Comments on: What Should Be the Muslim Reaction to Christmas? http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2007/what-should-be-the-muslim-reaction-to-christmas/ The purpose of this website is to facilitate Muslim responses to the various mendacious polemics and distortions of Islam by the Christian missionaries and their anti-Islamic allies that are being spread over the Internet. Fri, 29 Aug 2008 01:17:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Quazi http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2007/what-should-be-the-muslim-reaction-to-christmas/#comment-32608 Quazi Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:07:02 +0000 http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2007/what-should-be-the-muslim-reaction-to-christmas/#comment-32608 Salamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, I read the post and the replies of Lailah and Cj. One question may arise is what Prophet (peace be upon him) did during christmas etc.? Did he send wishes to Christians or he kept silent or he did something else? I also had problems for keeping beard in office and also in society (even from my family).... but thanks to Allah rabbul alamin... that He made it easy for me.... i did not have to go through hard times too much......all praise belongs to Allah. I know non-muslims look with weired way if they see me praying Maghrib in the train station... but due to time restrictions, i dont see any other alternative.... Seen Muslims and Muslimahs come and greet me after that.... again praise belongs to Allah.... feel stronger and better..... we Muslims should back each other up.....as Allah asked us not to divide among ourselves...... About the Christmas issue, personally I dont go to any such parties after started to follow Islam -- because its full of wine/beer, pork, gambling, semi-dressed girls, drunk boys -- all goes against Islam..... We Muslims should fear Allah much...as He said in the Quran. Another reason I dont go to such parties is because it affects my prayer timetable..... But for Lailah, not wearing hijab as she already lost 2 jobs..... may Allah give her strength and give her something out of His bounty so she can maintain her hijab..... we guys also need to maintain our hijaab..... wearing a skin-tight t-shirt and roaming around in the shopping centers... is not what Allah commanded the Muslim boys to do..... rather it goes against Islam...... not too many people talk about the hijab of a Muslim comparing to the hijab of a Muslimah..... May Allah guide us all His pious servants to Siratul Mustakeem. Ameen Quazi Salamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,

I read the post and the replies of Lailah and Cj. One question may arise is what Prophet (peace be upon him) did during christmas etc.? Did he send wishes to Christians or he kept silent or he did something else? I also had problems for keeping beard in office and also in society (even from my family)…. but thanks to Allah rabbul alamin… that He made it easy for me…. i did not have to go through hard times too much……all praise belongs to Allah.
I know non-muslims look with weired way if they see me praying Maghrib in the train station… but due to time restrictions, i dont see any other alternative…. Seen Muslims and Muslimahs come and greet me after that…. again praise belongs to Allah…. feel stronger and better….. we Muslims should back each other up…..as Allah asked us not to divide among ourselves……
About the Christmas issue, personally I dont go to any such parties after started to follow Islam — because its full of wine/beer, pork, gambling, semi-dressed girls, drunk boys — all goes against Islam….. We Muslims should fear Allah much…as He said in the Quran.
Another reason I dont go to such parties is because it affects my prayer timetable…..
But for Lailah, not wearing hijab as she already lost 2 jobs….. may Allah give her strength and give her something out of His bounty so she can maintain her hijab….. we guys also need to maintain our hijaab….. wearing a skin-tight t-shirt and roaming around in the shopping centers… is not what Allah commanded the Muslim boys to do….. rather it goes against Islam…… not too many people talk about the hijab of a Muslim comparing to the hijab of a Muslimah…..

May Allah guide us all His pious servants to Siratul Mustakeem. Ameen
Quazi

]]> By: Cj http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2007/what-should-be-the-muslim-reaction-to-christmas/#comment-32565 Cj Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:39:28 +0000 http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2007/what-should-be-the-muslim-reaction-to-christmas/#comment-32565 I agree with Lailah. Regardless, I did not seem to find anywhere in the article why Muslims are not allowed to partake in Christmas. I don't see the harm in taking part in the SECULAR part of the holiday. I agree with Lailah.

Regardless,

I did not seem to find anywhere in the article why Muslims are not allowed to partake in Christmas. I don’t see the harm in taking part in the SECULAR part of the holiday.

