We’ve been asked many questions such as
Is it haram to say Merry Christmas in Islam?
Are Muslims allowed to wish Christians a Merry Christmas in Islam?
This problem leads to misunderstandings and polemics among Muslims as well as within Muslim communities. Whether they are close neighbors, coworkers at work, or members of their own family, people who have personal interactions with Christians ask us these questions. In our multiracial and multireligious nation, this is a serious problem.
Every year the issue of Christmas in Islam causes many arguments, therefore we are forced to discuss it and provide an explanation based on our research from modern academics, religious texts, public benefits, Muslim history, and the actual application of Islamic Shari’a. So, we will talk about the rulings that Muslims have to do when they wish Christians a “Merry Christmas.” and how do Muslims react to Christians?
Since this is an ijtihad issue about which there can never be a complete prohibition or permissibility, may this explanation help us understand it and ultimately resolve it by ending the debates. It is dependent upon the circumstances and the individual’s time.
Islam Religion: A Religion of Mercy
It is a fact that the Prophet PBUH came as a mercy for all people. Allah SWT states:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِلْعَالَمِينَ
“And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.”
Surah al-Anbiya’ (107)
In the book Rahmatan li al-‘Alamin, Dr. Aidh al-Qarni offers the following observations regarding the verse in question:
- The Prophet PBUH is a Messenger of Allah SWT, sent to protect those who are oppressed, weak, abandoned (behind in their beliefs and practices), and imprisoned by oppression.
- His mission is to protect Muslims’ dignity and ensure that they are treated equally with everyone else.
- The Prophet PBUH created a new civilization that outperformed all others.
- The Prophet PBUH led the Muslims and brought Islam to every corner of the globe from the desolate Arab Peninsula, which had no rivers, gardens, or vegetation.
Thus, Islam is calling for goodness, peace, and compassion. Regarding this issue, there are no opposing views or differing evidence, and Allah SWT commands us to always act morally toward all people:
وَقُولُوا لِلنَّاسِ حُسْنًا
“And speak to people good [words].”
Surah al-Baqarah (83)
As Syeikh al-Maraghi stated, “Therefore, to fulfill the rights of every individual or human being, it is sufficient to speak politely and with good words, advising to do good and preventing sins and evil and other beneficial things in this world and the hereafter,”. As cited in Tafsir al-Maraghi, 1/174.
What does Merry Christmas Mean?
Merry, as defined in the English Oxford Living Dictionaries, is characterized as joyous and energetic. It comes from myrige, which signifies pleasant or cheerful in ancient English.
On the other hand, the Western Church celebrates Christmas, the yearly Christian holiday commemorating the birth of Christ, on December 25. It is derived from two words: maesse, a Christian holy celebration (eucharist), particularly in Roman Catholic churches, and crīstes, a classical English word that refers to Jesus Christ. Mass also includes the weekly Sunday rites of Catholic churches and the Holy Days of Obligation. It comes from missa, a Latin language. When their priests declare ite missa est, which translates to “The Mass has ended,” it is used after the ritual. Proceed in peace.
Therefore, Crīstesmaesse is interpreted as Christ’s Mass, which signifies the commemoration of Jesus Christ’s birth, notwithstanding various disagreements on the precise date of his birth. By replacing the paganistic celebrations of Saturnalia and other Roman customs, the celebration aims to express gratitude and joy for the birth of Christ.
The celebration began to evolve in England in the 19th century as a result of the influence of Charles Dickens’s well-known book A Christmas Carol and German culture, which introduced the Christmas tree through Prince Consort.
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What is the ruling on celebrating Christians at Christmas in Islam?
There is disagreement among scholars on whether or not to congratulate non-Muslims on their religious celebration. Thus, the ruling of celebrating Christmas in Islam is a crucial issue that we have to discuss. The argument is that some scholars forbid congratulating others since it conveys the idea of acknowledgment and promotes the prestige of other faiths. Scholars who have deemed it acceptable, however, do not recognize any truth in other religions and instead see it as a symbol of social unification with non-Muslims or a way to wish for safety and peace. Here, we present both academic viewpoints on this matter. Congratulating non-Muslims on their religious celebrations is Haram.
