Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas…
Yeah…I dont think I would go with this one. I need something authentic from a source and not just something someone cooked up.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
That's just a long explanation by someone who is Christian. Yes everyone knows Christians believe some way Issa AS was the son of God.
But saying Merry Christmas (The celebration of birth of Issa AS or Jesus Christ) does not mean every person who is saying these two words is agreeing with Issa AS being son of God.
Exactly. Thats what i thought. I m not celebrating it with them but being a good muslim I m just extending my congratulations to them on their holy day. Would it matter if I said Happy Holidays as its the same thing since that a p.c way of saying the same thing?
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
Exactly. Thats what i thought. I m not celebrating it with them but being a good muslim I m just extending my congratulations to them on their holy day. Would it matter if I said Happy Holidays as its the same thing since that a p.c way of saying the same thing?
Yes, IMHO.
At the expense of repeating, Issa AS is accepted as a prophet by Muslims so why not! :)
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas…
listen this nicely replied by Dr. Zakir Naik.
For reaching good means you never have to adopt wrong means. however its upto you people, find it logical or dont.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas…
Sorry to say again, Mere saying Merry Christmas to Christians does not mean someone is agreeing Issa AS was son on God. One can focus only on the birh of Issa AS and stop there.
Besides a person may not be attempting to give Daawa by saying that. It is just a social way of greeting someone with different religion and common Prophet.
Zakir Naik makes sense a lot of time but not on this one.
Ask him to stop wearing tie ALL the time. :hehe:
Thank you for the link.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas…
what is wrong with wearing a tie???
*There is a long history of neckwear worn by soldiers (Chinese and Roman), whether as part of a uniform or as a symbol of belonging to a particular group. Some form of neckwear other than the outdoor scarf can be traced intermittently through many centuries.
*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necktie
you want him a traditional mullah to agree with? 
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
I m sorry as well as listening to the clip I was thinking he would quote some ayah's or something when he just flat out without listening to any logic just said its haram because next would be that you would be eating pork or drinking just to be with your christian friends. Which I dont find any logic in since it is written in Quran that they are both haram why would any muslim do such thing. Also, isnt it written in Quran that your neyat is what matters?
I m not trying to disrespect anyone but trying to find something where Allah or Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) has said something about greeting the non-muslims on their holy days.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas…
Salam all,
I follow Dr Zakir Naik’s lectures seriously, but I agree this wasnt one of his strongest responses. Therefore, I am going to share with you something that I have researched on sometime back.
I had always known that wishing non muslims on their festivities or taking part in any way is next to confirming their belief and hence is forbidden in Islam. In this specific case of wishing Christmas, I became extremely confused coz I thought:
- celebrating Hazrat Issa’s birthday is ok coz he is our prophet too.
- christians are celebrating the birth of Christ only. them saying further that Christ is the son of God , nauzubillah is a separate matter and shouldnt be mixed with the birthday element !
I soon realized I was absolutely wrong on both those points. Please listen to this very informative video by Dr Bilal Philips. Bascially celebrating a birthday itself is discouraged highly. If we say its ok to celebrate Hazrat Issa’s birthday, then by that logic Prophet SAW is a much bigger entity and we should be celebrating his birthday too , right? so I found alot of material on why its wrong to celebrate prophet’s birthday , this particular video sums up what I read in alot of places : Can we celebrate the birthday of Prophet S.A.W .flv - YouTube
Now that we know that birthday doesnt have any significance what so ever for prophet SAW , we also know that none other prophet’s birthdays hold any importance to muslims what so ever.
**
Next, question, why does it imply that we are confirming to the Christian belief , Shirk , which is very serious in Islam, when we wish them on Christmas and holy days .. please see the material below:
**
Greeting the kuffaar on Christmas and other religious holidays of theirs is haraam, by consensus, as Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah: "Congratulating the kuffaar on the rituals that belong only to them is haraam by consensus, as is congratulating them on their festivals and fasts by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’ and so on. If the one who says this has been saved from kufr, it is still forbidden. It is like congratulating someone for prostrating to the cross, or even worse than that. It is as great a sin as congratulating someone for drinking wine, or murdering someone, or having illicit sexual relations, and so on. Many of those who have no respect for their religion fall into this error; they do not realize the offensiveness of their actions. Whoever congratulates a person for his disobedience or bid’ah or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allaah."
