For Muslims living in the West, this time of year is always awkward. The whole society from November onwards starts revving up for Christmas. For non-Muslims this is a time of celebration and joy. They meet with family, they have parties, they give out gifts and are generally cheerful. And there’s nothing wrong with these things by themselves. The issue is what are they celebrating? Why are they gathering together?
Reason #1: It’s a lie
As Muslims we love Jesus, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him. We love Jesus, just like we love Moses, Jacob, David, Solomon and all the prophets sent by God. As such, in regards to religious activities we follow their way, without adding or subtracting from it. If Muhammad PBUH celebrated the 25th of December in respect to Jesus PBUH, then as Muslims we would be the first to do it. But this is not the case. Jesus never celebrated the 25th of December, neither did early Christians including later Christians such as the Puritans that came to America. There is no mention of the 25th of December in the bible. There’s no Santa Claus, elves, or reindeer. These are all made up lies that people feed to their children.
Reason #2: It’s Shirk
Every Muslim should know what shirk is. Shirk is the one sin that if man dies committing it (while knowing better), that God will never forgive.
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ ۚ وَمَن يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّـهِ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا
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.
Quran (4:116)
Shirk is giving others the attributes only for God, and worshipping other than God. In the case of Christmas, people have declared Jesus to be the son of God, and also God. As Muslims we believe there is only 1 God, and that God doesn’t have any offspring. God isn’t like His creation that has a need for children. People have children to take care of them when they’re old, and to continue their lineage after they die. God, the Creator of everything, has no need for this. As such believing this about God, or celebrating this lie, would be shirk.
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
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.
Quran (19: 88-93)
Reason #3: It’s Pagan Origins
Christmas is based on a pagan holiday at the same day called Saturnalia. It was celebration of the Roman false god Saturn. The Romans would give gifts, be lewd in the streets, and all work would stop. As Muslims we don’t ignore the origins of things. We strive to be truthful and sincere. How can we celebrate a pagan lie against God the Most High? Does God have a son? Is Saturn a demi-God? Does it make sense to celebrate a lie. Is fun enough of a reason to violate the laws of God? Do we fear the people more than we fear God?
Reasons #4: Muslims Only Have 2 Eids
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived in Medina during two days which they were celebrating. The Prophet said, “What are these two days?” They said, “We would celebrate these two days in the time of ignorance.” The Prophet said, “Verily, Allah has replaced these two days with two better days: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.”
Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived in Medina during two days which they were celebrating. The Prophet said, “What are these two days?” They said, “We would celebrate these two days in the time of ignorance.” The Prophet said, “Verily, Allah has replaced these two days with two better days: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.”
Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1134
Reasons #5: Muslims Do Not Imitate the Non-Muslims
Before I go into the textual evidences for this, I want us to reflect on the concept first. As Muslims we believe we are following the guidance sent by the Creator of everything. Whereas everyone else is misguided, or following the guidance of shaitan, our biggest enemy.
So by default which makes more sense, imitating the best of mankind and his followers, or imitating people who are being misguided by shaitan? I believe the answer is obvious.
So if this is true why would you even want to imitate the non-Muslims? Why would you risk being misguided?
Here are a few evidences for why we shouldn’t imitate the disbelievers in anything except that which doesn’t go against Islam and is beneficial in nature.
Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, drew a line in the sand with his hand and he said, “This is the straight path of Allah.” Then, the Prophet drew lines to the right and left, saying, “These are other paths, and there is no path among them but that a devil is upon it calling to its way.” Then, the Prophet recited the verse, “Verily, this is the straight path, so follow it and do not follow other ways.” (6:153)
Source: Musnad Aḥmad 4437
وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمِ دِينًۭا فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَـٰسِرِينَ
Quran 3:85
And whoever desires other than Islām as religion – never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.
إِنَّ ٱلدِّينَ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْإِسْلَـٰمُ ۗ
Quran 3:19
The true religion with Allah is Islam.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “You will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit (i.e., inch by inch) so much so that even if they entered a hole of a mastigure, you would follow them.” We said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! (Do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?” He said, “Whom else?”
Sahih al-Bukhari 7320
From the seerah (biography) of the Prophet PBUH we read that the jews in madinah fasted Ashura (the day Moses and his people were freed from Pharaoh). But in order to differentiate ourselves from the Jews we fast an additional day before or after it.
Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came to Medina and he found the Jews fasting on the day of Ashura. The Prophet said, “What is this day you are fasting?” They said, “This is a great day in which Allah saved Moses and his people, and he drowned Pharaoh and his people. Moses fasted on it due to gratitude, so we also fast on it.” The Prophet said, “We are more worthy and closer to Moses than you.” The Prophet fasted the day of Ashura and he commanded fasting on it.
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2004, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1130
Al-Tirmidhi said, “It is reported from Ibn Abbas that he said to fast on the ninth and tenth of the month and to do so differently from the Jews, and this tradition is the same as was said by Al-Shafi’i, Ahmad, and Ishaq.”
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 755
Ibn Umar reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Be different from the idolaters. Let the beard grow and trim the moustache.”
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 5553, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 259
The call to prayer (Adhaan) was originally going to be a bell, although the Prophet PBUH did not like that, since it was copying the Christians.
According to the hadeeth of ‘Abd-Allah ibn Zayd ibn Abd Rabbihi, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) decided to use a bell even though he disliked it because it was like what the Christians used, ‘there appeared to me in a dream a man who was wearing two green garments, in whose hand was a bell. I said, “O slave of Allah, will you sell that bell?” he said, “What will you do with it?” I said, “We will call the people to prayer with it.” He said, “Shall I not show you something better than that?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Say, Allahu akbar Allah akbar … (to the end of the adhaan).”
Narrated by Ahmad, 1588; al-Tirmidhi, 174; Abu Dawood, 421, 430; Ibn Maajah, 698
Here’s an article going into further details of this – https://islamqa.info/en/answers/45200/ruling-on-imitating-the-disbelievers
I Agree With You, but My Family Celebrates it!
First and foremost, you and I will be judged individually by God. Meaning before worrying about your family you must first worry about yourself. If your family is doomed to hellfire, would you want to join them? If your family were a family of thieves, murderers, or liars would you want to join them? So firstly you must leave the celebration of Christmas altogether.
Next, speak to your family, softly and gently. Talk to them before the holiday season even starts. Let them know you won’t be available at that time anymore. Give them gifts, call them, and visit them outside of the December holidays. Show that you love them, even more now that you’re a practicing Muslim.
Lastly, keep reading and learning about Islam. If you are sincerely trying to please Allah alone, you’re reading the Quran, you’re reading the many tafseer, you’re reading hadith, you’re reading Islamic books, you’re attending Islamic classes, you’re praying, you’re fasting, and truly you’re giving your best. Then Allah will guide you to the best course of action. You’ll know in your own soul what you should and shouldn’t do. And if you truly love Allah, I think you could never knowingly celebrate something he curses.
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