Christmas Santa Claus And Islam
AI: Summary ©
The conversation covers the origins of holiday deeds, common celebrations, and the importance of protecting against evil. The conversation also touches on the dangerous and illegal ways of sexuality in the church, the danger of children being treated, and the importance of respecting others and giving up worship. The speakers emphasize the need to be thankful for people who see the truth and not just blindly follow rules.
AI: Summary ©
peaceful, peaceful, peaceful.
Peace be unto you. Welcome to another episode of the deen show. Can TV 36 Wednesdays at midnight, Thursdays at 2pm. And if you miss us on the TV here in Chicago, don't worry about it. You can catch us, as people do all around the globe at the deen show.com, where we're here trying to help you understand Islam and Muslims. Now my next guest
is going to come out to talk about some of the common holidays.
It's the season to get jolly. And during these times people do all sorts of things. So we're going to be talking about some of the origins of where some of these holidays came from. So when we come back, we're gonna get enlightened. God willens with our next guest, Abdul Hakim quick here on the deen show, you don't want to go nowhere.
Jesus was his messenger.
That maybe maybe it's just a break the ice Assalamualaikum when it comes down to like, for anonymous, and guests, they want to know what we said. So they don't have to take an Arabic class, please tell us and we said Peace be upon you. And that is the greetings of peace. And I pray that all those who watch this program can find peace in their life and their society. Is it just coincidence? Or did Jesus Moses and the last and final messenger they greet their followers with this greeting of peace? Yes, this is the greetings of all of the prophets, and people of consciousness and wise people all over the planet. Begin with a state of peace, because that is
where we come from. And hopefully that is where we go. Now. You're our teacher, you're our shake. I've personally been learning from you. I mean, you started studying probably when I was born. So you've really been around, you've been helping to clear many of the misconceptions. You actually weren't Muslim. You accepted Islam. You used to be a Christian. That's right. Can you just tell us briefly how you came to Islam smilla rahmanir rahim In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. I was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, and with mixed parentage, and I was basically raised as an African American. However, I do have some European background, and also some
Native American background, from the Mohawk tribe. So from a young age, I questioned my own identity. And I questioned the things around me. And I was raised in a Christian family, we were First Baptist, and then we became Episcopalians, that's closer to Catholic. Yeah, of course. And I questioned certain sites and symbols and
what I was learning within the church itself, and I was raised in the turbulent 60s, in the 60s, the Age of Aquarius, young people were very rebellious and questioning. And so I myself was part of that group. And I wanted to know what the background was to information that was being given to me. So I became a student of history. And I consider that to be my love to go into history, which really gives the background to things that we see today. Because if people do not know where they come from, then they can't fully understand where they are. And they'll be confused where they're gone. So therefore, history gives a background or a basis to what we we face in life. And I began to go
into this, and focus on you know, all the different things I was being taught. And then finally, this is not the show where we're talking about your journey to Islam, God will and hopefully we'll get to go into some of the details, another episode. But finally, you ended up coming to that way, the way of all the profits that we have surrender and submission, not to anything in creation, but to the Creator of the heavens and earth. Some of that with one word Islam. Yes, eventually, I did leave the church. I didn't leave my belief in God, or my respect for Jesus and Mary, peace be upon them. And I used to read the Lord's Prayer. I used to love that prayer. Yeah. And I would always
read the Lord's prayer and focus on the fact of, you know, the Father, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. And so even though I was disillusioned with the institutionalized church, I was not disillusioned discipline, you know, disillusion with God, or with the respect for the prophets. So I continued my journey.
until I came across the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. And I found that he was the continuation of the message, and the fulfillment of what Jesus was talking about when he spoke about a comforter. So this was something which really completed my religious understanding, and really helped me to get a worldview. And to respect all of the prophets, not one or two, but all of the prophets, who came to teach monotheism.
