CHRISTMAS IN LIGHT OF THE ISLAMIC TEACHINGS
CHRISTMAS IN LIGHT OF THE ISLAMIC TEACHINGS
INTRODUCTION
All praise is due to Allah. We praise Him and seek His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide him. And whoever he misguides, none can guide him. I testify that none has the right to be worshipped in truth except Allah, who has no partners. And I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
To proceed: I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Shaytan. In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, Ever-Merciful:
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَد اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
“Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Self-Sufficient. He neither begets nor is He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.” [Surah Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4]
The 25th of December is a day of celebration for the Christians, who name it ‘Christmas’. According to the Christian belief, Isa was born on the 25th of December. Also according to the Christian belief – and Allah’s refuge is sought from this – Isa is the son of Allah. These Christians believe that Allah’s son was born of the 25th of December, and we seek refuge in Allah from this blasphemous statement.
This is an erroneous belief according to the Islamic belief. Saying that Allah has a son necessitates disbelief and polytheism, and it is the strongest words one can say to make Allah angry. But what truly saddens us is that many Muslims happily take part in this celebration with the Christians, in fact they take part in their rituals as well!
Islam does not absolutely stop other religions from practicing their rituals, but there is no basis or permission in it for the Muslims to partake in the parties, celebrations, programs and rituals of those whose belief and ideology opposes Islam. Nor does it allow expressing any form of happiness with it.
WHAT ISLAM TEACHES US ABOUT THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
Allah has no children:
Islam is clear on this matter. Allah said:
قُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أَحَد اللهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
“Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Self-Sufficient. He neither begets nor is He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him.” [Surah Al-Ikhlas 112:1-4]
In these Ayat is a refutation of:
1) The Christians, who claim that Isa is the son of Allah.
2) The Jews, who claim that Uzayr is the son of Allah.
3) The pagan Arabs, who claim that the Angels are the daughters of Allah.
4) The Philosophers, who claim that the ten forms of intellect were begotten by Allah and now run the universe.
5) The Hindus, who attribute Divinity to billions of creations.
6) The so-called Muslims, who claim that the Prophet and the scholars from his household were born from Allah’s own Light.
Claiming that Allah has a son:
Allah said:
وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَنُ وَلَدًا لَقَدْ جِئْتُمْ شَيْئًا إِذَا تَكَادُ السَّمَوْتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنشَقُ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُ الْجِبَالُ هَذَا أَن دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَنِ وَلَدًا وَمَا يَنبَغِى لِلرَّحْمَنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا “
They say:
“The Most Compassionate has begotten a son.’ You have made a monstrous statement, at which the heavens are about to be torn apart, the earth split asunder, and the mountains tumble down, because they have ascribed to the Most Compassionate a son. It is not appropriate for the Most Compassionate to beget a son.” [Surah Maryam 19:88-92]
Ponder upon the severity of this belief; that the whole system of the universe is disturbed due to this one statement!
Allah said:
مَّا لَهُم بِهِ مِنْ عِلْمٍ وَلَا لِتَابَائِهِمْ كَبُرَتْ كَلِمَةً تَخْرُجُ مِنْ أَفْوْهِهِمْ إِن يَقُولُونَ إِلَّا كَذِبًا
“They have no knowledge of it, nor did their forefathers. What a monstrous word that comes out of their mouths! They say nothing but lies.” [Surah Al-Kahf 18:5]
The Messenger of Allah said:
لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ . أَوْ لَيْسَ شَيْءٌ . أَصْبَرَ عَلَى أَذًى سَمِعَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ، إِنَّهُمْ لَيَدْعُونَ لَهُ وَلَدًا، وَإِنَّهُ لَيُعَافِيهِمْ وَيَرْزُقُهُمْ
“None is more patient than Allah against the harmful and annoying words He hears (from the people); they ascribe children to Him, yet He bestows upon them health and provision.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari 6099]
This belief of the Christians is the reason why Allah commanded the Muslims to fight the Christians.