Congratulating the kuffaar on their religious festivals is haraam to the extent described by Ibn al-Qayyim because it implies that one accepts or approves of their rituals of kufr, even if one would not accept those things for oneself. But the Muslim should not aceept the rituals of kufr or congratulate anyone else for them, because Allaah does not accept any of that at all, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you. . .”
[al-Zumar 39:7]
Also some reasons to be read on this matter :
Firstly: because this entails imitating or resembling them, and “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood). This is a serious warning. ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-‘Aas said: Whoever lives in the land of the mushrikeen and celebrates their Nawrooz (New Year) and their Mahrajaan (festivals), and imitates them until he dies, he will be a loser on the Day of Resurrection.
Secondly: taking part in their festivals is a kind of befriending them and showing love for them. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Awliyaa’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Awliyaa’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Awliyaa’), then surely, he is one of them… “[al-Maa’idah 5:51]
“O you who believe! Take not My enemies and your enemies (i.e. disbelievers and polytheists) as friends, showing affection towards them” [al-Mumtahanah 60:1]
Thirdly: festivals are the matter of religion and beliefs, not the matter of worldly customs, as is indicated by the hadeeth: “Every nation has its Eid, and this is our Eid.” Their Eid or festival reflects their corrupt beliefs of Kufr and Shirk.
Fourthly: “And those who do not witness falsehood, and if they pass by some evil play or evil talk, they pass it by with dignity” [al-Furqaan 25:72 – interpretation of the meaning]. The scholars interpreted this aayah was referring to the festivals of the mushrikeen. It is not permissible to give any of them cards for their festivals, or to sell them cards or any of the other things they need for their festivals such as lights, trees or food – including turkey, candy canes, etc.
Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: it is not permissible for the Muslims to attend the festivals of the mushrikeen, according to the consensus of the scholars whose words carry weight. The fuqaha’ who follow the four schools of thought have stated this clearly in their books… Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a saheeh isnaad from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab that he said: “Do not enter upon the mushrikeen in their churches on the day of their festival, for divine wrath is descending upon them.” And ‘Umar also said: “Avoid the enemies of Allaah on their festivals.” Al-Bayhaqi narrated with a jayyid isnaad from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr that he said: “Whoever settles in the land of the non-Arabs and celebrates their new year and festival and imitates them until he dies in that state, will be gathered with them on the Day of Resurrection.” (Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah, 1/723-724
**and most importantly : **
“. . . This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and **have chosen for you Islaam as your religion **. . .”
[al-Maa’idah 5:3]
So congratulating them is forbidden, whether they are one’s colleagues at work or otherwise.
These are not our festivals, and because they are not festivals which are acceptable to Allaah. **These festivals are innovations in their religions, and even those which may have been prescribed formerly have been abrogated by the religion of Islaam, with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to the whole of mankind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
**
“Whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]
From all of the above, I strongly believe that we should refrain from taking any part in wishing holy festivities. for those who might not know who Dr Bilal Philips is : Bilal Philips - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
^^ Quoting from holy scripture would be the most easy part for Dr Zakir Naik, however he was replying logically. He has also talked ablout such issues in the light of Quraan in his speech at Kashmir, would try to quote that.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
^^ That is what I m looking for. This still does not clear up the confusion for me as at one place we are told not to be friends with yahood or nasara but then we are allowed to marry them since they are the holders of a holy kitaab. All of the discussions above have talked about celebrating it with them when the only thing we are doing is congratulating them on their holiday which has no impact on us in our lives.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
Joel, can you please read the text I posted above and then try to understand the impact behind "congratulating them on their holiday which has no impact on us in our lives" .. Its a matter of principle. Specially the bolded bit in that text is what clearly responds to your question.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
Joel, can you please read the text I posted above and then try to understand the impact behind "congratulating them on their holiday which has no impact on us in our lives" .. Its a matter of principle. Specially the bolded bit in that text is what clearly responds to your question.
That is what I wanted to know if it was something that Allah forbids us from or is it a matter of principle. So far I m only finding principle. Thanks!
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
^^Well, marrying Ahl e Kitab is allowed but since we believe that Holy Bible dose not exist in its original form so there should a direction from Muslim Scholars that marrying an Ahl e kitab is allowed or not despite we believe that they have fabricated the Bible.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
I dont think there should be any problem in saying Merry Christmas...
We cannot be friends with Yahood o nasaara but long for their visas, or try to reach there illegally...
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
That is what I wanted to know if it was something that Allah forbids us from or is it a matter of principle. So far I m only finding principle. Thanks!
