From: http://www.soundvision.com/info/christmas/ctreat.asp
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CHRISTMAS
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Treating Christmas with Respect
by Abdul Malik Mujahid
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Christmas is an annual Christian religious holiday
commemorating the birth of Prophet Jesus, peace
be upon him. For many Muslims who even do not
celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad,
peace be upon him, it becomes an issue of what
stand they should take.
There have been a number of legitimate criticisms
of the holiday from Muslims and non-Muslims based
on theological and cultural considerations. However,
this cannot be used to disregard the holiday as merely
an exercise in ancient pagan practices, for instance,
or excessive consumerism. Muslims have to
remember that for practicing Christians, Christmas
really is about Jesus.
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was so
accommodating of Christians that according to the
two earliest Islamic historians, Ibn e Saad and
Ibn Hisham, the Prophet even allowed a delegation
of 60 Byzantine Christians from Najran in Yemen to
worship in his own mosque in Madinah. Lead by their
bishop (Usquf), they had come to discuss a number
of issues with him. When time of their prayer came,
they asked the Prophet's permission to perform this in
the mosque. He answered, "conduct your service
here in the mosque. It is a place consecrated to God."
God expects us to stay away from mocking the
religious beliefs of others, no matter how much we
disagree with them. He says in the Quran: "And insult
not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides
God, lest they insult God 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).
We also have to remember that even if for many
nominal Christians, the celebration is not really about
participating in religious traditions, Christmas is
a time for families to get together. In a number of cases
it is the only time of year families get together, either
because family members are scattered in different parts
of the country or the world, because of communication and
relationship problems, or because in America today, the
family unit is becoming weaker and weaker.
Christmas is a great time to relate to our neighbors. We
should not forget though, that "relating" does not mean
"preaching". Dawa cannot be made in a rude manner.
Allah says in the Quran: "Invite (all) to the Way of your
Lord with wisdom and beautiful advice, and reason
with them by ways that are the best and most gracious:
because your Lord knows best, (those) who have strayed
from His Path, and those who receive guidance "
(Quran, 16:125).
In particular, when dealing with Jews and Christians,
Allah says: "Do not argue with the People of the Book
unless it is in the politest manner, except for those of them
who do wrong. Say: 'We believe in what has been sent down
to us and what has been sent down to you. Our God and
your God is [the same] One, and we are Muslims before Him'"
(Quran, 29:46).
This may not be an occasion to emphasis the differences
as much as the commonality of our beliefs, unless someone
is really asking you about them.
A starting point for a discussion about Christmas could
be the Islamic belief in all Books revealed by Allah and
all Prophets sent by Him. In this discussion, special
emphasis could be made on Prophet Jesus. Non-Muslims
are often surprised to discover that Muslims also believe
in this noble Prophet and his great mother Mary
(peace be upon her).
Remember that respect does not mean compromise.
This article is not asking you to compromise anything.
You have freedom of religion given by God to believe in
what you believe in. But in a world where conflict is
increasing, a Muslim should be a bridge- builder and
a peacemaker. It was due to the Muslim practice of Islamic
ideals of respect and tolerance that the key of the
holiest Christian Shrine in Jerusalem, the church of the
Holy Sepulcher, remains entrusted with a Muslim family,
as it has been for over 1400 years.
These are the lessons which need to be learned by those
extremists who attack Christians during their worship in
Nigeria and those extremists who burn Masjids in the USA.
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