Allah said:
قَتِلُوا الَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَا بِالْيَوْمِ الْتَاخِرِ وَلَا يُحَرِّمُونَ مَا حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَلَا يَدِينُونَ دِينَ الْحَقِّ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حَتَّى يُعْطُوا الْجِزْيَةَ عَن يَدٍ وَهُمْ صَغِرُونَ وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ النَّصَارَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ ذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوُهِهِمْ يُضَهِلُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَبْلُ قَتَلَهُمُ اللَّهُ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ
“Fight those of the People of the Book who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, nor do they consider forbidden what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, nor adopt the religion of truth, until they pay the protection tax willingly while they are humbled. The Jews say: ‘Uzayr is the son of Allah. And the Christians say: “The Messiah is the son of Allah.’ These are mere words that they utter, imitating the words of the disbelievers before them. May Allah ruin them; how can they be deluded!””” [Surah At-Tawbah 9:29-30]
In this Ayah, the Muslims have been commanded by Allah to fight the Christians for four reasons:
1) They don’t believe in Allah. As for their claim to believe in Allah, this is futile, for their belief is not in accordance to the belief of the Messenger and all the Prophets. Instead of believing in Allah, they uphold a blasphemous belief against Him. Hence, Allah said in the next Ayah: “The Jews say: ‘Uzayr is the son of Allah. And the Christians say: “The Messiah is the son of Allah.’ Meaning that the Jews and Christians claiming that Allah has a son is in fact them affirming their belief of rejecting Allah’s Oneness.
2) They do not believe in the Last Day.
3) They do not deem prohibited what Allah and His Messenger prohibited.
4) They do not accept Islam, when in reality their Prophets clearly ordered them to accept it, and the evidences for Islam being the truth are crystal-clear.
Why would you abuse Allah?
The Prophet narrated from Allah that He says:
كَذَّبَنِي ابْنُ آدَمَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ ذَلِكَ، وَشَتَمَنِي وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ ذَلِكَ، أَمَّا تَكْذِيبُهُ إِيَّايَ أَنْ يَقُولَ إِنِّي لَنْ أُعِيدَهُ كَمَا بَدَأْتُهُ، وَأَمَّا شَتْمُهُ إِيَّايَ أَنْ يَقُولَ اتَّخَذَ اللَّهُ وَلَدًا، وَأَنَا الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَمْ أَلِدْ وَلَمْ أُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِي كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
“The son of Adam tells a lie against Me and he does not have the right to do so; and he abuses me and he does not the right to do so. His telling a lie against Me is his saying that I will not recreate him as I created him for the first time; and his abusing Me is his saying that Allah has begotten children, while I am the self-sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, Who begets not nor was He begotten, and there is none like unto Me.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari 4975]
Will we congratulate someone who abuses Allah in front of us?! If not, then think what congratulating the Christians on Christmas Day or saying ‘Merry Christmas’ means. We are Muslims! Neither do we say ‘Merry Christmas’, nor do we congratulate them!
Extremism regarding Isa:
Allah said:
يأهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لَا تَغْلُوا فِي دِينِكُمْ وَلَا تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ إِلَّا الْحَقُّ إِنَّمَا الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَيْهَا إِلَى مَرْيَمَ وَرُوحٌ مِنْهُ فَتَامِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ، وَلَا تَقُولُوا ثَلَثَةٌ أَنتَهُوا خَيْرًا لَّكُمْ إِنَّمَا اللَّهُ إِلَهُ وُحِدٌ سُبْحَتَهُ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَوتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَكَفَى بِاللَّهِ وَكِيلًا)
“O People of the Book, do not go to extremes in your religion, and do not say about Allah but the truth. The Messiah, Isa, son of Mary, was only a Messenger of Allah, and His Word that He bestowed upon Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say “Three” [Trinity]. Cease; that is better for you. Indeed, Allah is the only One worthy of being worshipped. Glory be to Him, [far exalted is He] to have a son. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth, and sufficient is Allah as a Disposer of Affairs.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:171]
To go to extremes is to deviate from the straight path. This can be caused by excessiveness or heedlessness. On one hand, the Christians went into excessiveness by claiming that Isa is the son of Allah. On the other hand, they went into heedlessness by rejecting Isa being a Messenger of Allah. Allah said in the Qur’an that these two groups went into extremes. The middle path is to accept that Isaa is neither the son of Allah, nor is he a false Prophet. He is only a servant and Messenger of Allah.
