Jesus, sent down the table, and warned those who disbelieved after that event (the story was mentioned in Surah Al-Ma’idah.
• Bni Israel plotted to kill the Prophet Jesus, so they exposed his message to the Roman kings who schemed to kill and crucify him. Still, God Almighty saved him from their hands. Christians and Jews think that Jesus, peace be upon him, was killed and, while that fact, as Quran narrates, God Almighty raised His Messenger Jesus. Unharmed, unscathed, to heaven.

Conclusion

Do Muslims celebrate Christmas? There is no abrupt answer to these questions.

Some Muslims don’t celebrate as they think celebrating this occasion is a novelty, shirk, and at odds with Islamic beliefs and values. Besides its association, in their mind, with conspicuous, extravagant displays for joy and pleasures.

While others think there is no criticism if people celebrate Christmas or send congratulations messages to their friends as an expression of love, tolerance, and unity, especially in the countries teeming with sects with different beliefs.

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