اﻟﺮﺣﯿﻢ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ ﷲ ﺑﺴﻢ
All praise is due to God alone, Who created us and, from His infinite mercy, sent to mankind guidance.
May the best benedictions and peace be upon the exemplar of God’s guidance, Muhammad ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص the Seal of
Prophethood. To proceed:
Christmas and the Limits of Culture in Islam
So often, in this new age, we are inundated with thoughts and ideas on social media. What is more, the
nature of social media is that, if one wishes to find arguments to engage in, they can. And, at the same
time, if one wants an echo chamber, they can often find this as well. Unfortunately, very few spaces serve
as a middle ground where there is room for open minds to meet in open conversation. Worse even than
this, however, is the sheer amount of information mixed with misinformation and personal opinions
portrayed as facts.
Last year (2023) we saw an increase of discussions regarding the observance of Christmas in the Muslim
community. While this has been going on for sometime, this year I saw something “new”. Whereas
previously we saw these conversations taking the form of religious justifications, this year, oddly enough,
the call was for “cultural expression”.
In one social media group new Muslims were encouraged to show their prayer rugs and in one picture
there was a decorated Christmas tree and lights. This lead to the question, “Do you celebrate?”. The reply
came, “No. In our home we put up the tree, exchange gifts to those we are near to and share a meal
together…but we don’t observe Christmas.” Let’s just say, this spawned an ongoing conversation leading
up to and following December 25th. As is the nature of social media, it also ended with dissenters being
labeled as zealots and extremists and, eventually, getting kicked out of the group.
There was a group of white Muslims who claimed that the rites observed surrounding Christmas was part
of their European heritage and so, while they reject Christian beliefs surrounding these observances, they
retain their cultural heritages. Even when pointed out that, on some level this is even worse as it is pagan
in nature, they doubled down in their right to cultural expression.
As I, myself, was from those kicked from the group due to my “zealotry”, I wanted to take to my
keyboard to explore this matter deeper. I wrote the outline at the end of last year but didn’t pick it back up
until we began to approach this period once again. This paper is meant to be a general response to this
topic and, as such, I will not go into every detail of the matter but, God willing, will suffice with that
which is will enable a person to arrive at the ability to make an educated decision . It is my hope that1
through this effort, I am able to produce a paper that will suffice for the guidance of my own family, my
students, my community and anyone who is lead to read this paper. In the end, the aim is to protect the
Muslims from falling into error and to uphold the well established foundations of this Deen . I pray that2
this effort is accepted by our Lord and with Him alone is every success.
Now, it is often the case that we use the same words in conversation but continue to talk past one another
due to a lack of clarity regarding the terms being used. Due to this, perhaps a good place to begin is to
look at what is meant by the term “culture”.
Like many of the papers that I have written, I will not overburden the reader with detailed evidence and will1
strive to hold fast to that which is commonly known amongst the believers as a whole. I am always ready to
produce evidence for anything I write and too, to respond to questions should they arise.
Often translated as “religion”, the term “Deen” means a complete and wholistic way of life.2
1
When we speak of “culture” we most often mean the customs, arts, dress and foods of a people. It can be
expanded to include social institutions and intellectual achievements but this is seldom what is meant in
common usage. Culture is the expression of the cultivation of a people but in common usage we often
mean by the term how a people “are” collectively, be it within their families and communities…that is,
how they express themselves as a people. Culture is often readily identifiable through the external
expressions such as dress, language, food and arts but it also goes much deeper. It includes the history,
heritage and traditions which represents a people as a cohesive group. Often times it is directly tied,
consciously or subconsciously, to their metaphysical views of the world. While living (and thus ever
changing) cultures serve as a continuum of tradition in which is rooted the identity of a people, whether
that be an organic unit (families and tribes) or one that is synthetic (workplace). In this way, cultural
norms are understood as acceptable ways in which a person presents themselves within their group.
Understanding this, Islam accepts and respects the cultural norms of people and even views it as a basis of
legal judgements within the Shariah. This does not mean, however, that a person can justify whatever they
wish to do by invoking this term. It is a fundamentally understood principle that Islam, as a whole, is a
means of unification and purification. This is as the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص said, “The Deen is Nasiha” – meaning,
“This way of life is purification, rectification, sincerity and altruism”. In light of this, the Shariah serves
not only as a criterion and a chaperone but also a means by which culture is rectified.
