Christmas is here and the festivities are part of the yearly routine for many. Santa Claus is eagerly awaited by children around the world, and often muslims are caught up in the party season. We offer greetings and wish everyone a pleasant holiday. It all appears harmless, but where do we stand as believers?
Firstly, to celebrate Christmas or any other celebration other that what is prescribed in the Shari’ah (Islamic Law, as determined by Allah) is an innovation into our deen. As we all are, I’m sure, aware of the hadith; “whoever introduces into this matter (religion) that is not part of it, will have it rejected.” (Bukhari and Muslim) Furthermore in another hadith the Prophet (Peace be upon Him) said, “Beware of newly invented matters, for every invented matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance leads to hellfire.” (Abu-Dawood and Tirmidhi) So, it is clear that we should not add anything to the deen of Allah, for it will only lead us to the hellfire. The Sahabahs warned against this many times. Moreover, the deen of Allah is perfect, there is no need or space to add anything extra in it, as Allah says, “This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Al-Maidah 05:03) The deen of Allah is completely perfect!
Secondly, celebrating Christmas or participating in its celebration is an imitation of the disbelievers. This is a grave danger, for the Prophet is reported to have said, “whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (Abu Dawood) Christmas is known to be a celebration for Christians. We as muslims do not want to be raised on Yawm al Qiyamah with the Christians, so let’s keep our religion pure. We have plenty of other acts of obedience to Allah, which we are deficient in. Why not work on perfecting that, rather than participating in something which is of no benefit to us?!
Thirdly, Christmas is not even what it’s made out to be. Supposedly it is the date of the birth of Christ. However there is no evidence of this. The birth of Christ as a god-incarnate, originated from a Greek philosophy in which they believed gods had relations with humans to form half-gods. Thus Jesus was born of a human mother, yet was a god on earth. This has nothing to do with the pure teachings and origins of Christ. In fact Christmas, is celebrated on the day that coincides with the pagan Roman festival ‘natalis solis invicti,’ a celebration of the winter solstice when days became longer, (according to Encyclopedia of Britannia) and the birth of the Persian mystery god Mithra. It also coincided with the Roman festival of Saturnalia, in which gifts were exchanged. So Christmas, really has no basis in Christianity at all, it is a fusion of Roman-Greek-Persian celebrations. Christmas tress are remnants of European Scandinavian tree-worship of ever-greens which were used to decorate houses and barns. To celebrate Christmas, whilst knowing this history, is to partake in paganism, which is Shirk (associating partners with Allah), which is a major sin.
To reply to greetings on this occasion is to give approval to such beliefs, and express contentment with them. Thus we do not give greetings, neither do we reply to them.
There is no room for Christmas celebrations is Islam, whether it be simply hanging decorations, making Roast turkey, anticipating Santa Claus, wishing greetings, sending out cards or whatever else is part of this celebration.
The Prophet peace be upon him, did not compromise the deen. When he was given offers of wealth, kingship, women, and more, he did not accept any of it in return for the purity of Islam. Rather he and his sahabah ensured the religion remained pure, and abhorred such celebrations and practices that were clear disobedience to Allah.
To conclude, Shaykh Ibn Uthaymeen has said, “it is forbidden for the muslims to imitate the Kuffar by holding parties on these occasions, or exchanging gifts, or distributing sweets or other foods, or taking time off work and so on because the Prophet (Peace be Upon Him) said, “whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah said in his book, ‘Iqtida’ Al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem Mukhaalifat Ashaab al-Jaheem: ‘Imitating them on some of their festivals implies that one is happy with the false hood they are following, and that could make them (the non-muslims) take this opportunity to mislead those who are weak in faith.’
Those who do any of these things are sinning, whether they do it to go along with them, or to be friendly towards them, or because they feel too shy (to refuse to join in) or any other reason, because it is a kind of compromising the religion of Allah to please others, and it is a means of lifting the spirits of the kuffar and making them proud of their religion.”
Ibn Nahas said, “And know from the ugliest innovations and the most evil is the agreement of the muslims with Christians in their annual celebrations in imitating them in foods, actions, giving gifts, and receiving gifts from them of food during their festivities…in this there is weakness in one’s religious adherence.” (Tanbeeh Al-Ghaafileen of Ibn Nahas, pg 307-310)
May Allah keep us firm upon His religion of truth, without compromise. Ameen.
Further Reading: http://islamqa.info/en/145950