Since the fourth century, Christians have been adopting ideas found others and strayed away from
away from the Right Way.” (Interpretation 5:73, 5:75-77)
Christmas
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Question # 1: What is the Hukum (ruling of Islam) on congratulating
Christians for Christmas?
Answer # : Muslims believe that Allah (Alah in the older version of the
Christian Bibles and Eli / Eloi - as referred to all of the current Bibles)*,
is The God and that Jesus is His Messenger. Christians however
take Jesus, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him
(pbuh), as the Son of God or God Himself instead of Allah (s.w.t)
though you would find mare categorical references, in their Bibles,
that agree with the Muslim concept of Jesus (pbuh) than those sup-
porting their ideas of Jesus. Few examples of such references are:
 “Men of Israel, listen of this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man
accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs,
which God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which
God did among you through him, as yourselves know”.
(Acts 2:22)
 “For The very work that the Father (the Creator) has given
me to finish, and which I (Jesus) am doing testifies that the
Father (the Creator) has sent me.” “……You have never
heard His (Allah) Voice nor seen His Form.” ( John 5:36-73)
 “By myself I (Jesus) can do nothing; I judge only as I hear
and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but
Him (Allah) who has Sent me”. (John 5:30)
 “After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did,
they began to say, Surely this is the Prophet who is to come
into this world.” (John 6:14)
 “He (Jesus) answered, I was sent ONLY to the lost sheep
of Israel (i.e. not to the non-Jewish nations; the Gentiles).”
(Mathew 15:24)
 “I (Jesus) Tell you the truth (no mystery and no myth),
whoever hears my word and believes Him Who sent me has
eternal life and will not be condemned (i.e. anyone who
believes in Allah , The Only True God and in Jesus only as
His Servant, His Prophet and His last Messenger from the
house of Israel would have attained true Salvation), he has
crossed over from death to life.” (John 5:24)
 “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our
fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus (i.e. by choosing him
from amongst the people to be His Prophet and Messenger
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel).” (Acts 3:31)
Allah (s.w.t) says in the Holy Quran:
“…and the Christians say, “The Messiah is the son of
Allah” Such are the baseless things they utter with their
tongues, following the footsteps pf the former unbelievers…”
(Interpretation 9:30)
in pagan beliefs and practices. May be the most important of these
is the belief that there are Three God Heads; the Father, the Son and
the Holy Spirit (which they call the Holy Trinity). These beliefs are
comparable to beliefs found in previous religions such as:
Hindus Triad (Trinity); Brahma (the creator god), Vishnu (the pre
server god) and Siva (the god of destruction). Modern
Hindus take Krishna the son of Divachi, the virgin, as
Vishnu incarnate. Krishna is the savior, who, as a sacrifice
for their sin, had to suffer. He was crucified, died and then
was raised from the death.
Egyptian gods; Ra (sun god and chief deity), Osiris (god of death),
Isis (wife of Osiris, goddess of nature and mother of god)
and Horus (the son of Osiris and god of light).
Babylonian gods; Baal (the sun god), Samiramis (the virgin mother)
and Nimrod (the divine son).
Buddhist gods; Gautama (the holy spirit), Maya (the virgin mother)
and Buddha, the son (who was conceived when Maya was f
illed by the holy spirit) and who is the savior who died and
was raised from death.
Greek / Roman gods; Zeus / Jupiter (king of gods), Artes /Diana (the
goddess of birth) and Mithra (the god of light).
Some Christians scholars of theology believe that worship of Isis and
Diana was transformed to Mary. In the fourth century chapels and
churches began to be built they were in a special position to hear the
petitions and to present them to God! Each day of the year was dedicated
to a saint or a martyr and prayers were made in his name on that day!
This reaching is in direct conflict with Galatians 3:20, which reads: “But
go - between is not needed when only one is involved; and God is one.”
In addition, Exodus 20:5 reads: “Do not bow down to any idol or wor-
ship it, because I am your LORD and your God tolerates no rivals….”
And you know that this kind of belief is a serious form of Shirk
(associating partners with Allah) and blasphemous (Kufr) of the high-
est degree. Allah (s.w.t.) says in the Holy Quran:
“Most certainly they committed blasphemy, who said, “Allah is one of
three.”; whereas there is no deity other than the One Deity…” ; “The
Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger: many other
Messengers had already passed away before him. His mother was a
righteous woman and they both ate food. See how we make clear to
them the signs (leading to reality) and see how they are perverted. Say
to them “Do you worship instead of Allah that which has no power
to neither harm you nor benefit you? In fact, Allah is He who hears
everyone and knows everything. “Say ‘O people of the Book, do not
trespass the bounds of your religion, and do not follow the will of
those whom themselves went astray from before and led astray many
Therefore congratulating (greeting) them for their Christmas or any
other religious occasions is considered by all Muslims scholars to be
HARAM (unlawful and sinful) because it is a sign o approval and
acceptance of their belief and practice. Allah (s.w.t.) says in the Holy
Quran:
“If you blaspheme, Allah does not need you but He does not accept
blasphemy for his servants…” (Interpretation 39:7)
As a true Muslim you would not do what displeases Allah (s.w.t.) and
would not approve of Shirk or Kufr or give any sign of approval
for any of its practices. You would not facilitate or help anyone who
wants to do or participate in such practices. Therefore you must not
congratulate Christians for Christmas or any of their religious occa-
sions. You must refrain from facilitating or selling any goods or ser-
vices intended for such use. Allah (s.w.t.) says in the Holy Quran:
“…Cooperate with all in what is good and pious and do not cooperate
in what is sinful and wicked, Fear Allah for Allah is severe in retribu-
tion.” (Interpretation 5:2)
Question # 2: How do we reply to them when they meet us with
Christmas greetings?
Answer # 2: It is not clear why a Christian would greet a non-
Christian for Christmas when in fact he/she knows that that person
does not believe in Christianity itself. In one hand it may be an act
of ignorance and on the other it may be an attempt to undermine
your feelings and to force his/her ideology on you. Allah says in the
Holy Quran:
“Many of the people of the Book desire to turn you anyhow back
to unbelief. They wish this out of their hearts though the Truth has
become quite clear to them…” (Interpretation 2:109)
In either case you should make it clear to him/her that you do
not believe in Christmas. You may want to tell him/her that:
Jesus Christ (the Messiah) was not born in winter and therefore cel-
ebrating the 25th of December as his birthday is wrong to start
with especially when it is considered that the 25th of December is
the birthday of Nimrod, Krishna and Mithra who mentioned earlier.
The Wy Cliffe Bible Commentary had this to say about Luke 2:11;
“The exact date of Jesus’ birth in unknown; the legendary (mythical) date
of December 25 cannot be tracked back further than the fourth century.”
Addressing Mary close to the delivery time of Jesus (pbuh), Allah
(s.w.t.) says in the Holy Quran:
“(and as for your food), shake the trunk of palm tree, and fresh ripe
dates will fall down upon you.” (Interpretation 19:25)
It is a well-known fact that dates do not ripe in winter but in summer,
that is at least in Palestine where Jesus was born.
 The Christmas tree, which is the most obvious sign of the
celebration, was copied from the pagan practice of pre-
Christian era of Northern Europe. The people then believed
that the evil spirits were causing the trees to loose their
leaves during the fall season and they observed that the
evergreen tree does not loose its leaves like the other trees.
So they concluded that the tree has a special power that
keeps evil spirits away. During the winter when they were
frightened from thunder and lightning, they cut a branch
from an evergreen tree and put it in their homes to keep
the evil spirits. It became very popular outside Germany
only in the 1840’s.
 Even the wreaths and lights, which are used to decorate their
doors and windows, are copied from the Sun Worshippers.
Wreaths are circular shapes of decoration with a lamp in the
center resembling the sun. The Bible says:
“Do not follow the way of the heathens (pagans)”
(Jeremiah 10:2)
Some people may know the origin of these pagan practices and festivi-
ties yet they insist on them just to have “fun” or an excuse for a day off
away from work. Allah tells us in the Holy Quran:
“Leave those who take their religion to be mere play and amusement,
and are deceived by the life of this world…” (Interpretation 6:70)
to get involved in some disaster if we don’t”;…”
(Interpretation 5:51-52)
And Allah (s.w.t.) says in the Holy Quran:
“You will never find any people, who believe in Allah and the Day
of Judgment that love those who oppose Allah and His Messenger…”
(Interpretation 58:22)
Of course you should be honest and fair, kind and friendly with every-
body so far as your beliefs and principles are not compromised. People
respect those who stand for their principles especially when those
principles are based on high standards of ethics and moral values
such as Islam. You should first and foremost seek the pleasure
of your Creator, Cherisher and Sustainer; your Lord and God;
Allah (s.w.t.) and you should distinguish between friends and foes
when dealing with people. Allah (s.w.t.) says in the Holy Quran:
“Allah does not forbid you to treat kindly and act equitably towards
those who have neither fought you in the matter of religion nor driven
you out of your homes. Indeed Allah loves the just. He only forbids
you to take as friends those who have fought you in the matter of
religion, and have driven you out of your homes and have cooperated
with others in your expulsion. Those who take them for friends are
indeed the wrongdoers.”
(Interpretation 60:8-9)
And Allah (s.w.t.) Says in the Holy Quran:

Others do not really know the background, but because they “O believers, be steadfast in righteousness and just in giving witness
found their parents celebrating these occasions and their church for the sake of Allah; the enmity of any people should not provoke you
blessing them, they follow their steps without questioning their away from justice. Do justice for it is akin to piety. Fear Allah, indeed
authority, they may even feel it is hard to breakaway. He is fully aware of what you do.”
(Interpretation 5:8)
These people may not realize that they are risking their own salvation.
Allah (s.w.t.) says in the Holy Quran:
“O people, follow what has been sent to you from your Lord and do
not follow other patrons beside Him…” (Interpretation 7:3)

Question # 3: Is attending these occasion feasts and celebrations

Haram?
Answer # 3: If one attends such a feast after all that has been said so
far, that person has a problem. For if he/she does it with acceptance,
he/she would have accepted Kufr and Shirk and he/she would
be a kaffir (blasphemer). And if he/she attends just to “be nice”
and establish or maintain a good relation with them, he/she
would be committing a serious sin which would bring him/her
close to kufr itself. Allah (s.w.t.) says in the Holy Quran:
“O believers, do not take the Jews and the Christians as your darlings
and allies: they are allies of each other. Whoever of you takes them as dar-
lings and allies, surely he shall be counted amongst them; indeed Allah
will not guide the wrongdoers. You see those whose hearts are diseased
(with hypocrisy) compete to win them. They say: “We fear, otherwise,