We can look at several examples to make this matter clear. First, let us look at the case of marriage – if a
certain ceremony of marriage is culturally known and accepted and a couple that meets all of the
requirements for a marriage to be valid goes through this ceremony, the courts and community would
recognize that marriage to be valid under the Shariah. Related to this is the matter of divorce such that, if
there is a cultural expression that is commonly understood to invoke divorce, one need not use the
expression “I divorce you” but rather, if they use the cultural expression, divorce will be understood
according to the Shariah.
These serve as examples of how culture can be used within the context of the Shariah. As for how it is
purified, food is a great example as a people can eat whatever style of food they want as long as the meats
fall within the clear and well-known dietary restrictions. We can also look at music. Without getting into
the issue of wind and string instruments and the differences of opinions in regards to them, I will simply
say that, while the style of the music, its rhythms, beats, language and the like, will not be altered by the
Shariah necessarily, when we look at any song, we must look directly at the lyrics. If the lyrics call for,
invoke or incite to sin and transgression – the song itself is viewed as sinful and a transgression. One may
sing, they can sing out loud, sing out strong – but the lyrics should not entice one towards disobedience or
ingratitude towards God.
Similar to this is clothing. Every people on the earth have their own style of clothes. Even when they are
near neighbors to one another and they share certain styles, you will find one using different colors than
the other or a different fabric, or making the lengths slightly different. You always find them differing to
express their own cultural identity. This is honored and respected by the Shariah and yet, there are
guidelines. In this way you will find the women of Morocco do not dress like the women of Libya who do
not dress like the women of Egypt who do not dress like the women of Jordan who do not dress like the
women of the Yemen..and so on across the entire globe. From the furthest West to the furthest East you
will find Muslim women with their own styles and expressions and yet, they all cover the head (including
the ears and neck), the bosom and the shape of the woman as much as possible. This is true for those
women who work in fields, those in academia and those who work within their homes. Similar to this are
the guidelines for men but, it is far more apparent with women and that is why we mentioned them
specifically.
There is also the issue of men’s hair cuts. A man may grow his hair, trim it or shave it and he can wear it
in the styles of his people. The exceptions to this are six particular haircuts – 1.the mohawk, 2.the
monohawk, 3.shaving half the head and leaving the other half (as some skinheads do), 4.shaving the front
2
of the head and leaving the back to grow (as some Chinese were forced to do), 5. Shaving a spot in the
back of the head and leaving the front to grow (as seen from Christian monks), and 6. Shaving the hair
reverse to the monohawk such that the sides grow and the top is bald (such as seen by some Japanese in
the feudal ages). All of these haircuts were and are directly associated with pagans and paganism and
were forbidden by the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص. Thus, even if one argued that such and such a haircut was associated
with their culture, it would be viewed as forbidden in Islam.
One last example of the flexibility of the Shariah in regards to culture is that, while a free man is
encouraged to cover his head in public, he is free to wear whatever is the cultural norms of his people as
long as it isn’t directly associated with a particular belief system – they can wear a turban or a cowboy
hat, a kufi or a ball cap – it is all permissible. This is a general rule pertaining to clothes in general – a
people are permitted to wear the clothes of their own people as long as they cover the body properly, one
can worship in them and the clothing is not directly associated with a religious belief (examples of this
may be the robes of monks, the collars of priests, crosses, etc.).
All of this leads us directly to the topic at hand – celebrations. Celebrations fall into several categories but
to simplify this discussion I will mention only four broad categories – 1.religious celebrations, 2.secular
celebrations, 3.celebrations of occasions and 4.spontaneous celebrations. To make each of these clear I
will offer an example: Easter is undeniably a religious observance; Mother’s Day is secular in nature; The
celebration of a marriage or childbirth is the observation of an occasion; throwing a dinner party when
someone visits from a distant land or returns after many years is an example of spontaneous celebrations.