]]> By: Lailah http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2007/what-should-be-the-muslim-reaction-to-christmas/#comment-32559 Lailah Fri, 18 Jan 2008 05:15:43 +0000 http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2007/what-should-be-the-muslim-reaction-to-christmas/#comment-32559 I struggled with this article primarily because the author makes the common mistake of attempting to say that Christianity is doing wrong things according to muslim standards. You can't compare apples and oranges. Christianity and its belief system is their belief. Now are they more responsible for evil because of their beliefs? I don't think so, Christians are as varied in their level of belief and organization as anyone else, so we can't make them a monolith. Instead we should try to see the separation and be supportive of that separation. We do as we do, and they do as they do. Simple isn't it? Why should a muslim site even discuss Christmas and Santa Claus? Santa Claus is an imaginary figure and all Christians know this. Even when he was "invented" he was brought to America from Europe where he is known as Father Christmas in England and Sinter Klaus in Dutch countries. (I may have spelled that wrong). Either way how does that impact an intact and healthy muslim? Well I guess the fear is the glitz of it, the glamour of it is like an entrapment for those not strong in their deen. And perhaps some fear the loss of the younger muslims to this. I feel this way, if a person is drawn to something it speaks of their conviction to their belief system, and to what degree? There is an assumption that muslims are all from the same cloth, and all should be. Nothing is farther from the truth, even in the Middle East and Africa and Persia how Islam is practiced varies a great deal. We can say its cultural, and it is. I am not offended by Christmas, as a former Christian I see it for what it is, no more than a show. Time off from work, and time to spend with loved one's. Yes, people spend too much money, and they eat way too much, and also alcohol flows in plenty yet again though I ask, what does this have to do with a muslim? Nothing what so ever. If you want to discuss social issues, keep it social, if you want religious discussion than even more so, this idea is dead. If a muslim has a Christmas tree what does that mean? If a muslim has a Christmas tree than that person isn't muslim, that is the answer I would expect to get. But there are muslims who see themselves as progressive, and modern. Yet can we judge their hearts? Perhaps that is to Sufi an idea for this site. At any rate I think that Christmas is a baccanal for Christians and we should never step into the path of judging others religions by our guidelines. We simply can't. it sounds and looks like either jealousy or worse picking a fight were none needs to be picked. If my nieghbor is Christian and has a tree, good for them. If my other neighbor is jewish and has a Menorrah good for them. I will celebrate Eid. And when the day is done no one is hurt and none the wiser. Does celebrating Christmas bring evil to the world? Of course not. Evil lies in the hearts and minds of men who mostly are secular. If a Christian invites a muslim co-worker to the office Christmas party should they attend? Well, a wise person will go, and do the politics because celebration is in the heart, and belief. Not to mention the words. "Merry Christmas" which is not religious. I am a muslimah in the workforce. I do not wear Hijab because I lost two jobs because of it, though the employers were very careful to say other things such as too many complaints about you. Well, was I too muslim for my mostly Christian clients? I certainly didnt' use any language to suggest such, but my clothing told them, this is an oddity, and perhaps an evil, so we can't keep her. In short I believe that the more we pour on the religious rhetoric to prove points the worse we make it. We want to live peacefully with each other, this is America and it is, despite some Atheist beliefs, a Christian country. But it is a tolerant country and it can be more so. I believe we should as muslims be in the community and not hidden away in our cliques and separate ourselves from everyday life. We should be obvious in that we are polite, and well spoken, and clean, and that we keep to "our" belief systems. I don't go to office Christmas parties but I do say to friends and co-workers, "enjoy" there is no harm in that. I struggled with this article primarily because the author makes the common mistake of attempting to say that Christianity is doing wrong things according to muslim standards. You can’t compare apples and oranges. Christianity and its belief system is their belief. Now are they more responsible for evil because of their beliefs? I don’t think so, Christians are as varied in their level of belief and organization as anyone else, so we can’t make them a monolith. Instead we should try to see the separation and be supportive of that separation. We do as we do, and they do as they do. Simple isn’t it? Why should a muslim site even discuss Christmas and Santa Claus? Santa Claus is an imaginary figure and all Christians know this. Even when he was “invented” he was brought to America from Europe where he is known as Father Christmas in England and Sinter Klaus in Dutch countries. (I may have spelled that wrong). Either way how does that impact an intact and healthy muslim? Well I guess the fear is the glitz of it, the glamour of it is like an entrapment for those not strong in their deen. And perhaps some fear the loss of the younger muslims to this. I feel this way, if a person is drawn to something it speaks of their conviction to their belief system, and to what degree? There is an assumption that muslims are all from the same cloth, and all should be. Nothing is farther from the truth, even in the Middle East and Africa and Persia how Islam is practiced varies a great deal. We can say its cultural, and it is. I am not offended by Christmas, as a former Christian I see it for what it is, no more than a show. Time off from work, and time to spend with loved one’s. Yes, people spend too much money, and they eat way too much, and also alcohol flows in plenty yet again though I ask, what does this have to do with a muslim? Nothing what so ever. If you want to discuss social issues, keep it social, if you want religious discussion than even more so, this idea is dead. If a muslim has a Christmas tree what does that mean? If a muslim has a Christmas tree than that person isn’t muslim, that is the answer I would expect to get. But there are muslims who see themselves as progressive, and modern. Yet can we judge their hearts? Perhaps that is to Sufi an idea for this site.
At any rate I think that Christmas is a baccanal for Christians and we should never step into the path of judging others religions by our guidelines. We simply can’t. it sounds and looks like either jealousy or worse picking a fight were none needs to be picked. If my nieghbor is Christian and has a tree, good for them. If my other neighbor is jewish and has a Menorrah good for them. I will celebrate Eid. And when the day is done no one is hurt and none the wiser. Does celebrating Christmas bring evil to the world? Of course not. Evil lies in the hearts and minds of men who mostly are secular. If a Christian invites a muslim co-worker to the office Christmas party should they attend? Well, a wise person will go, and do the politics because celebration is in the heart, and belief. Not to mention the words. “Merry Christmas” which is not religious. I am a muslimah in the workforce. I do not wear Hijab because I lost two jobs because of it, though the employers were very careful to say other things such as too many complaints about you. Well, was I too muslim for my mostly Christian clients? I certainly didnt’ use any language to suggest such, but my clothing told them, this is an oddity, and perhaps an evil, so we can’t keep her. In short I believe that the more we pour on the religious rhetoric to prove points the worse we make it. We want to live peacefully with each other, this is America and it is, despite some Atheist beliefs, a Christian country. But it is a tolerant country and it can be more so. I believe we should as muslims be in the community and not hidden away in our cliques and separate ourselves from everyday life. We should be obvious in that we are polite, and well spoken, and clean, and that we keep to “our” belief systems. I don’t go to office Christmas parties but I do say to friends and co-workers, “enjoy” there is no harm in that.

