Christmas

[PatriotX]

@Nosherwan

Muzna I'm also against the "kunwey ke mendak" mentality and being reclusive. I myself have grown up with friends from different religions: Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Athiests but we all had our own religious traditions and none of us felt compelled to compromise on our own religions or practice each others religion even though we respected each others right to practice what they wanted...

We in Great Britain believe in multi-culturalism rather than the melting-pot culture, we believe in integration rather than assimilation. In our country a Sikh wouldn't be expected to eat Halal/Kosher meat to appease a Muslim/Jewish countryman and a Muslim wouldn't be required to attend Mass to appease a Catholic. We have freedom in this country in the truest sense.

It seems that in the USA you don't have the freedom of multi-culturalism, you are expected to assimilate, even if that's not directly said it's expected of everyone. We have true freedom in Britain, much more than Europe or America, Europe and America harp on about their freedoms but it's all superficial and hypocritical, one is expected to compromise and assimilate. It's the same as in India where Muslims are only slightly tolerated if they follow a Vishwa-Hindu-Parsad dictated Islam.

I'm not against Christmas, I think it's wonderful when Christians celebrate it and I've wished merry Christmas to every white/Christian person I've come across today but we all have our own festivals, Muslims should celebrate Eid, Jews Hanukkah etc.

I commend you for making Eid special for your kids but a lot of Muslim parents in the West don't, their kids have tonnes more fun at Christmas whilst Eid is hardly celebrated with a quick breakfast of sawaiyan, embarrasing clothes (flappy shalwar-kamiz or gaudy sherwanis) and a bit of eidi, and then both or one of the parents heads to work after eid prayers.,,

...There's no Eid carols, no lights and decorations, no wrapped presents, no cards, no games/fun-fairs, no nice food (no choc cake or turkey/cranberry-sauce/roasties, just horrid desi food which is too sweet/too-hot/too-greasy), no joy...

I can relate to that, pretty spot on. in the US its pretty much the do as the romans do mentality.

[dhj786]

@Nosherwan

We in Great Britain believe in multi-culturalism rather than the melting-pot culture, we believe in integration rather than assimilation. In our country a Sikh wouldn't be expected to eat Halal/Kosher meat to appease a Muslim/Jewish countryman and a Muslim wouldn't be required to attend Mass to appease a Catholic. We have freedom in this country in the truest sense.

It seems that in the USA you don't have the freedom of multi-culturalism, you are expected to assimilate, even if that's not directly said it's expected of everyone. We have true freedom in Britain, much more than Europe or America, Europe and America harp on about their freedoms but it's all superficial and hypocritical, one is expected to compromise and assimilate. It's the same as in India where Muslims are only slightly tolerated if they follow a Vishwa-Hindu-Parsad dictated Islam.

Uh-huh, that is why we don't have issues with homegrown extremists as much as England does, nor do we have "Muslim ghettoes" or Salafis on welfare. That is why American Muslims are more affluent and better educated than British Muslims, who still have problems with unemployment and low test scores.

Maybe England can learn from America. Relatively speaking, at least you won't see American Muslims in various cities provoke the ire of Americans as a certain British Muslim group often do.

It's funny when a Brit Muslim complains about America, when their own country has a problem. America is more tolerant than GB or any European country is.

Why don't you come live in the US for a few years, and you will realize what you believed in was mostly wrong.

[Mc12IT]

noshie, you need to chill-axe out. if you are that bothered about Eid Cards you should emigrate to Arabia.

oh well if you are that bothered by noshie's comments then you should get out of GS ( applying your useless rule here).. plus what kind of a logic is that? Where in Quran it says go celebrate xmas or follow their ways.. infact it tells you NOT to do that or go their way else u will stand next to them in a judgement day.

[dhj786]

oh well if you are that bothered by noshie's comments then you should get out of GS ( applying your useless rule here).. plus what kind of a logic is that? Where in Quran it says go celebrate xmas or follow their ways.. infact it tells you NOT to do that or go their way else u will stand next to them in a judgement day.

Wishing them 'Merry Christmas' does not constitute kufr, stop trying to inject your fundamentalist dogma on here.

[hitchki]

oh well if you are that bothered by noshie's comments then you should get out of GS ( applying your useless rule here).. plus what kind of a logic is that? Where in Quran it says go celebrate xmas or follow their ways.. infact it tells you NOT to do that or go their way else u will stand next to them in a judgement day.

If GS belonged to Noshies Chacha, then this rule may apply. But as it doesn't I think dhj's reply suffices.

[Mc12IT]

Wishing them 'Merry Christmas' does not constitute kufr, stop trying to inject your fundamentalist dogma on here.

either you don't understand English or you are just plain thick, the OP here is asking do you exchange gifts on christmas days and majority of you muslims said yes WHICH IS MORE THEN SAYING "MERRY CHRISTMAS" TO A NON-MUSLM. Shame!

[Muzna]

@Nosherwan

Muzna I’m also against the “kunwey ke mendak” mentality and being reclusive. I myself have grown up with friends from different religions: Jehovah’s Witnesses, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Athiests but we all had our own religious traditions and none of us felt compelled to compromise on our own religions or practice each others religion even though we respected each others right to practice what they wanted…

We in Great Britain believe in multi-culturalism rather than the melting-pot culture, we believe in integration rather than assimilation. In our country a Sikh wouldn’t be expected to eat Halal/Kosher meat to appease a Muslim/Jewish countryman and a Muslim wouldn’t be required to attend Mass to appease a Catholic. We have freedom in this country in the truest sense.