Here we can begin with a general rule of thumb to remove much disagreement immediately – no matter
what kind of celebration it is, if there is any activity that violates the guidelines of the Shariah, that aspect
of the celebration is to be ceased and rejected regardless of the cultural significance. Similar to that is
whether or not that which is being celebrated violates the Shariah or not. If it is something which is
deemed as unlawful, celebrating it would likewise be deemed as unlawful. Recall that the Shariah is a
means by which culture is purified…it is the guide and the criterion.
By this alone we can understand that celebrating someone getting hired to a job (a spontaneous
celebration) or a graduation (an occasion) would both be viewed as completely acceptable in Islam.
However, what about celebrations such as wedding anniversaries? Such observances are secular and
hence relevant to the discussion. Since it is clearly secular it will not be confused with an innovation into
the religion or some added “Holy Day” (Eid). What is more, due to its cultural nature, it was unknown to
the Arabs in the lifetime of the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص and so, observing it doesn’t contradict the sunnah either.3
One may get into arguments regarding celebrations such as Independence Day or the like – and many do.
One side will argue that it is completely secular and hence cannot be seen as contravening the sunnah or
violating the Shariah while the other side argues regarding the celebration of the political ideals of the
disbelievers. The argument is is not whether or not it is religious but rather whether one is celebrating
something that goes against Islam (in opposition to the Shariah) or not. Such arguments will continue, I
am sure. But the point remains, the discussion is not about whether one can celebrate a secular
observance, or even how it is celebrated, but rather, it is all about what is the legal status of the essence of
that observance.
This then brings us closer to the heart of our own discussion. Is the essence of that which is being
observed – culturally by a people – religious in nature or not? THIS category of celebration leaves no room
Sunnah = Prophetic Model3
3
for ambiguity regarding its prohibition (FOR MUSLIMS ) under the Shariah. If the celebration itself is4
based on religious beliefs, it is forbidden for a Muslim to observe it, regardless of the methods of
observance. This last point will be shown to be not only relevant but also important very soon.
One important question certainly does arise in this regard: “How far back do we go?”. I will offer two
examples and, for myself, the first is very simple to address. The first is Thanksgiving Day which is
observed on the fourth Thursday of November. Today many will argue that this is a secular celebration
and as such, a Muslim can partake fully. The reality is that this can be disputed. Nearly every aspect of
this occasion is steeped in Christian rites, rituals and observances.
To keep this paper short I will simply mention that the Puritans of the Northern States banned Christmas
due to its pagan roots but, given that it was so widespread, many people substituted it, calling for a Day of
Thanksgiving instead. A day of Thanksgiving was a “random” observance to celebrate any given occasion
such as harvests, weddings, the building of a new church or the like. The Christian community would fast,
attend mass, observe prayer for a day, and share a communal feast to observe these days. Due to the
random nature of these observances, they were local in nature. After the Civil War, President Abraham
Lincoln called for a National Day of Thanksgiving wherein it would be observed across and throughout
the entire United States – and thus a tradition was born. Yet, it still traditionally included mass, prayers
and a communal feast. Of course a narrative sprung up regarding the first observance of a day of
Thanksgiving being due to the good faith and aid shown too the pilgrims by the First Nation Tribes and so
it is often misunderstood as purely secular. We can also invoke the reality that it was established in
relation to the end of the Civil War and so, again, it seems secular and national in nature. Yet, If anyone is
in doubt regarding the religious nature of this observance let them ask a simple question…to Whom are
they expressing the thanks they are giving?
Again, for myself this is so obvious that I often fail to understand why so many still deny and reject this
historical fact once it is presented. Today, however, with so many people abandoning their houses of
worship, not attending Mass, not fasting, not sharing in prayers together…and many not even talking
about what they are grateful for from the previous year…to the contrary, spending the day watching
parades and football, talking about politics, the pilgrims and natives, and focusing on what is served up on
the table – one may ask, is it religious any more at all? Is there a need to go back and discuss its Christian
roots and practices? Can’t we just chalk it up to being secular and enjoy it with everyone else? Especially
with its direct connection to the end of the Civil War? Many Muslims will take it a step further and say,
shouldn’t we be grateful to God? Shouldn’t we also celebrate a day dedicated to expressing our gratitude
to Him? These are the justifications presented in the arguments we see year after year.