The Messenger of Allah strongly warned against this extremism when he said:
لَا تُطْرُونِي كَمَا أَطْرَتِ النَّصَارَى ابْنَ مَرْيَمَ، فَإِنَّمَا أَنَا عَبْدُهُ، فَقُولُوا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولُهُ
“Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians praised the son of Maryam, for I am only a servant. So, call me the servant of Allah and His Messenger.” [Sahih Al-Bukhari 3445]
The intellectual evidence:
Allah said:
مَّا الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلَّا رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِن قَبْلِهِ الرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا يَأْكُلَانِ الطَّعَامَ أَنظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ لَهُمُ الْنَايَتِ ثُمَّ انظُرْ أَنَّى يُؤْفَكُونَ
“The Messiah, son of Maryam, was no more than a Messenger. There were Messengers who passed away before him, and His mother was a woman of truth; they both ate food. See how We make Our signs clear to them, yet see how they are deluded.” [Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:75]
Meaning that whatever you call him, be it Allah or the son of Allah, he certainly isn’t that. He is only His Messenger. Isa and his mother were humans like us; they had all human characteristics instilled in them by Allah. They also had needs which were present in other humans. If Isa was Allah’s son, he wouldn’t feel the need to eat or drink.
As for what results after one eats, if one called such a person as Allah, or Allah’s son, or Allah’s wife; how sheer stupidity and oppression this is! The one who himself is in need, how can he fulfill other’s needs? If these people fanatically stick to their false beliefs despite the clear-cut presentation of the creed of Oneness and refutation of the Trinity, let them do so, for no revealed or intellectual evidence exists with them through which they can clarify their beliefs as simply as the math problem: Two plus two equals four.
Allah said:
إِنَّ مَثَلَ عِيسَى عِندَ اللَّهِ كَمَثَلِ ءَادَمَ خَلَقَهُ مِن تُرَابٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ
“The similitude of Isa before Allah is like that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be,” and he was.” [Surah Aal-Imran 3:59]
To prove that Isa is the son of Allah, the Christians claim that Isa was born without a father. Allah refuted them in this Ayah, that if being born without a father is an evidence of someone being the son of Allah, then Adam was born without a mother and father, so he is more deserving of being called the son of Allah! Of course, this is a false belief. In reality, Allah said ‘Be’ to Adam like He said to Isa and they were created. Allah did this to show that He is capable of doing everything that befits His Majesty.
Clear-cut disbelief:
Allah said:
وَجَعَلُوا لَهُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ، جُزْءًا إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَكَفُورٌ مُّبِينٌ أَمِ اتَّخَذَ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ بَنَاتٍ وَأَصْفَكُم بِالْبَنِينَ وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِمَا ضَرَبَ لِلرَّحْمَنِ مَثَلًا ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُ مُسْوَدًا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ أَوَمَن يُنَشُوا فِي الْحِلْيَةِ وَهُوَ فِي الْخِصَامِ غَيْرُ مُبِينٍ وَجَعَلُوا الْمَلَئِكَةَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عِبَدُ الرَّحْمَنِ إِنَّا أَشَهِدُوا خَلْقَهُمْ سَتُكْتَبُ شَهَادَتُهُمْ وَيُسْتَلُونَ
“Yet they ascribe to Him some of His servants as offspring. Indeed, man is clearly ungrateful. Has He taken for Himself daughters from what He has created, and favored you with sons? When one of them is given tidings of [a baby girl] the like of which he ascribes to the Most Compassionate, his face darkens as he suppresses his rage. Or [do they ascribe to Allah] one who is brought up in ornaments and is not able to present a clear argument in disputation? They regard the Angels, who are servants of the Most Compassionate, as female. Did they witness their creation? Their testimony will be written, and they will be questioned.” (Surah Az-Zukhruf 43:15-19]
If a person participates with the Christians in their happiness on Christmas or congratulates them, he has strengthened and reassured the Christians to stay firm on their disbelieving and polytheistic belief. Polytheism is the greatest oppression, and the one who engages in it isn’t reassured, but stopped from engaging in it in the best manner. O Muslims!
1) Do you want to support the belief that Allah has children?
2) Do you like to support a statement due to which the skies and earth will soon explode?
3) Do you like to be among those who earned Allah’s Anger and Wrath?
4) Does anyone like that he supports those who abuse Allah?