]]> By: Lailah http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2007/what-should-be-the-muslim-reaction-to-christmas/#comment-32556 Lailah Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:59:16 +0000 http://www.bismikaallahuma.org/archives/2007/what-should-be-the-muslim-reaction-to-christmas/#comment-32556 First of all Christmas is not a "religious" holiday. It never has been. Christians who desire to create a theme or idea that it is the birthday of Isa do it because they want to. Its the failure of the Christian church to redirect this problem. Christmas basically is a secular holdiay. As a Jew Isa certainly would not have wanted his day of birth memoralized in this fashion. Lets not blame Isa or Christianity for this de-evolution. If a person who is Christian desires to celebrate the birth of Isa from a purely spiritual standpoint I find nothing wrong with it. What I dislike is the flagrant and often overdone spending and decorating and European themes that permeate Christmas. Should a Muslim celebrate Christmas? Well that depends, it a Muslim appreciates Isa, and his words, and his journey and the fact that he was a prophet why not? Muslims celebrate Mohammads birthday (pbuh). I have seen big parties thrown for that particular celebration, with lights, food, and songs and so forth. Don't get confused, Christianity has alot of problems and archeology is helping with that. Many Christians are fearful of not "worshipping Isa" its built into the religon. Since the council of Nacea when the vote was taken, should Jesus be equated with God or no? It was a slim vote. But its gone that way ever since, directed by MEN, not by God. No where in the New testament does Isa say worship me. No was manufactured by men for a purpose which has been lost to everyone who isn't a theologist. So I don't fault people for following blindly, should Muslims do what Christians do? No. They are muslims. However to honor Isa isn't wrong in my opinion, the Quran speaks highly of him and his mother Maryam. First of all Christmas is not a “religious” holiday. It never has been. Christians who desire to create a theme or idea that it is the birthday of Isa do it because they want to.
Its the failure of the Christian church to redirect this problem. Christmas basically is a secular holdiay. As a Jew Isa certainly would not have wanted his day of birth memoralized in this fashion. Lets not blame Isa or Christianity for this de-evolution. If a person who is Christian desires to celebrate the birth of Isa from a purely spiritual standpoint I find nothing wrong with it. What I dislike is the flagrant and often overdone spending and decorating and European themes that permeate Christmas. Should a Muslim celebrate Christmas? Well that depends, it a Muslim appreciates Isa, and his words, and his journey and the fact that he was a prophet why not? Muslims celebrate Mohammads birthday (pbuh). I have seen big parties thrown for that particular celebration, with lights, food, and songs and so forth. Don’t get confused, Christianity has alot of problems and archeology is helping with that. Many Christians are fearful of not “worshipping Isa” its built into the religon. Since the council of Nacea when the vote was taken, should Jesus be equated with God or no? It was a slim vote. But its gone that way ever since, directed by MEN, not by God. No where in the New testament does Isa say worship me. No was manufactured by men for a purpose which has been lost to everyone who isn’t a theologist. So I don’t fault people for following blindly, should Muslims do what Christians do? No. They are muslims. However to honor Isa isn’t wrong in my opinion, the Quran speaks highly of him and his mother Maryam.

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