Is Congratulating non-Muslims on their religious celebrations Prohibited?
Most scholars (jumhur) from the four madhhabs generally forbid congratulations to non-Muslims at Christmas in Islam.
- Madhhab Syafie: In his commentary on Imam al-Nawawi’s remarks in al-Minhaj, Imam al-Damiri states that anyone who takes part in the celebration of unbelievers —whether by touching a snake, going into a fire, or yelling “O Hajj” to zimmi disbelievers—is punished with ta’zir. He also remarks that anyone who calls “Hajj” to someone who visits the graves of pious people (for shirk purposes) will also be punished. (al-Najm al-Wahhaj, 9/244).
- Madhhab Hanafi: According to Abu Hafs al-Kabir of Madhhab Hanafi, if a man has been worshiping Allah SWT for fifty years and on the day of Nairuz he gave eggs to the idolaters as a gift to honor the day, then he is deemed to have renounced Islam, and all of his worships are revoked. (See Al-Bahr al-Ra’iq Syarh Kanz al-Daqa’iq, 8/555.)
- Madhhab Maliki: Ibn al-Haj al-Maliki forbids Muslims from taking part in or carrying out the activities that non-Muslims engaged in during their festivities. According to al-Madkhal, 2/46-48,
- Madhhab Hanbali: According to Imam al-Buhuti, congratulating non-Muslims at Christmas in Islam is prohibited since it shows respect for their faith. (See 3/131, Kasyf al-Qina.)
The Evidence of Prohibition to Congratulate Non-Muslims at Christmas in Islam
Syeikh Nasiruddin said: “Islam has set a clear rule for Muslim man and woman, to not copy or resemble the non-Muslims in terms of worship, celebration and adornment that is specific for them.”
In another hadith the Prophet PBUH said:
لَيْسَ مِنَّا مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِغَيْرِنَا، لاَ تَشَبَّهُوا بِاليَهُودِ وَلاَ بِالنَّصَارَى، فَإِنَّ تَسْلِيمَ اليَهُودِ الإِشَارَةُ بِالأَصَابِعِ، وَتَسْلِيمَ النَّصَارَى الإِشَارَةُ بِالأَكُفِّ
“He is not one of us who resembles other than us, not who resembles the Jews nor the Christians. For indeed greeting of the Jews is pointing the finger, and the greeting of the Christians is waving with the hand.”
Sunan al-Tirmizi (2695)
However, some scholars have declared that wishing Christians a Merry Christmas in Islam is makruh (undesirable) if there is no necessity to celebrate them. Some scholars claimed that honoring the day or celebrating it without any justification or need could cause people to become disbelieving since it glorifies the superiority of the unbelievers. On the day of their celebration, they declared: “It is as if he slaughtered pigs to anyone who slaughters nathihah (slaughter animals).”
The Decision of Fatwa Institutions to Wish Christians a Merry Christmas in Islam
The following fatwa is included here to support the legitimacy of wishing Christians a Merry Christmas in Islam:
Dar al-Ifta’ al-Misriyyah: Congratulating non-Muslims on their celebration in a way that does not go against Islamic Aqidah is acceptable and is seen as an act of Ihsan.
Dar al-Ifta argues that wishing someone a Merry Christmas in Islam is not regarded as being like non-Muslims, which is forbidden because such resemblances include behaviors and beliefs that go against Islamic thawabit issues (qath’ie principles).
The European Fatwa Council: Following Fiqh al-Aqaliyat, the European Fatwa Council has decided that it is acceptable for a Muslim person or group to celebrate non-Muslims at christmas in Islam in order to uphold the minority of Muslims in a non-Muslim government.
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