Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera – Q&A Giving Christmas Cards

Can I send Christmas cards? Or presents to my Christian

neighbors?

Why don't you send eat cards when it's your eat? Why don't you give

them presents other times of the year? The fact that you probably

giving them during Christmas and again, I'm reading into this

question again, right? Is that you feel it's an obligation. And if I

don't, I'm gonna, I'm gonna look strange. I've got a, I've got a

nun Muslim neighbor, I think she's Catholic. We give them eat

presents, we send them food, like throughout the year, like every

now and then we'll give them something at Christmas. We don't

send them anything. They might send something to us. And I don't

think she has any hard feelings. Why are you stingy all year round.

And then as your neighbor, man, you're supposed to be looking

after them. And then on Christmas, you're gonna give them something

because it's a ritual, that's stupid. That's ridiculous. Go and

be nice to them throughout the year fulfill the rights of

neighborhoods, neighborliness, then when you don't give something

on Christmas, I don't think anybody should be offended. And

you stay away from the whole controversy about whether it's

halal or haram. And is wrong or right or whatever, right? Because

it's a religious festival. So it's best that you just give it at

other times anyway, regardless, that's what we're told to do

things you know, we're not, we shouldn't restrict things to

particular times. Be there when you when they need you. Right, be

there when you need you and be always there for them. And maybe

one time when you're having a nice discussion, you can say, Look, I

know I don't give you a Christmas gifts, because we generally don't

celebrate Christmas, right? And but we, you know, we like to be

you know, we'd like to fulfill these kinds of Rites of

neighborhood of neighborliness of neighbors know, other times as

well. So I had a question recently, from somebody who worked

in a Muslim country for a non Muslim, non Muslim company, he

worked in a Muslim country for a non Muslim company in that, and

all of his other friends or co workers, they always on a WhatsApp

group with their manager, who's from one of the Western countries,

but they're based in a Muslim country. They're all Muslims in

there, the workers generally. And they all on a WhatsApp group. And

at Christmas time, they say, oh, Merry Christmas to you this that.

And other than he feels that if he doesn't say he'll be left out, I

said, this is absolutely ridiculous. I said, Why? Why don't

you instead of WhatsApp go to him at Christmas time, right around

that time he's not on Christmas Day is going to be before that,

and say, Look, I really want to show my appreciation that I work

for you that you've given me this job. I'm very comfortable here.

And I really hope that you have a wonderful holiday. Right? And a

wonderful new year. Wonderful next year, like you know, because you

want the next year to be nice, because in our Sharia there is

this that you can wish somebody a good new year, that may Allah make

it pleasant for you, and so on and so forth. Just keep Christmas out

of it. But that will be much more appreciated than a WhatsApp

message. Right? Even though there's no Christmas in it, unless

your boss is somebody who's looking to see if you talk about

Christmas or not, then then you're in the wrong place. And I've seen

this in many companies. In fact, the companies that I work with the

printers in America, you get cards from them, but they're generally

happy holiday cards, happy festive season cards, because they're a

bit you know that they don't want to offend you. Do you understand

by imposing Christmas on you.

I think if you be nice to somebody throughout the year, and you show

your true appreciation that is much more important than these

ritual. Same I have same problem with eat cards, to be honest. So

it is not just about Christmas, whereas Christmas is another

religion involved here. But I have same issue with EAD cards just as

an obligation.

somebody's done good to you send them a thank you card straight

away. If that's the best way you can do things, nothing wrong with

sending a thank you card. I'll tell you that. Right. Unless

you're doing it ritualistically then it just becomes a ritual and

then it's mundane, be people of substance and people will

recognize that