Where have I suggested that we feel compelled to do anything? Nobody is expected to do anything to appease anyone.

We do what we do out of our own willingness to participate in someone else’s joy and celebration. We do not do it to keep from being ostracized and we do not partake in the religious aspects at all. We do it to offer respect and expect the same in return. I don’t know of any part in the Quran or in any part of our beloved prophet’s (pbuh) life that suggests we should not respect our neighbours and those with whom we interact each and every day.

@Nosherwan

It seems that in the USA you don’t have the freedom of multi-culturalism, you are expected to assimilate, even if that’s not directly said it’s expected of everyone. We have true freedom in Britain, much more than Europe or America, Europe and America harp on about their freedoms but it’s all superficial and hypocritical, one is expected to compromise and assimilate. It’s the same as in India where Muslims are only slightly tolerated if they follow a Vishwa-Hindu-Parsad dictated Islam.

I cannot speak for the expectations that immigrants face in the USA, but here in Canada we are very actively multicultural. The local governments all recognize and often celebrate festivals that belong to the major religions.

I can’t speak for a nation but I can tell you that my family feels and behaves as a contributing part of the national community. Members of this community belong to all sorts of faiths and in the interest of neighbourly love, and the compassion, peace and brotherhood that Islam teaches, we show our respect for them through participation in their celebrations. We do this without compromising our own faith and while understanding our differences. Yes, we are confident and big enough to do this.

@Nosherwan

I’m not against Christmas, I think it’s wonderful when Christians celebrate it and I’ve wished merry Christmas to every white/Christian person I’ve come across today but we all have our own festivals, Muslims should celebrate Eid, Jews Hanukkah etc.

If this is something new you have done this year then I think congratulations are in order. See, it didn’t make you any less Muslim, did it?

@Nosherwan

I commend you for making Eid special for your kids but a lot of Muslim parents in the West don’t, their kids have tonnes more fun at Christmas whilst Eid is hardly celebrated with a quick breakfast of sawaiyan, embarrasing clothes (flappy shalwar-kamiz or gaudy sherwanis) and a bit of eidi, and then both or one of the parents heads to work after eid prayers.,

I agree. Many parents do not put the emphasis that we do. Sometimes they are unable to as their financial constraints do not allow them to take time off. I have yet to come across anyone that simply does not celebrate Eid with the same or greater passion that they celebrate Christmas, or any other festival for that matter. Perhaps my social circle is just limited to like-minded folks…or maybe you don’t have a leg to stand on.

@Nosherwan

…There’s no Eid carols, no lights and decorations, no wrapped presents, no cards, no games/fun-fairs, no nice food (no choc cake or turkey/cranberry-sauce/roasties, just horrid desi food which is too sweet/too-hot/too-greasy), no joy…

Actually this year we made up some carols of our own…

“On the first day of Muharram my maulvi gave to me…
a topi and a tasbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh”

[X2]

@queer

really hard to imagine PCG celebrating anything that has the word "merry" in it.

but to get to the question, no i dont exchange gifts with anyone. i always make it a point to remind people to put the christ back in christmas. and for that purpose this year i will be re-creating a huge santa crucification scene instead of the nativity one.

there are certain things said that ones feel bad laughing about but cant help laughing,
This, was one of them.

[X2]

Re: Christmas

eid milad e maseeh mubarak to everyone btw.
why cant one observe the birthday of one of the greatest prophets?
now u dont have to celebrate it by doing the whole tree, santa gig etc

however, in celebrations for eid milad un nabi we have naats which are somewhat like christmas carols, and we do have sweets being shared..and then many indulge in patakhay etc as well.

commemorating the birth of a great person is nothing wrong. How one does it can be dodgy, and if how one does it is the big issue then I am afraid we need other stuff sorting out for eid, chand raat, shab e baraat, eid milad un nabi etc.

i am sure someone is about to come and tell me that by biblical accounts issa was born in summer. and before you post that I would just say, in that case lets accept all biblical accounts and not pick and choose.

bless you my children.

Reverend Pir X2

[UZ]

@X2

eid milad e maseeh mubarak to everyone btw.
why cant one observe the birthday of one of the greatest prophets?
now u dont have to celebrate it by doing the whole tree, santa gig etc

however, in celebrations for eid milad un nabi we have naats which are somewhat like christmas carols, and we do have sweets being shared..and then many indulge in patakhay etc as well.

commemorating the birth of a great person is noting wrong. How one does it can be dodgy, and if how one does it is the big issue then I am afraid we need other stuff sorting out for eid, chand raat, shab e baraat, eid milad un nabi etc.

i am sure someone is about to come and tell me that by biblical accounts issa was born in summer. and before you post that I would just say, in that case lets accept all biblical accounts and not pick and choose.

bless you my children.

Reverend Pir X2

In simple words you celebrate Christmas and you are presenting it with logic.

[zobia]

Re: Christmas

i would love to give gift to my friends on Xmas since prices are cheaper and you can get good bargains on gifts. but i barely get the chance here since december is really a crunch time.

Our Prophet PBUH encouraged us to give gifts, and when we were in Pakistan my mother especially gets clothes and choorian and henna for all our maids and their kids, both on Xmas and on Eid. i also used to put henna on my christian maid's hands. they also invite their cousins to get their henna done.

[X2]

@UZ

In simple words you celebrate Christmas and you are presenting it with logic.

define celebrate.
whether it is commemoration of a great person
or its santa, reindeer, and all that jazz?

commemoration, yes, and i would do the same for other prophets, musa, ibrahim, ismail, nuh. whomevers birthdates or important dates we know about, which I dont.