But then, with our second example, we go a bit deeper. What about the issue of celebrating “birthdays”?
This often reminds me of the riddle, “How may birthdays does the average person have? One. All the rest
are anniversaries.”
Every people have some celebration associated with the birth of a child. In Islam we have the Aqiqah,
ideally held on the seventh day of the child’s life. But the celebration of a birth’s anniversary, that is, the
yearly observance of one’s “birthday”, is something else. Birthdays are interesting because in today’s
society – perhaps around the world – they have absolutely no religious significance to them at all. For this
reason many Muslim scholars see no issue with celebrating them. However, when one digs far enough
back, you see they are a trickle down effect from deep pagan beliefs.
What has reached us, and God knows best, is that the celebration of birthdays began with the yearly
celebration of the “birth day” of the King who was viewed as either God incarnate in the Earth or God’s
I feel the need to make this footnote for those who may be immature in their understandings. Islam does NOT4
prohibit non-Muslims from celebrating their own Holy Days and festivals. In general, it is permitted for them to
do so both publicly and privately without hindrance.
4
direct vicegerent, His Right Hand in the world. The King would host a celebration and to show his
beneficence, his wealth, power, and generosity, he would hold a grand feast and give gifts to all who
attended. Over time, and surely impacted by changes in economic realities, the Kings would expect gifts
to be presented to them. Over more time yet, others, under the King, would want their own days and so
dukes and earls and even petty lords over small fiefdoms would demand such observance be held in their
honor – with gifts presented, of course. This continued to trickle down from those who held such titles, to
the elite and wealthy, on and on until it reached even the common folk. As time went on it simply became
normal (even expected) to observe the anniversary of the birth of close friends and family. Over the
course of history, the connection to its being a celebration of the day God became incarnate in a new King
was all but forgotten and lost to history. The practice of celebrating birthdays spread with wars, trade and
colonialism but it spread without any of its historical or religious significance; it spread as a purely
secular observance.
These two examples beg the question – how far do we go? If it is, today, purely secular, cut off completely
from its roots, is it still forbidden? Such is the fodder for debates. As for myself, I do not claim to know
the answer and I respect the different positions in the discussion. While I uphold my own personal
position, I do not argue the matter with anyone who differs with me. It is clear that there really is room for
legitimate differences as to whether they should be viewed as purely secular or not.
I used these two examples not just because they come up often but in order to show that when one looks
at the origin of a celebration, it can, should and, in fact, must effect the subsequent ruling pertaining to its
observance. But, these two celebrations take us into another realm as well – what about the ways in which
a celebration is observed?
In Islam there are two aspects to every deed – the essence and the form. The essence is closely connected
to the origin and intent of the celebration while the form is the way in which it is observed. As a rule of
thumb, if the method of celebration is in accord with Islam, one cannot say it is forbidden to engage in it
on that basis. Similarly, the opposite is true, if the method of celebrating is prohibited by Islam, one
cannot justify it as permissible.
If we look at our previous two examples, Thanksgiving and Birthdays, we find that many of the deeds are
permitted, if not emphasized acts of the Prophetic Model (sunnah). For example, on Thanksgiving, there
is an expression of gratitude to God, there is prayer and there was a communal feast. Birthdays are
celebrated with gatherings of family and friends and the giving of gifts. This is, of course, ignoring the
making of wishes and blowing out candles…which came from Greek (and/or German) culture where it
was believed to do so carried the wishes to their deities. Still, if we look at the issue of birthdays in
particular, we know for certainty that the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص used to fast on Mondays and when asked why, he
responded that this was the day on which he ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص was born.
Understanding that the outward forms of observing these days need not contravene Islam, we should still
reflect on whether or not the adoption of these celebrations is “Islamic”. One may claim that they have
immigrated to the lands of disbelievers and so, in an attempt to integrate, have adopted something of their
culture. A Muslim American may say that this is our culture and we are simply keeping our traditions.
Both of these positions are common but do we stop to ask ourselves honestly, are we doing anything at all
to “Islamacize” these observances? Are we purifying them in some way? Are we ensuring that the
understanding, intent and observance are all free from any aspect of disbelief or paganism? Or are we
simply keeping them, or adopting them, as is?
