iht.com — "Is it religiously acceptable for Muslims to wish their Christian colleagues or acquaintances a Merry Christmas? In Kuwait, it depends on who you ask. Days before the holiday that is not officially celebrated in this small oil-rich state, fundamentalists like Mohammed al-Kandari began urging fellow Muslims not to extend the greeting to Christians."
Dec 24, 2006 View in Crawl 4
macliberalDec 25, 2006
Buried. No one should ever wish anyone Merry Christmas, remember people, it's happy holidays.
osdagentDec 25, 2006
@ noreturn Yes, I used incorrect grammar by mixing titles, but that doesn't change the statement. As if that has never happened before on a Digg thread. You, on the other hand, have proven that know matter how correct your grammar is, the thought behind your message can be one big mess.
ubuwalker31Dec 25, 2006
When I wish my Jewish and Chinese acquaintances a "Happy New Year" by saying "Gung hei fat choi" or "L'shana Tova" as a friendly gesture to let them know that I care about them and their beliefs and their culture. They always smile and are polite and say "thank you". When I wish a Christian acquaintance a "Merry Christmas " I often get a "Merry Christmas" in return, even when they know I am not Christian. That is annoying, insulting, and degrading...Which is why I avoid wishing anyone a "Merry Christmas".
beggersfunkDec 25, 2006
I have a lot of friends with different religious background. I didn't say Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah's and so on. I just said Happy Holidays. By saying that i don't have to offend anyone. What Ubuwalker31 said "That is annoying, insulting, and degrading...Which is why I avoid wishing anyone a "Merry Christmas". I agreed, It is very disrespectful for that person if i said Merry Christmas .Since i am not a part of their religious beliefs.This is simply my opinion no offense and Happy Holidays to everyone, peace!
theone3Dec 26, 2006
I am a Muslim and I say Merry Christmas, because that's what it is.
praxDec 26, 2006
The more PC you try to be, the more PC you have to become. Make sense? It just gets worse as you try to satisfy everyone.
kilpsDec 26, 2006
@AICWebmaster:It's pretty much accepted that that is what the date is ... but have you perhaps thought that it is celebrated for other reasons?
chase001Dec 27, 2006
It was many other holidays before it was ever Xmas.. Every diety or religion seems to need their own celebration in this dat e range.
vincep1974Jan 5, 2007
First I love how what I have to assume are atheists telling the Muslims whether or not Jesus is part of their faith.. That was funny.To my point: When I see the comments about these kind of things sometimes I think a lot of you guys miss the point.I dont know of any major ideology (either religious or non religious) where 100% of the members act in accordance to 100% of the dogma. So the existance of people who act in way that is contrary is always there. The question that I have is this.. despite what some enlightened folks might do, what does Islam really say about this. If one wanted to act in the "Proper" way what would that be, or even, is there even a way to act or is it left open and non-regulated.So I looked around, and I see plenty of Koran and Hadith that tell Muslims not to celebrate non Muslim holiday. The Koran and Hadith are the word of Allah and Muslims are said to have total obediance to it.So i ask the moderates here.. by what Islamic basis do you counter this sort of thing? What are the Islamic principals and where are they written that would make the below not true. I'm guess you pretty much just ignore the rules and do what you want, but I know that most Muslims would start suspecting aposty if Muslims started to ignore everything they didn't agree with, so how does Islam arbitrate these things, how do people get Muslims to not take the literal word of Allah (which is perfect and sent from heaven) literally?I dont think moderates can and that's why I view the religion as a threat. At it's very core it's universal, political, and non-compromising. Just like its founder.Question:Can a muslim celebrate a non muslim holiday like Thanksgiving? Answer:Praise be to Allaah.Greeting the kuffaar on Christmas and other religious holidays of theirs is haraam, by consensus, as Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah: "Congratulating the kuffaar on the rituals that belong only to them is haraam by consensus, as is congratulating them on their festivals and fasts by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’ and so on. If the one who says this has been saved from kufr, it is still forbidden. It is like congratulating someone for prostrating to the cross, or even worse than that. It is as great a sin as congratulating someone for drinking wine, or murdering someone, or having illicit sexual relations, and so on. Many of those who have no respect for their religion fall into this error; they do not realize the offensiveness of their actions. Whoever congratulates a person for his disobedience or bid’ah or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allaah."Congratulating the kuffaar on their religious festivals is haraam to the extent described by Ibn al-Qayyim because it implies that one accepts or approves of their rituals of kufr, even if one would not accept those things for oneself. But the Muslim should not aceept the rituals of kufr or congratulate anyone else for them, because Allaah does not accept any of that at all, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): "If you disbelieve, then verily, Allaah is not in need of you, He likes not disbelief for His slaves. And if you are grateful (by being believers), He is pleased therewith for you. . ."[al-Zumar 39:7]". . . This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion . . ." [al-Maa’idah 5:3]So congratulating them is forbidden, whether they are one’s colleagues at work or otherwise.If they greet us on the occasion of their festivals, we should not respond, because these are not our festivals, and because they are not festivals which are acceptable to Allaah. These festivals are innovations in their religions, and even those which may have been prescribed formerly have been abrogated by the religion of Islaam, with which Allaah sent Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to the whole of mankind. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Whoever seeks a religion other than Islaam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]It is haraam for a Muslim to accept invitations on such occasions, because this is worse than congratulating them as it implies taking part in their celebrations.Similarly, Muslims are forbidden to imitate the kuffaar by having parties on such occasions, or exchanging gifts, or giving out sweets or food, or taking time off work, etc., because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah said in his book Iqtidaa’ al-siraat al-mustaqeem mukhaalifat ashaab al-jaheem: "Imitating them in some of their festivals implies that one is pleased with their false beliefs and practices, and gives them the hope that they may have the opportunity to humiliate and mislead the weak."Whoever does anything of this sort is a sinner, whether he does it out of politeness or to be friendly, or because he is too shy to refuse, or for whatever other reason, because this is hypocrisy in Islaam, and because it makes the kuffaar feel proud of their religion.Allaah is the One Whom we ask to make the Muslims feel proud of their religion, to help them adhere steadfastly to it, and to make them victorious over their enemies, for He is the Strong and Omnipotent.Majmoo’ah Fataawa wa Rasaa’il al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, 3/369
kizioApr 18, 2007
Sounds interesting... I'm surprised.
lindapuzhgenaApr 23, 2007
Beautiful! It makes me bored.
twizzlenicoleAug 6, 2009
I think it really depends on whether someone following the muslim faith wants to say merry christmas, it really depends on the individual. There shouldn't be any pressure to say it or not.