5) Do you wish to support the Christians in their extremism regarding Isa?
6) Do you consider it appropriate to congratulate and be happy on this clear-cut disbelieving celebration?
If not, and your answer should be certainly not; then come! Let us make a firm determination to never congratulate the Christians, say Merry Christmas or participate in their celebrations or programs.
We do not congratulate the Christians for celebrating Christmas because we wish to break their hearts or make them emotional. Instead, we wish to inform them with sincerity and the intent of rectification that Allah does not have a son and Allah was never born. Not congratulating the Christians on Christmas is in reality calling towards the Oneness of Allah.
We should also be aware to keep in mind the Islamic teachings regarding:
1) Being overly-soft with the disbelievers.
2) Being apologetic with the disbelievers.
3) Giving the disbelievers protocols.
4) Adapting to the civilization of the disbelievers.
5) Participating in the celebrations of the disbelievers.
Imitating the disbelievers:
The Messenger of Allah said:
مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ.
“Whoever imitates any people is considered to be one of them.” [Sunan Abi Dawud 4031; Sahih The Messenger of Allah said:
غَيرُوا الشَّيْبَ وَلَا تَشَبَّهُوا بِالْيَهُودِ.
“Change gray hair, but do not resemble the Jews.” [Sunan An ‘Nasai 5074; Sahih]
The Messenger of Allah hated imitating the disbelievers to the extent that he refused to resemble them even in their acts of worship. Since the Jews fasted on the 10th of Muharram, the Prophet said:
لَئِنْ بَقِيتُ إِلَى قَابِلٍ لَأَصُومَنَّ التَّاسِعَ.
“If I live till the next (year), I would definitely observe fast on the 9th of Muharram.” [Sahih Muslim 1134b]
Loving and befriending the disbelievers:
Allah said:
يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا بِطَانَةً مِّن دُونِكُمْ لَا يَأْلُونَكُمْ خَبَالًا وَدُّوا مَا عَنِتُمْ قَدْ بَدَتِ الْبَغْضَاءُ مِنْ أَفْوُهِهِمْ وَمَا تُخْفِي صُدُورُهُمْ أَكْبَرُ قَدْ بَيْنًا لَكُمُ الْنَايَاتِ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
“O you who believe, do not take as close friends those from other than yourselves; they spare no effort to ruin you; they wish to see you suffer. Hatred has appeared from their mouths, but what their hearts conceal is even greater. We have made the Ayat clear to you, if only you understand.” (Surah Aal-Imran 3:118)
Regarding the cause for revelation of this Ayah, Ibn Abbas said:
وَكَانَ رِجَالٌ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ يُوَاصِلُونَ رِجَالاً مِنْ يَهُودَ لِمَا كَانَ بَيْنَهُمْ مِنَ الْجِوَارِ وَالْحِلْفِ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فِيهِمْ يَنْهَاهُمْ عَنْ مُبَاطَنَتِهِمْ تَخَوُّفَ الْفِتْنَةِ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْهُمْ: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا بِطَانَةً مِنْ دُونِكُمْ.
“Some Muslims met and formed relationships with the Jews, because they knew each other and were close before the message of Islam reached them. Allah then revealed this Ayah to prohibit them from befriending them and sharing their secrets with them, for there is a great fear of temptation and trials which will arise as a result of befriending them.” (Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim 4037; Hasan)
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES REGARDING THE CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION
Don’t give protocols to the disbelievers:
The Prophet said:
لا تَبْدَءُوا الْيَهُودَ وَلا النَّصَارَى بِالسَّلامِ فَإِذَا لَقِيتُمْ أَحَدَهُمْ فِي طَرِيقٍ فَاضْطَرُّوهُ إِلَى أَضْيَقِهِ.
“Do not greet the Jews and the Christians before they greet you and when you meet any one of them on the roads, force him to go to the narrowest part of it.” [Sahih Muslim 2167a]
Abu Duhqanah said:
قِيلَ لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ أَنَّ هَاهُنَا غُلاماً مِنْ أَهْلِ الْحِيرَةِ حَافِظاً كَاتِبَاً فَلَوَ اتَّخَذْتَهُ كَاتِباً قَالَ: قَدِ اتَّخَذْتُ إِذَا بِطَانَةً مِنْ دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.