Before one answers that for themselves we must point out that often times, when one accepts a particular
practice for themselves they are also invited to partake in the celebrations of others as well. For example,
a birthday party that a Muslim holds for themselves may be a controlled environment. But what happens
when the one who attended your celebration invites you to attend their’s and there is alcohol, music, free
5
mixing and the like? Your choice to celebrate for yourself (or not) sets a bar by which other people will
engage with you. You set the bar.
Still, despite all that we said regarding outward forms, the question becomes whether or not the fact that
something looks similar to the Prophetic Model justifies adopting it? The outward forms cannot be
separated from the inward essence. A body is just a body without its soul. It is the soul that we then
identify as this person or that person. Similarly, an act that looks like the a deed encouraged by Islam is
not the same if the essence behind it betrays this Deen. We must look at the entire matter before we make
any legitimate judgements.
We want to be very clear, the core essence of an observation and the methodology thereof must both be
considered, without separating one from the other, whenever we discuss the matter of celebrations in
Islam. This then brings us, finally, to the topic at hand – the celebration of Christmas by Muslims.
Christmas, like Easter, is one of the “High Holy days” of the Christian calendar. Despite Easter retaining
the name of a pagan idol of fertility, birth and rebirth, and the common symbols of the rabbit and the egg
directly related to that idol and the celebrations held in her honor…not to mention the rites of wearing
new and brightly colored clothes for the occasion…it is considered the holiest of days in the Christian
calendar. This is greatly due to Roman synthesism wherein, rather than abolish a pagan belief or the rites
surrounding it, the Romans, from antiquity, would seek to synthesize those beliefs and practices with the
prominent beliefs of their empire…a practice that carried over into the Christian age of the empire.
Despite the fact that Easter is the highest holy day, Christmas is often mistaken (culturally) for that status.
Part of this may be due to the entirety of the season and the festivities that surround it – the two weeks +
of Advent leading up to it, preparing the way with purification and cleansing, followed by the twelve days
culminating on January 6th with the “Feast of Epiphany”. This day, January 6th, is the day the Three Wise
Men are believed to have visited the baby Jesus ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص in Bethlehem, bestowing upon him their gifts. Today,
much of this is left and forgotten and the emphasis is placed only on two days, Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day and, because of this, many mistakenly believe that Orthodox Christians have a different
day which they call “Christmas”…not even being aware of the history. Still, there is an entire “Holy”
season that surrounds this, replete with decorations, music…and…shopping.
Most people do not realize that the way people have been observing Christmas for the last half century is
due to capitalistic marketing…even to the point that the image of Santa Clause was invented as part of a
marketing campaign by Coca Cola Corporation. The decorations went from solemn to gaudy and the
presents went from meaningful and useful to shows of extravagance whose humbleness is seen as
disrespect and whose absence is seen as a slight.
Still, if we look at the actual symbolism of this celebration we see deep rooted paganism. The Romans,
the Druids and many other pagan cultures marked the day of the winter solstice by decorating their homes
with evergreen boughs and many would take a tree into their temples and decorate the tree. This is a
practice found amongst Celts and Vikings as a symbol of “everlasting life”. It was an acknowledgment of
the “death” in winter and that, despite this period of stillness, life did and would continue. The mistletoe
served as a similar symbol and would be used as decoration.
The Lutheran Church in Germany was the first to partake in this practice as far as one can tell from
recorded history. This began in the 16th century and did not reach America until the 1820’s, in a German
immigrant community in Pennsylvania. It was later than this, in the mid-19th century, that the practice
began in England. It was in the beginning of the 20th century, during the Great Depression, that the tree
began to become a marketing tool for the observance of Christmas…in 1931 at Rockefeller Center.
Similar to the history of the Christmas Tree is the Yule log. Today it is symbolized by a dessert dish but is
symbolic of the pagan observances of Germany and Scandinavia. Yule being itself a name for the pagan
6
celebration of the winter solstice, one need not even think that deeply about this. But what about the
mistletoe? In many pagan societies (including Greek and Roman) the mistletoe was symbolic of love and
romance…hence, kissing one standing beneath it. This tradition, however, was brought to America by the
English… a tradition that a man could kiss any woman standing beneath a mistletoe and, if she refused,
she would have bad luck throughout the year…a tradition which they took from the Norse. One may ask,
what does this have to do with Christianity or the birth of the Messiah? The answer is, nothing. What is
more, I am unaware of anyone at all seeking to justify a connection…legitimate or otherwise.
