Mufti Ismail Menk
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Blasphemy?? SERIOUSLY? I'm sorry but these kinda muftis are the reason why muslims have become a sign of disgrace all over the world. These molvis will only be happy if people keep chopping off heads of each other.
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
The same time of the year once again.
"happy Christmas to all Christians on this forum"
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to ALL...:)
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Really disappointed in Menk. Wasn't expecting this from him.
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Ji, I agree.
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
This is not new ...why are people surprised?
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
the real blasphemy is saying Marry on the video title when you mean Merry. Marry goats, Mufti Menk. but Merry Christmas.
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Should there be a special worship of "Christ as birth of Son of God" or "Incarnation" through attendance in church by Muslims?
Answer: No
Should Muslims celebrate Christmas by participating in the festivities for their own enjoyment, such lights, decorations, christmas tree, singing carols, etc?
Answer: No
Can Muslims sing songs about Jesus Christ that are not associated to any shirk related matter? And celebrate the birth of Christ as a blessing given to us by Allah? Mawlid of Isa (AS).
Answer: Yes
Can Muslims greet with the Christian greeting of 'Merry Christmas' ?
Answer: Better to be avoided or only in response to a Christian initiating the greeting first.
Can Muslim send out Christmas cards and gifts?
Answer: Better to be avoided, it becomes close to celebrating, by doing these things. If someone gives you a card or a gift, reserve the right to return the gesture on Eid instead.
Can we accept Christmas gifts?
Answer: With caution, may be and thank the giver. Should it contain anything haram - dispose of it discretely if you can, do not take it in the first place if it can be done without creating a socially awkward situation and inform the gift giver at other times in the year what is and is not permissible for you to have or recieve or consume.
We are supposed to make our Islamic festivities higher in our psychological estimation than anything else that is happening or done by others. This ensures we know that we are giving the right of the Eidain that they deserve above other types of celebrations.
If we want our kids to be happy, then we should make sure that we create a similarly magical and festive thing out of our own celebrations. The prohibition and angle of blasphemy is only really valid if Muslims start to activitely engage in shirk ... That is worship of Christ. Otherwise Mufti Menk is wrong. I can say this fairly confidently because Sayyiduna Umar (RA) re-established the churches and synagogues for the People of the Book in Jerusalem. So the accusation of implicitly agreeing to the shirk of others should also be applied here. That is by providing places of worship to mushriks Muslims are implicit in their act. What Mufti Menk fails to realise is that Allah (SWT) is so High above reproach that He has been allowing shirk and disobedience in people through His injunction of providing us free will and still feeds these people and gives them Ni'mah. Rather our task is not to forcefully prohibit others neither is it to hurt their feelings when they send us greetings, but it is be wiser and even more nicer to them than they can be to us ... This is the dawah that is needed to show others the light of Islam.
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
I say just wish them Merry Christmas and celebrate the holiday on a secular basis. God will forgive you if you err on the side of taking part in something that brings joy and happiness to other human beings. The biggest shirk would be breaking someones heart. My two cents.
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Let us see what Muslims are allowed to do as regards to interaction with the people of the book.
**We can Marry our sons to their daughters, and we can eat food at their homes if they invite us!
so I would say the Mufti Sahib may Allah guide him is a little off base in ignoring these facts.
So if a christian father were to invite his Muslim Son in Law to his house for a Christmas dinner then the Muslim son in law is not allowed to say Merry Christmas!
**
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
We celebrate the birthday of Muhammad with gusto, so why can't we do that for Jesus? And who cares if the date is right or not, and who cares that Christians consider him son of God? We view him as a messenger, an apostle, so if we're going to celebrate one apostle's birthday, I see no problem in celebrating another apostle's birthday.
I don't think by saying Merry Christmas your belief system automatically switches to the Trinity. This is an example of where our Mullahs have caused more division and strife between people than good.
If Christians in Pakistan can wish us Eid Mubarak, why the issue? They don't even believe in our apostle, but we believe in theirs; should make us more willing to be merry during the holidays.
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
What is the guidelines in islamic law about rights of worship of ahle kitab please see and then comment...
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Can Muslims sing songs about Jesus Christ that are not associated to any shirk related matter? And celebrate the birth of Christ as a blessing given to us by Allah? Mawlid of Isa (AS).
Answer: Yes.
Thats all I wanted to know, I like Christmas songs :D
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Should there be a special worship of "Christ as birth of Son of God" or "Incarnation" through attendance in church by Muslims?
Answer: No
Should Muslims celebrate Christmas by participating in the festivities for their own enjoyment, such lights, decorations, christmas tree, singing carols, etc?
Answer: No
Can Muslims sing songs about Jesus Christ that are not associated to any shirk related matter? And celebrate the birth of Christ as a blessing given to us by Allah? Mawlid of Isa (AS).
