Christmas is a Christian religious festival taking place on December 25th and celebrated around the world by Christian and non-Christians. The festival is meant to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The bible doesn’t actually support the idea that Jesus was born in the winter. For non-Christians they celebrate it as a supposed secular holiday. Watch the following video to learn more about the history of Christmas:
Can Muslims Celebrate Christmas?
In short no.
To celebrate Christmas is to approve and acknowledge the lie against Allah, that he has a son. Allah says in the Quran:
لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
Quran (112:3)
He neither begets nor is born
وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ اللَّـهُ وَلَدًا ۗ سُبْحَانَهُ ۖ بَل لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ ۖ كُلٌّ لَّهُ قَانِتُونَ
Quran (2:116)
They say, “Allah has taken a son.” Exalted is He! Rather, to Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. All are devoutly obedient to Him
To say that Allah has a son is to say He has a partner which is called shirk in Islam, the worst sin a Muslim can commit. Allah says in the Quran:
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّـهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا
Quran (4:116)
Indeed, Allah does not forgive shirk [association] with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly gone far astray.
How can a Muslim knowingly and happily celebrate something so hated by Allah? Would you celebrate the anniversary of your mom’s murder? This would be less evil than celebrating a horrible lie that nearly causes the universe to be destroyed. Allah says in the Quran:
وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَـٰنُ وَلَدًا ﴿٨٨﴾ لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمْ شَيْئًا إِدًّا ﴿٨٩﴾ تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنشَقُّ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدًّا ﴿٩٠﴾ أَن دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ وَلَدًا ﴿٩١﴾ وَمَا يَنبَغِي لِلرَّحْمَـٰنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا ﴿٩٢﴾ إِن كُلُّ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَـٰنِ عَبْدًا
Quran (19: 88-93)
And they say, “The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.” (88) You have done an atrocious thing. (89) The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation (90) That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son. (91) And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son. (92) There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant.
Christmas isn’t religious anymore right?
This is an argument some people make. They assume because so many people celebrate it around the world, that it is no longer a religious holiday but instead is a non-religious holiday. The reality is it is still and will forever be based on the pagan winter solstice holiday and the Christian belief of it being Jesus’ birth. This has been the case for nearly 2 thousand years, to assume a time will come when the original reason of celebrating it will be lost and thus everyone would only celebrate it for non-religious reasons, is flawed.
Similar to the analogy we gave before of celebrating the murder of your mother, or the birthday of your mother’s murderer, any normal human being would detest this idea. They would detest it forever. Whether the whole world celebrates it or not, changes nothing. Whether they choose to ignore what that holiday was based on, or not, it still is obviously wrong and evil. If they are so adamant that it has nothing to do with pagan and Christian beliefs, then let them change the date to sometime in April, May, or June. Then they would have a better argument.
And despite that it would still be haram (sinful) for a Muslim to celebrate it, due to it being sinful celebrating any Non-Muslim holidays. The reason being, the assumption is that, that particular holiday day has some significance. That it is in fact a special day. Under who’s authority was this decided? If it was in fact a special day, then why didn’t the Prophet, and his companions celebrate it? Why didn’t Allah inform us that it was a special day? The Muslims have their special days given to us by Allah. What more can a Muslim want or need?
وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
Quran (3:85)
And whoever desires other than Islam as religion – never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.
For the Muslim his/her whole life is Islam. The Prophet peace be upon him was called the walking Quran. The celebrating the holidays of the misguided people is not living Islam. It’s taking part in their misguidance instead. Allah says in the Quran:
قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّـهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ
Quran (6:182)
Say, “Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds.
If Christmas is considered religious, then celebrating it would be on the level of shirk, the worst sin a Muslim can do. If it’s not religious it would still be a sin. The Prophet PBUH said:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
Narrated by Abu Dawood, 3512; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 2691
May Allah protect us and guide us to do please Allah and not the creation. Please keep in mind that when you leave a sin for Allah, Allah will reward you for that. The harder the deed is, the greater the reward. So for those who find it hard to leave haraam celebrations just keep in mind that Allah the Provider will reward you immensely for your sacrifice. This is in fact our purpose as slaves of Allah, if we in fact consider ourselves to be Muslims (those who submit their wills to their Lord).
Help me to make more Islamic material for our ummah. Check out my books for Muslim children! Jazaka Allahu khayran!