Even the Christmas Day Meal is directly tied to pagan practices. The early Christians would observe fast
on this day, it was a solemn day of worship so, where did the feast come from? Again, this is tied to the
well documented pagan feasts observing the winter solstice which was a celebration of victory, a turning
point as the length of the night began to recede and the days began to increase…a symbol that brighter
days were ahead even as they headed into the coldest months.
When we turn to matters such as Saint Nicholas, the decoration of lights and the giving of gifts, we find
roots that are more closely tied to Christianity than paganism. While it is true that Santa Claus is certainly
a cultural invention from mixed traditions, there is a connection to the sainted, 4th century, Greek Bishop,
Saint Nicholas of Myra. Despite being known for his generosity and kindness, in the orthodox Christian
calendar he was celebrated on the 6th of December as the patron saint of children. Santa, on the other
hand, is more closely related to lore from Germany and the Netherlands of “SinterKlaas” who would
delivered present down chimneys of December 5th (Saint Nicholas Eve)…a figure who was not always
benevolent. Lest we forget the lyrics: “He’s making a list. He’s checking it twice. We’re gonna find out
who’s naughty and nice. Santa Claus is coming to town. He sees you when your sleeping. He sees when
you’re awake. He knows when you’ve been bad or good…so be good, for goodness sake.”
Still, it is from the lore surrounding Saint Nicholas that we have the tradition of hanging stockings for
trinkets to be placed in. From his legend is the story of three sisters who were poor and one day, when
Saint Nicholas passed by, he gave them money for their dowries…placing it in their stockings which were
hung on a line to dry.
As for the lights, it was a practice of Christians to place a single candle in each of their windows. They
would do this during the days of Advent, welcoming and inviting the Messiah into their homes.
According to some this was a “lighting the way” but others have said it symbolized the star the Wise Men
saw and followed. Either way, this was the beginning. That practice was later joined with the 17th century
German practice of decorating a tree in one’s home and a candle was placed near (or attached to) the tree
so that the ornaments would reflect the light, shine and be easily seen. (This led to many seasonal fires
throughout history.) It was from these two streams that the lighting of trees and homes grew and grew
until today we find spectacular displays and light shows.
As for the giving of gifts, this is very closely tied to the Feast of the Epiphany and the visitation of the
Three Wise Men who visited the Infant Jesus ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص bearing gifts. The practice has changed over the
centuries…as has the dates on which the gifts are given (as mentioned earlier)…but the connection to the
celebration of the birth of Christ ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص is undeniable.
Despite these clear ties to Christianity, Christmas was not widely observed in early America. It was even
discouraged (and fined!) in the New England States between the 17th and 19th centuries…being
attributed to paganism. This only began to change with the influx of German and Irish immigrants at the
beginning of the 19th century…and even still, the change was slow and hard fought. Even still, it was not
observed even closely to how it is celebrated today…with many ProtestantS referring back to the
prohibition of decorating trees as found in Jeremiah 10:1-5. Despite that, marketing won…perhaps
sealing the deal was the 1930’s hit, “‘Twas The Night Before Christmas” when Rudolph the red nosed
reindeer was introduced to the world.
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All in all, we can see three separate streams of history and symbolism – the pagan roots, the Christian
roots and the roots of capitalism. All of this blends together to produce the rites and observances of
Christmas. Clearly, it is only the symbols created by capitalist marketing – such as the modern image of
Santa and Rudolph – that one can attempt to divorce from religion. Paganism synthesized into Christianity
and then sold to the people…Seeing this, we must ask the clear question: “How can any Muslim justify
observing Christmas?”