Answer: Yes
Can Muslims greet with the Christian greeting of 'Merry Christmas' ?
Answer: Better to be avoided or only in response to a Christian initiating the greeting first.
Can Muslim send out Christmas cards and gifts?
Answer: Better to be avoided, it becomes close to celebrating, by doing these things. If someone gives you a card or a gift, reserve the right to return the gesture on Eid instead.
Can we accept Christmas gifts?
Answer: With caution, may be and thank the giver. Should it contain anything haram - dispose of it discretely if you can, do not take it in the first place if it can be done without creating a socially awkward situation and inform the gift giver at other times in the year what is and is not permissible for you to have or recieve or consume.
We are supposed to make our Islamic festivities higher in our psychological estimation than anything else that is happening or done by others. This ensures we know that we are giving the right of the Eidain that they deserve above other types of celebrations.
If we want our kids to be happy, then we should make sure that we create a similarly magical and festive thing out of our own celebrations. The prohibition and angle of blasphemy is only really valid if Muslims start to activitely engage in shirk ... That is worship of Christ. Otherwise Mufti Menk is wrong. I can say this fairly confidently because Sayyiduna Umar (RA) re-established the churches and synagogues for the People of the Book in Jerusalem. So the accusation of implicitly agreeing to the shirk of others should also be applied here. That is by providing places of worship to mushriks Muslims are implicit in their act. What Mufti Menk fails to realise is that Allah (SWT) is so High above reproach that He has been allowing shirk and disobedience in people through His injunction of providing us free will and still feeds these people and gives them Ni'mah. Rather our task is not to forcefully prohibit others neither is it to hurt their feelings when they send us greetings, but it is be wiser and even more nicer to them than they can be to us ... This is the dawah that is needed to show others the light of Islam.
We do not need to do all these an nobody asked us to do it! We just say merry chritmas to our colleagues!
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Thats all I wanted to know, I like Christmas songs :D
The last Christmas I gave you my the heart is the bomb
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
We do not need to do all these an nobody asked us to do it! We just say merry chritmas to our colleagues!
Yes but qualification is required ... It's better to "wish THEM a Merry Christmas" than to join in and celebrate with them saying "Merry Christmas". The subtlety in what I am saying here is:
a) Don't be rude - by not greeting them
b) Don't be complicit and give off the vibe of celebrating with them
c) Better to return a "Christmas" gesture than to initiate it
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
Yes but qualification is required ... It's better to "wish THEM a Merry Christmas" than to join in and celebrate with them saying "Merry Christmas". The subtlety in what I am saying here is:
a) Don't be rude - by not greeting them b) Don't be complicit and give off the vibe of celebrating with them
c) Better to return a "Christmas" gesture than to initiate it
If I see someone who is clearly in distress, be they Muslim or non-Muslim, and by saying Merry Christmas to that person I bring a smile to his/her face, does that act of kindness warrant gods dissatisfaction? Surely Gods compassion and mercy extends not only to other muslims, but all human beings regardless of their personal beliefs.
I see no harm in saying "Merry Christmas," whether as a reply or self initiated, because ultimately, if i dont follow or believe in Christianity, then those are just two words and nothing more... The Shirk would be if I were saying it as an affirmation. But im not. Its the difference between an idol and just another statue... Its an idol if you give it a significance.
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
If I see someone who is clearly in distress, be they Muslim or non-Muslim, and by saying Merry Christmas to that person I bring a smile to his/her face, does that act of kindness warrant gods dissatisfaction? Surely Gods compassion and mercy extends not only to other muslims, but all human beings regardless of their personal beliefs.
I see no harm in saying "Merry Christmas," whether as a reply or self initiated, because ultimately, if i dont follow or believe in Christianity, then those are just two words and nothing more... The Shirk would be if I were saying it as an affirmation. But im not. Its the difference between an idol and just another statue... Its an idol if you give it a significance.
In principle Med911 what you say here, in this case of exception, is true and cogent. If you note by my post that you have replied to - it covers this angle when I say "better to ..." there are exceptions and you are ultimately the judge for those exceptions and it is a matter between you and your Lord. Providing a sound starting point is important. Just like the basic prohibition of music and then there are exceptions, likewise you will see this elsewhere in Islam too.
But by taking the "exceptional case" and using it to create for yourself a ruling for the "general case", when there are many evidences to the contrary, is being selective and further dilutes the Islamic identity. It is the difference between integration and assimilation. To a certain extent it matters on how we are perceived by others as well as how we self-identify. It is less important for others to accept us and more important for us to accept others. If we turn this equilibrium around then we will end up losing Islam eventually. That said, I agree with you that it is still important for others to accept us - so we do what we can to make them happy - but within some boundaries. I hope you see what I am saying here.
Re: Wishing Christmas Or Committing Blasphemy???
"Let's not forget the true meaning of Christmas. .. the birth of Santa "
Bart Simpson