|
Christmas and New Year an Islamic Perspective
The Holy Quran is silent about Christmas and New Year days, because the Holy Quran is a Book of Guidance, and not a calendar of events, revealed to us from our Merciful Lord and Creator.
Every people have their own civilization, culture and days of celebration. Allah and His Messenger (saws) have appointed the two Eids for our celebration, and have made every Friday a day of Eid and celebration for the believers. For a true believer, every day that dawns is a Sign from our Merciful Lord, and every day that Allah gives us life, can be a day of celebration for us.
The New Year: This is a pagan holiday and the start of their new calendar year. The Muslim new year starts on 1st Muharram, and for the believers it is just a date, not a day of celebration.
Christmas: This is a day when the Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (a.s.) whom they believe is the â?~son of Allahâ?T, and whom we believe is a noble Messenger of Allah Subhanah. If we were to celebrate Christmas with them, then our actions would prove that we too believe in their claim, and thus we have joined them in their celebrations.
JESUS CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD â?" Christians Belief
Ã~ According to Matthew and Luke, Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea to Mary, a virgin, by a miracle of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel of Luke gives an account of the angel Gabriel visiting Mary to tell her that she was chosen to bear the Son of God (Luke 1:26â?"38).
Ã~ God sent His Son Jesus from heaven to earth to save the world from sin. (John 12:47)
Ã~ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)
Ã~ â?oâ?¦The Son of God, and that by believing in Him, you may have everlasting life. (John 20:30-31)â?Â
YOU CAN FIND VARIOUS FAKE VERSES REGARDING SON OF GOD IN BIBLE. I HAD MENTIONED ONLY A FEW
Just study the following aayah of the Holy Quran and see what Allah thinks about their claim; and then one should decide whether it is fine or not to celebrate such occasions with them:
Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 19 Surah Maryam verses 88-91:They (the Christians) say that the Merciful has adopted a son! What an absurd thing that you have invented! It is well-nigh that the heavens might crack, and the earth might split asunder, and the mountains come crumbling down at this hideous thing that they should ascribe a son to the Merciful! It does not behove the Merciful to adopt a son!!!!
Sahih Al-Bukhari Book 6 Volume 60 Hadith 9 Narrated Ibn Abbas:
The Prophet said, "Allah said, 'The son of Adam tells a lie against me though he has no right to do so, and he abuses Me though he has no right to do so. As for his telling a lie against Me, it is that he claims that I cannot recreate him as I created him before; and as for his abusing Me, it is his statement that I have offspring. No! Glorified be Me! I am far from taking a wife or offspring.' "
Islam does not stop the other civilizations and cultures from celebrating what and how they want to celebrate. But it does not behove a believer, who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day, to adopt the culture and practice of the pagans, and celebrate their religious holidays with them.
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 7.780 Narrated by Nafi
The Prophet (saws) said, "Do the opposite of what the pagans do.â?Â
There is absolutely no harm if one celebrates or congratulates oneâ?Ts non-muslim friends and brethren in humanity on their personal accomplishments and happy occasions like their marriage, the birth of their baby, or their childrenâ?Ts graduation, or a promotion in their job, etc. But it would neither behove nor befit a believer who believes in Allah and the Last Day to greet or celebrate any of their religious occasions with them like Christmas, Easter, Diwali, Holi, etcâ?¦â?¦for that then would be to intentionally witness a falsehood.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 25 Surah Furqaan verse 72:
72 (The true slave-servants of Allah are) Those who witness no falsehood (intentionally), and if they pass by futility they pass by it with honorable (avoidance)
In light of the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, the jurors in Islam have listed four categories which would make the participation of any celebration forbidden:
- The celebration should not be a pagan religious festival.
- The celebration should not involve any â?~shirkâ?T.
- The celebration should not involve or encourage â?~fahishaâ?T or indecency or any of the things absolutely forbidden in Islam (alcohol, gambling, etc.)
- The celebration should not indulge in excess spending.
The pagan beliefs and religions and thus their religious festivals are based on absolute falsehoods, and it does not behove one who sincerely believes in Allah and the Last Day as Truth to indulge in celebrations of falsehood. To greet or celebrate pagans on their pagan and religious days of festivals would be to justify their false beliefs.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 5 Surah Maidah verse 2 (part):
â?¦.Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancor: fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment.
Sunan of Abu-Dawood Hadith 4020 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar
The Prophet (saws) said: â?~He who copies any people is one of them.â?T
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 4649 Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As
Allah's Messenger (saws) said, "He does not belong to us who imitates other people.â?T
It would be absolutely forbidden for the believers who sincerely believe in Allah and the Last Day to greet or participate in any way whatsoever in the religious festivals of the pagans.
One cannot say with absolute conviction that wishing one another â?~Happy New Yearâ?T on the 1st of January is based on a pagan religionâ?¦.but without an iota of a doubt it would be absolutely forbidden for the believers to wish oneâ?Ts Chrisitan brethren â?~Merry Christmasâ?Tâ?¦..for they claim and believe (and I seek refuge in Allah from even saying this!) that the Noble Messenger of Allah (saws) Isa ibn Maryam (a.s.) is the son of God and claim that he was born on this day!
If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of never ever being misled; but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.
|