Allah forbids us from what is wrong for us, whether we could understand it and find it logical or not is another story
You may not find a verse or hadith specifically addressing the issue of congratulating on the holy days of other faith but we have fundamental directions from which we can derive that is it allowed or not.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas…
Interesting Khutbah on the topic in some Australian University.
Our great and incomparable religion - Islam - enjoins us to be courteous and indeed, loving, to those who do not harbour any ill intent on us:
“assAllahu an yaj’ala bainakum wa bainallazti 'aadaitum minhum mawaddah” it may well be - but that Allah will bring mutual affection between you (O believers) and some of those whom you (now) face as enemies (and then) Allah is all-powerful.
Then: “Laa yanhaa kumullahu 'anillaztina lam yuqaatilukum fiddin; wa lam yukhrijuukum min diyaarikum; an tabarruhum; watuq****duu ilaihim.” - As for such (of the unbelievers) as do not fight against you on account of (your) faith, and neither drive you forth from your homelands, Allah does not forbid you to show them kindness, and to behave towards them with full equity, justly"
**I am aware that many Muslims are fearful that wishing a Christian “Merry Christmas” might impinge upon their faith, their iman, their aqidah. Or it might undermine their faith and nudge them to “shirk” - the greatest sin in Islam.
**
Islam requires us to be confident of the truthfulness of our Din, our religion. We should have no doubt about it and not feel threatened easily: Al-Imran [3:139]:
Wala tahinoo wala tahzanoo waantumu alaAAlawna in kuntum mumineena
3:139 So lose not heart, nor fall into despair: For ye must gain mastery if ye are true in Faith.
In Surat Maryam (Chapter 19) verse 33: The Prophet 'Isa (as) himself says:
’
Wassalaamu 'alaiya yaoma wulidtu Wayaoma amutu, wa yaoma ab’astoo haya(n).
In the meaning:
“Hence peace was upon me on the day when I was born; And (will be upon me) on the day of my death; And on the day when I shall be raised to life (again).” Who then is affording that “peace”, that salam? Surely Allah swt.
And the word “wassalamu” in this context, according to some scholars mean "peaceful greeting, in the mould of the Islamic greeting “assalamualaikum”.
**So when Christians, rightly or wrongly, determine that the 25th of December is the birthday of Jesus or 'Isa (as), should we wish them “Merry Christmas”? as a gesture of friendship, kindness, tolerance, that we should show the non believers as the verses from Al-Mumtahanah, say? Or as one hadith relates about the Prophet Mohammad (saw) suggesting to his guest, a Christian priest, to perform his prayer in the mosque where they were having a discussion.
**
The Prophet Muhammad (saw) says that all actions shall be determined by their intentions - Inna mal a’malu binniah. Of course performing a haram with a niyah hassanah, good intention, is unacceptable. Like gambling with the intention that your win will be donated to the mosque. This is unacceptable in Islam. But greeting an ahlul kitaab when he is celebrating that he considers is the birthday of his deity, does not mean we also believe in the concept of his belief. Or does it? Wallahu a’lam.
The second Caliph, Umar Ibnu Khattab (ra) in a speech at Jabiah after completing a visit to Yarusalem or Al Quds and Syria, said:“Let your intentions be good, for verily, Allah is aware of your intentions.In your deeds your intentions count. Fear Allah and fear no one else.” Unquote
Islam does not ask us to be blinkered, like the ostrich, burying our head in the sand, and thus becoming narrow minded and full of fear of losing our faith. Only we can make us lose our faith. We have nothing to fear and be afraid of. As the US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said: The thing to fear is fear itself. And as Caliph Umar Ibnu Khattab (ra) said: “Fear ONLY Allah.”
**The Second Caliph and Sahabah and Father-in-Law of the Prophet: Umar Ibnu Khatab (ra), was once asked by a priest to perform the salat in the church that he was visiting **when he was in Yarusalem or Al Quds. Sayyidina Umar politely declined. Not because it was against Islam, but because of consideration for the Christians. **He excused himself ****by reminding the Church elders, that if his Ummah saw him perform the salah in the Church, then they might want to emulate him, follow suite, and at every prayer time they ****might congregate in the Church to perform the salah, and thus deny the Christians space for their own prayers. What considerateness. What generosity.