“It was said to Umar bin al-Khattab that a young man from the family of Heerah is good at keeping secrets and a writer, so appoint him as your secretary. Umar said: “Then I will be making a confidant instead of a Believer!””” [Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim 4038; Sahih]
When Abu Musa al-Ash’ari went to Umar while being accompanied by his Christian secretary, Umar said to him:
لَا تُكْرِمُوهُمْ إِذْ أَهَانَهُمُ اللهُ، وَلَا تُدْنُوهُمْ إِذْ أَقْصَاهُمُ اللهُ، وَلَا تَأْتَمِنُوهُمْ إِذْ خَوْنَهُمُ
“If Allah has disgraced them, you cannot honor them. If Allah humiliated them, you cannot show them respect. If Allah pushed them away, you cannot bring them near towards you!” [As-Sunan Al-Kubra 20409; Sahih]
It is for this reason that it is prohibited to appoint a non- Muslim or hypocrite in any legislative role, for it is feared that the Muslims secrets can be spilled. It is sad to see that some politicians in Muslim countries give no importance to this ruling of Allah and have confided our secrets to the non- Muslims to please them. The outcome of this is apparent to everyone.
It has been said regarding Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal that whenever he saw a Christian, he would close his eyes and say: “I do not have the strength to look at person who lies upon Allah.” [See: At-Tabaqat Al-Hanabilah 1/12]
Don’t participate in their festivals:
Allah said:
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ وَإِذَا مَرُوا بِاللَّغْوِ مَرُّوا كِرَامًا
“And those who do not witness falsehood, and when they pass by futility, they pass by with dignity.” [Surah Al-Furqan 25:72]
In this Ayah, ‘witness falsehood’ refers to the gatherings and celebrations of the disbelievers.
Meaning that it is from the characteristics of a Muslim that he does not attend those gatherings where the polytheists are present. He refrains from those gatherings which contain futile speech, music, songs, backbiting, wickedness, oppression, injustice, plans to increase in sin, celebrations and festivals of the disbelievers and their games and plays. Ibn Qayyim said:
“To congratulate disbelievers on their celebrations is like congratulating a person for prostrating to a cross! [See: Ahkam Ahl Adh-Dhimmah 3/211]
Umar said:
وَلَا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فِي كَنَائِهِمْ يَوْمَ عِيدِهِمْ، فَإِنَّ السَّخْطَةَ تَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِمْ.
“Do not approach the worshipping houses of the disbelievers on their celebrations, for indeed Allah’s anger descends upon them!” [Musannaf Abdur Razzaq 1609; Sahih]
Ahmad bin Hanbal said:
“Even if a person is married to a Christian woman, he should not allow her to participate in the celebrations of the Christians, because Allah has prohibited cooperating upon sins.” [See: Al-Mughni 9/364]
Umar said:
وَلَا تَدْخُلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فِي كَنَائِسِهِمْ يَوْمَ عِيدِهِمْ، فَإِنَّ السَّخْطَةَ تَنْزِلُ عَلَيْهِمْ.
“Do not approach the worshipping houses of the disbelievers on their celebrations, for indeed Allah’s anger descends upon them!” [Musannaf Abdur Razzaq 1609; Sahih]
Ahmad bin Hanbal said:
“Even if a person is married to a Christian woman, he should not allow her to participate in the celebrations of the Christians, because Allah has prohibited cooperating upon sins.” [See: Al-Mughni 9/364]
CONCLUSION
To summarize, Christmas is a disbelieving celebration. The clearest evidence of this being disbelief is that the Christians say that Isa is the son of Allah, hence associating partners with Allah. They reject the final Prophet and are merely waiting for Allah’s punishment to descend upon them.
It is befitting to call Christmas a polytheistic celebration as these oppressors claim that the Messiah was born on this day.
Hence, it is not permissible for a Muslim to participate in the ‘happiness’ or congratulate those who say – and Allah’s refuge is sought that we celebrate Allah’s son being born on this day. This deed is prohibited by consensus and an excellent way to destroy one’s monotheistic creed. Let every Muslim be aware! Participating in any way, shape or form in this false celebration of Christmas puts your Islam into danger.
Reference:
Book title: Christmas – In Light of the Islamic Teachings
Author: Shaykh Zubair bin Khalid Marjalvi حفظه الله