The answers given have become “seasonal staples”. We hear Muslims saying that they partake in
particular aspects of Christmas observances…or outright celebrate it…in order to keep family ties. This is
the most common reason given, especially by First Generation Muslims who do not have Muslim family
members. The discussion of this becomes a mixing of matters as the issue of visiting with family is
confused with participating in observances. Yes, this is a time when folk have off from work and many
people travel. It is a time when extended family is often localized which affords for easier visits. It makes
“catching up” accessible. No one can really deny that. In fact, this is not the issue at all and this is why we
find scholars giving legal rulings in favor of taking advantage of such opportunities…despite the apparent
“harms”.
Another reason given is that it is a sunnah to give gifts and reciprocate the giving of gifts. Often this is
joined with the previous reason and so, one visits family and exchanges gifts with them…because its the
sunnah. This, of course, is a misuse of the sunnah in order to justify clinging to the religious traditions one
was raised upon. That, in itself, is a betrayal of the sunnah and a betrayal of the Qur’an itself if one
simply reflected on Surah 109 – a message of “no compromise”.5
Some people justify the observance by being forthright and saying they are celebrating the birthday of a
Prophet…and not just any prophet, the Messiah ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص. They make the claim that this is a good thing that
doesn’t betray our beliefs since we love and honor Jesus ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص as well. This overlooks the fact that the
Christians are not celebrating the birthday of a prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص but the birth of God in the form of a human
being…much like many pagans before them did. And we can certainly appreciate the argument that
“actions are based upon intentions and that is what separates the Christian observance from the Muslim
imitation”…however, it does NOT explain why the Muslims adopt all of the symbols and rites used by
the Christians and pagans for the occasion. We remind of the earlier discussion of the relationship
between essence and form, spirit and body.
“Ok, Ok”, the Muslim may say, “But this is a great opportunity for Da’wa”. They then use the reasoning
that it is a time for us to remind ourselves and others regarding our beliefs about the Messiah, Jesus ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص.
They will say that the season itself is a conversation starter and that hosting gatherings or attending them
with others affords us the opportunity to talk to them about Islam. Again, there is truth in this and many
Houses of Worship will hold “Open-houses”during this time in order to talk to their neighbors about
Islam, using the Messiah, Jesus ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص as a bridge. However, how many can honestly and sincerely say that
their sole purpose and intent of observing Christmas celebrations is to invite others to Islam? Is that really
why you are sitting and talking politics with uncle Bob?
I don’t think that most can honestly say that they are observing Christmas at home or away, with friends
or family, publicly or privately – for the sake of God, seeking His pleasure. I don’t think anyone can say
I have struggled as to whether to include the Surah in the paper. To do so almost demands me to expound and5
that may well serve as a digression from the issue i would encourage those who are able to go to the Qur’an
themselves and read the Surah…and also any footnotes and commentaries they have at hand. The gist of my
reference to it is that the disbelievers made offers to the Prophet ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص to compromise and God revealed this Surah
as the response…we do not worship what any disbeliever worships and they do not worship God and so, they
have their own way of life and we have our way of life. While there is demand for toleration, there is no room for
compromising in the principles of our faith.
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that they are intending to follow the footsteps of the Messenger of God ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص by partaking in the Pagan/
Christian celebration. And so, this leads us to the final reason given, that which we began with – it is just a
cultural expression. “It’s only a tradition based on people’s historic love to recognize the changing of
seasons and to mark them with observances…it has nothing to do with religion or beliefs…at least not to
us”. I feel this is the flimsiest reasoning of all based on the history and symbolism we have clearly
mentioned in this paper.
Having said all of this, I think it becomes clear that the reasoning that is always presented serves as little
more than justifications and excuses to do what one wishes while Allah has stated,
ٍ
مُؤۡمِنَة َ ال َ و ٖ ملُِؤۡمِن َ كَان مَا َ و
أَمۡرًا ٓ رَسُولُهُۥ َ و َُّ ٱهلل قَضَى إِذَا
ۗۡأَمۡرِهِم ۡ مِن ُ ٱلۡخِيَرَة ُ لَهُم َ يَكُون أَن
رَسُولَهُۥ َ و ََّ ٱهلل ِ يَعۡص مَن َ و
مُّبِينٗا ٗ ضَلَٰال َّ ضَل ۡ فَقَد
“It is not fitting for a believer, male or female,
Once a matter is decreed by Allah and His Messenger,
That they have any opinion regarding the issue.
