- This article explores why certain Muslims celebrate Christmas.
- Celebrating Christmas contradicts Islam’s strict monotheism, and is rooted in pagan traditions adopted by Christians.
“What’s the harm in playing some board games and putting up a few decorations? It makes the kids happy and we are making the most of spending quality time together over the holidays.”
“We don’t celebrate Christmas but yeah we have a nice roast dinner together as a family, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
“Chill out, it’s only a turkey dinner!”
“Celebrating Christmas doesn’t make me any less Muslim; don’t be so backwards for goodness sake!”
Such statements are echoed by some Muslims currently swept up in the festive season and intending to celebrate Christmas. However, the broader consequences of this trend deserve closer scrutiny.
As Muslim sports stars enthusiastically embrace Christmas, there’s an unmistakable expectation for Muslims to emulate people they admire. The prevailing message they promote is clear: “Blending celebrations and customs from diverse faiths doesn’t diminish your Muslim identity.” For instance, images of a hijabi putting up a Christmas tree but is this not cognitive dissonance at its finest?
Hold up! Let’s flip the script for a second; Dave down the road certainly won’t be whipping up a bowl of Semiyah on Eid ul Fitr or bringing out the tray of baklava. However, the true rationale behind refraining from celebrating Christmas is about avoiding imitation and because it’s not a part of our faith. Moreover, and perhaps the most important reason that should make our spine shudder, is that it’s a grotesque insult to Allah azza wa Jal, our maker who blessed us with this life.
The Spiritual Cost of Celebrating Christmas: A Dangerous Path for Muslims and Their Children
Christmas commemorates the birth of Jesus (AS), acknowledged as the son of God. The distinctive essence of Islam lies in strict monotheism. As adherents of Islam, the concept of Allah having a son remains inconceivable. Consequently, the celebration of Christmas is inherently incompatible with Islamic beliefs. Therefore, Christmas can never be a celebration for Muslims.
We are all attempting to navigate our unique spiritual journey, I understand. However, the repercussions of participating in a festival outside our own faith could have more significant repercussions than you might realise.
You’re a born Muslim who loves celebrating Christmas
For individuals born into Islam who haven’t distanced themselves from Christmas, they might discover inspiration in reverts who have effectively relinquished the observance of the holiday. Take our brother, YouTuber/Da’ee ‘The Muslim Cowboy,’ who posted a YouTube video a few years ago titled, ‘The real reason why Muslims don’t celebrate Xmas.’
With that said, we ought to be respectful and patient with new reverts who come from Christian families and grapple with how to navigate around the holiday season. May Allah make it easy for them.
Make your Eid celebrations colourful instead, particularly for the children in your Family!
In championing the significance of Eid celebrations, Muslims ought to enrich the experience for their children, avoiding any sense of deprivation. The steadfast commitment to observe only what aligns with our faith makes our own practice of Islam authentic and untarnished but it also fortifies the identity of Muslim children.
Christmas is a Roman Pagan Festival
Whether or not it can be robustly evidenced that Christmas is a Roman pagan festival is of scant importance to Muslims who have chosen to engage in its festivities. Their reasoning aligns with assimilation in many cases, and many of the statements presented at the beginning of this article. Furthermore, even if Christmas is believed to be a Christian holiday that Jesus (peace be upon him) wanted, such Muslims are still engaging in a religious celebration that holds very dangerous and un Islamic connotations for Muslims.
But for the record — for our Muslims brothers and sisters who do engage in such festivities on 25th December; the following will enable you to understand where the origins of this celebration lie:
A plethora of historians argue that this particular date was a date in which Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) and Saturnalia was celebrated by Roman pagans. Centuries later, in order to align with existing celebrations, Christians adopted this date to celebrate the “birth of Jesus.”
Jesus, however, was not born on this date. Both the Qur’an and bible affirm this:
In the Qur’an, the conditions surrounding the miraculous birth of Jesus are described:
“And shake the trunk of the palm tree toward you; it will drop upon you fresh, ripe dates.”
(Qur’an 19:25)
The Gospel of Luke describes the birth of Jesus:
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” (Luke 2:8)
However, in Judea, December is cold and rainy. Sheep are not kept outdoors overnight during winter. Moreover, Jewish historical records show that flocks were kept in the fields spring through autumn, not winter.
Allah does not have a son. We all know this as Muslims
“Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, Nor is there to Him any equivalent.”
(Qur’an 112:1–4)
In the midst of the holiday season, our hearts are heavy with the ongoing tragedy in Gaza. While I’d like to leave you with a “Happy Holidays” message, it’s time for continued collective action, not relaxation. May Allah bless all the Muslims and protect us from harm. #FreePalestine
