Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

Arts & Culture Poetry ( Intikhaab & Sho'ra-e-Gupshup)
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Salaams All

Christmas is round the corner and cards are being sent,Christmas parties being organised. Everyone is getting into the festive spirit and we as Muslims sometimes feel left out, either by choice or on purpose. Below is a poem which discusses some of the issues around this festival. Please feel free to publish and circulate as widely as possible. Jzk in advance.

Christmas is here
Tis the season to be jolly
And happy
Peace and good will to all men and women
It’s finally here
But for Muslims it holds many fears
Dilemmas
And tears

How to reject Christmas cards without being rude
Whether to send any in return
To reciprocate greetings
Or just smile and nod and appear non-committal

Christmas party is the highlight of the year
All dressed up and equal
Mistletoe and wine
Women competing to kiss u
Coz u have managed to resist their charms thus far
And they know that u aint queer

Do u say no blatantly?
Or choose diplomacy
Accept, but not turn up
Due to a family tragedy

The choices are simple
Either u fit in
By compromising your iman
Or be the odd one out
By holding onto Islam

Get called names
Killjoy and fanatic
Shamed and marginalised
Subject of gossip, backbiting and slander
Promotion chances destroyed
Labelled a loner
Your career is a goner

Other Muslims quoted as examples
Mo who prays jummah without fail is coming
With his girl friend
So is Aysh who wears the hijab with her business suit
And plucked eyebrows and make up
They’re religious
British and Muslim
Both stand for the customery minutes silence
on 7/7 and 9/11
while u mysteriously disapear to the loo

Why do u have to be an extremist?
They participate
Why don’t u?

You follow Islam completely
No compromise
U know to participate
In the festive season
Is blasphemy
And treason against Allah
Who never had a son

U are convinced of Islam intellectually
And they are scared to debate
U refuted their arguments about evolution
And showed it to be a fallacy
But they persist
And insist
That they are right
As they take flight
Talking about u and sending emails
But they fail
To prove how the universe came into existence

U know that honesty and truth is the best policy
Instead of lying
And playing with words
So u tell them straight
Looking them in the eye
I am a Muslim
We do not celebrate the festivals of other religions

And u feel good knowing
That u have passed a big test
No regrets
And if Allah is pleased with u
Nothing else matters

Author: [email protected]

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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

Humm, great - ill forward that on to all on my contacts list!

Cheers,

Mysterious Woman
xxx

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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

Plz plz my friend,come down from your high horse n let the life show u the simple joys here n NOW.Why be so touchy n high-strung always?Why wear your haughtiness on ur sleeve?Why carry this much superciliiousness n this high petency hatred ?Have some sense of humour.Life is too short n it is really beautiful.Nature is not hindu,muslim or christian,only we in our smallness try to make it such as well.
Goodluck my friend.My only prayer for you is that life may not pass you by.may you also know the joys of sharing with all,doing service to all humankind n stop being too judgemental for a while.

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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

^what do u want muslims to do, fit in no matter if it contradicts their religion? I mean if people from any religion shouldnt see life and nature thru their religion, y do they even follow it, and i think ur confused, muslims r not allowed to celebrate others religious holidays, christmas is the birth of the son of god for christians, and muslims dont believe that, so by trying to fit in, they r going against their religion.

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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

My friend,it is a matter of courtsey only and not a complusion that we greet others on their religious festivals.I am a sikh by birth but we celebrate diwlai n holi with hindus n all muslim fetiveties with our muslim friends with equal joy here.i have many muslim,from pakistan as well as fron india,friends here n we eat each others places n we also debate about our religions n these being hijacked by people of some tunnel n narrow vision.This applies to all the religions,my friend.
All the races n religions have few people with the same supermacist idealogies,like white chritians have their Klu klux Klan,Hindus have their bajrang dals,shiv sena,sikhs have their Sikh brigades n muslims have their own share of these stupidities..But always think that these are the minorities n donot speak for the whole.That is the blessing.I just saw a very moving movie on racism,"The Hurricane".I can quote u such moving movies which are based on true stories which can be educating experience for all of us.
Plz donot let the hatred n pettiness hijack your being which is so full of possibilities.See the world in a more postive way n u will find that every race,religion has their own strengths n weaknesses but essentially all are beautiful.
Why do I kep on trying?Becuase i seem to be much elder than most of you n have seen the consequences of hatred at close quarters.I feel that most of u are like my sons /daughters or brothers n sisters.
Regards

brijinder

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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

Well said Brijinder.

When I was in Hostel, we ensured that all festivals were celebrated. People like festivities irrespective of religion.

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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

I heard santa claus was actually a pagan babarian who massacred loads (including children), looted and raped. Is this true?

The Random Thread
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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

Ask Pope Benedict XVI.

Looking to get Divorced? Post here.
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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

indicating respect and socially, genuinely regard and acknowledgement in wishing well on the
celebration of each other's religious holidays is a good thing. it does not mean, one is changing one's own.

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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

This was the point I wished to convey.

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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

lol

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Re: Christmas: Dilemma for the Muslims

I am heartened by the response of the readers .We should see the what previlege it is to be able to live in a secular n democratic set up.If we observe it with open eyes n honest minds,we will also see that it was possible because of great many so-called white minds who gave this idea of equality.
Do u think that these white would be much pious if they,like saudi arabia n few other countries,do not allow the people to practice any religion other than their own?Will they become religiousely great if they also listen to their fanatic groups n start a law based on old n fossilised n outdated ideas,though based on bible?
One more question.If people like us donot like their ideas,their cultures,their sense of life,why are we wasting our life in their countries?Why dont we go to the countries of our origin?Why?
This questioning is to provoke you all in a healthy n sincere debate and not to mock any of you.I want a sincere questioning to start with in each of us.