**
Hence Bros. in Islam:
With regard to the halal-or-haram of wishing our Christian friends or acquaintances or co-workers, colleagues, students, teachers, lecturers, professors, neighbours and so on and so forth “Merry Christmas”, perhaps we would be well advised to reflect on what caliph Umar Ibnu Khattab (ra) said: “Speak the truth. Do not hesitate to say what you consider to be the truth. Say what you feel. Let your conscience be your guide. Let your intentions be good, for verily Allah (swt) is aware of your intentions. In your deeds your intentions count. Fear Allah and fear no one else”.
Remember the hadits which is considered as a great sign of tolerance of Islam:
“When the bier of anyone passes by you, whether Jew, Christian or Muslim, rise to your feet.”
As a mark of respect. Since we are urged to respect a diseased ahlul-kitab, are we then allowed to also respect the living ones?
And the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to fast on the 10th of Muharram (Shaum Asyura), among other things, as a token of gratitude at the deliverance of the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) and his followers from Fir’aun.
We should never ridicule the religious beliefs of others, no matter how much we disagree with them. Allah says in the Quran: “And insult not those whom they worship besides Allah, lest they insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge. Thus We have made fair-seeming to each people its own doings; then to their Lord is their return and He shall then inform them of all that they used to do”. Quran, 6:108
Once again let me remind you that this is not an edict or fatwa - I am unqualified to issue one - but just as food for thought.
Wallahu a’lam.#
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
^^ how just forbiding Muslims from saying Merry Christmas make muslims intolerant? such labels are so common for muslims. We are intolerant jsut because we seek guidance from our holy scripture on this matter?
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
^ is that a sign of tolerance for you?
A few years back I was studying in some Western University. A Sikh student invited me to his house, and offered me food to eat. It was vegetarian, but I was literally pushed against the wall. Thought for a while, that the food is not haram, if I refuse first of all what image of muslims I'd be leaving there and then Allah knows about our niyyah. I had a couple of bites, and I think that was the right thing to do.
For muslims who lives in western country, if a colleague says Merry Christmas to him, should he stay silent? Although he himself does not believe in Christ AS being God? I don't think saying Merry Christmas infringes on your faith, but the way we deal with others around us we would be held responsible for that.
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
I m sorry as well as listening to the clip I was thinking he would quote some ayah's or something when he just flat out without listening to any logic just said its haram because next would be that you would be eating pork or drinking just to be with your christian friends. Which I dont find any logic in since it is written in Quran that they are both haram why would any muslim do such thing. Also, isnt it written in Quran that your neyat is what matters?
I m not trying to disrespect anyone but trying to find something where Allah or Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) has said something about greeting the non-muslims on their holy days.
The issue is not about just any religion, it is about the common prophet between Christianity and Islam.
It is not about some religious festival like worshiping fire, or sacrificing animal for a man made God.
It is about greeting on Birth of a prophet who is so much talked about in Quran itself.
Also regardless it is in December or whatever month or time, it is about the birth of the Prophet and not a Birthday celebration which people do yearly as the age advances.
In other words, celebrating Birth/coming of a prophet is different than celebrating Birthday when the person is alive.
We do know Issa AS was a prophet by birth.
Prophet Muhammad SAW celebrated his own prophet-hood by sacrificing goats and shared with others.
Saying Merry Christmas by itself does not mean someone is saying Issa AS was son of God or ALL tenets of current day Christianity is agreed upon by the person.
People just make others doubtful for what they consider correct, an individual knows better his/her intention and is to answer his/her actions hereafter.
**Certainly saying Merry Christmas does not hurt anyone and does not make a person non-Muslim/Mushrik/Munafiq, if the person is continuing to follow Islam.
**
Re: Greeting others with Merry Christmas...
^ *is that a sign of tolerance for you? * A few years back I was studying in some Western University. A Sikh student invited me to his house, and offered me food to eat. It was vegetarian, but I was literally pushed against the wall. Thought for a while, that the food is not haram, if I refuse first of all what image of muslims I'd be leaving there and then Allah knows about our niyyah. I had a couple of bites, and I think that was the right thing to do.
For muslims who lives in western country, if a colleague says Merry Christmas to him, should he stay silent? Although he himself does not believe in Christ AS being God? I don't think saying Merry Christmas infringes on your faith, but the way we deal with others around us we would be held responsible for that.
For me, it is a matter of finding the truth by consulting Holy Scripture. If one of my religious belief does not strengthen (not damaging even) the relations with non-Muslims that does not mean I am being intolerant to non-Muslims.
Unless you have, terms like "other faiths”, you have to care about some lines drawn by Allah (SWT)