And if one disobeys Allah and His Messenger,
They are indeed upon a clear going astray.”
(33:36)
We should all be aware that in nearly every age there are five categories of people –
Those who disbelieve.
Those who declare faith but mix it with clear false beliefs.
Those who declare faith and purify their beliefs but cling to the practices of disbelievers.
Those who declare faith but are happy to remain in ignorance and sinfulness.
Those who declare their faith and struggle to rectify their lives…and these tend to be the minority.
One has to be honest with themselves when they see this, asking ourselves to which category am “I”
closest…and to which one do I aspire.
Understand that there is a difference between slipping up and half stepping. Everyone can have lapses and
everyone can have errors they consistently fall into. This is from the trials of this life. However, this is
different from the one who willfully chooses to not only do an act of disobedience knowingly but, they
also seek to justify it. Erring is one thing, justifying it is something very different. In fact, we can argue,
not that we want to label anyone, while sins do not remove a person from Islam, the seeking to make the
lawful unlawful or the unlawful lawful does – as it is a fundamental betrayal of one’s testimony of faith.
I say this recognizing that many suffer emotional pain, including but not limited to sadness and loneliness,
in this season. Many are those who entered Islam and feel the sting of separation and disconnection in this
time. Often it is these emotions that drive them to join their families and partake in some (seemingly
minor) aspects of the celebratory observances. [I personally believe that this is a shortcoming of the
Muslim community to which they belong…but that is another issue.] Yet, despite that, seeking to justify
wrong actions of any kind in order to feel better about one’s own personal life choices does not serve to
do anything but weaken one’s own faith and resolve, make things harder on other Muslims, counteract
Da’wa efforts and water down this Deen for future generations. While the sin is problematic for the
individual, seeking to justify and normalize it spreads corruption in the land.
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To begin closing this paper I will reiterate that cultural expressions are often the embodiment of the
history, heritage and traditions which represents a people as a cohesive group. They are often a groups’
physical representation of their metaphysical views and ideal. Culture can be broadly understood as
acceptable ways in which a person presents themselves within their “group”. Islam not only recognizes
this natural aspect of human nature but honors it. What is more, it is taken as a serious consideration
regarding legal judgements in the Shariah. However, the Shariah is not governed by culture. To the
contrary, the Shariah takes the place, serving as a chaperone to culture…seeking its purification and
rectification.
Ultimately it should be clear that Islam is not culturally predatory but, instead, purifies and beautifies
whatever it enters upon. Everything that we do as individuals, families and communities (and as societies)
has its outward form and an inward essence. The Shariah enjoins that which is essentially good and
forbids that which is essentially evil and so serves as our criteria for the outward forms. Our sincerity is
rooted in our faith and, as such, is a matter that may be inferred by our words, deeds and character – but –
whose reality is only known to God alone. When these two are joined together, we call that “integrity”.
Indeed, action are based on intention and every person will find that which they intend and will be
rewarded accordingly in the Hereafter. Prayer may be an obligatory act or a forbidden act. Fasting may be
an obligatory act or a forbidden act. Reward and punishment are based on intentions …do we intend to6
obey God or to disobey Him?
Knowledge and intention go together hand in hand. It is up to each of us to choose who we wish to be…
do we wish to be Muslims who submit and surrender themselves to their Lord upon the guidance of His
Messenger ملسو هيلع هللا ىلص … or do we choose to be ungrateful for His guidance and cling to our desires? This is the
fair choice everyone of us has at every moment of our lives.
We pray that God guide us and every reader, and our families, to live in a way pleasing to Him…ameen.
And with Him alone is every success.
Completed on:
December 23, 2024
Wm. Halim Breiannis
Baltimore, Md.
We can reasonably argue that the acceptance and reward of a deed, or its being rejected and punished, is based6
on the fulfillment of conditions, the outward form and the intentions for which it is done. There is certainly room
for that conversation. However, here we are making the point that even if one is doing an act correctly and
fulfilling all of its conditions – the essence of the acceptance or rejection of that act is going to be dependent upon
the intention alone. Enough for evidence of this is the hadith regarding the first three people to enter the Fire of
Hell.
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