That it's amazing how you are searching for the truth. And you know, when you want it, it's there. You don't want to want it. That's right. So tell us now, these common holidays, I actually saw your lecture on the origins of the common holidays, Christmas, Easter Valentine's. And I think when people get to know some of the roots of where these originated from, it's very enlightening. Yeah, so why don't we start with Christmas? Can you talk a little bit to us about Christmas? I think it's important to get a background for all of the holidays. Yes. Because what I found out is that from the from early times, there were people who worshipped the creation itself. So yeah, they would take
different aspects of the creation, if they live by a river. Yeah, then the river was God. If they lived in a desert with big rocks, then they would worship around the rocks. Yeah, probably the most important. God of the ancient world was the sun. So the Sun God became the symbol of power and authority. And in Europe, as in many parts of the world, they would structure their holidays and structure their religion around seasons. So they would focus on vegetation, the growth of educate vegetation, also the sun, how the sun moves, and so you would find in different seasons, or the Meridian, the point that they call solstice. So you have that middle point in the winter, the winter
solstice, you have the spring solstice, the summer and the fall. So it was right at the solstice point, that special ceremonies were happening in the ancient world. And it was in the winter solstice, especially in the northern countries, that they would celebrate the the the conquests, or the or the coming returning of the sun. Because around December 22, two, so this is like the longest day, and then it goes in by December 25. Now it's changing back. And so in many northern countries where it's very cold, it was dangerous to be living during the winter, people would die, because they didn't have central heating and whatnot. And, and then if you really find north, in December,
the sun goes away for maybe 2020 days, sometimes a whole month, it's dark outside, so they would literally light bonfires, and they would make certain idols and have special symbols in order to bring the sun god back. Yeah. And so these ceremonies were developed in the north, based upon you know, the coming back of the sun. And in Greece and in Rome, they celebrated what is called the Bacchanalia for the Father, God of wine and play Baucus, yeah. And the Greeks and the Romans had, they had the Saturnalia, which was for Saturn. And this is like the God of time, the sun god. And so special ceremonies were held at that time, where they would
make sacrifices, and they would have certain symbols, and even the Romans, it was reported that they would sacrifice many of the early Christians when Christianity or the followers of Jesus peace be upon him came into Rome, they would sacrifice them to the lions and, and whatnot. And so when Christianity, when the teachings finally became strong in Rome, they no longer sacrifice people. But then on that December 25, they had gave out little dolls, and they would say to each other bonus, Saturnalia,
which means like today, we would say Merry Christmas. Yeah. And on bonus bonus Saturnalia scenario, which means which is have a good Saturnalia, which is the holiday on December 25. And around the Colosseum, they would put lights, so the light concept around the building that was there in ancient times. Also, in the northern countries, they would bring the first tree into the house, because the first tree was the only living thing in the in the cold countries. And so they figured that there must be some power that this tree has. So they wanted that spiritual power in their house, in order to protect them from evil and give them good, give them health. So they would bring in the fruit
tree, and they would put a light on the top of it that represented the sun gut. And so all of these symbols, the mistletoe and Holly and all of these symbols were actually from the ancient world. I was really surprised to find out when I visited Ancient Egypt, you find in the ancient times they had one
is called. And that is like a cross with a loop on the top. And that was the original cross. So the cross was a symbol in the ancient world that stood for eternal life. And so when the followers of Jesus peace be upon him, when they came into that area, and they were suffering, and they couldn't take the pain, so somebody must have made the decision, if you can't beat them, join them. And so in amalgamation of the two religions came about. And so they celebrated the birth of Christ on December 25. And when actually the religious historians will tell you that Jesus pizza parlor was not born in the winter, because even according to the Christian traditions, yeah, the the the the flocks were
being were outside to reveal the, the manger, and in wintertime, you have to have your flux inside because it's cold in Palestine. Yeah. So for your flux to be outside means that it was warm outside. Also, Joseph and Mary paid their taxes to the government, and the taxes is ripe fruit. And that happens in the warm weather. Yeah, the Quran itself, the book of Scripture of the Muslims, talks about Mary, may Allah be pleased with her that she in her pregnancy at the end of it, that she was told to go out to the palm tree, and she should shake this nephila this ripe dates would come down. And so the ripened dates we know come in August, it's in the heat of the summer. So all religious
traditions show that Jesus was born in the warm weather. But in order to make the religion fair seeming to the nature worshippers, they incorporated the birth of Jesus at the time of the winter solstice. So this is where Christmas originally begins. Now, the the the main character in Christmas today, for most people is not really Jesus, only for religious people. The main character is Santa Claus. And Santa Claus, really Many people believe and you'll see a number of books that are written. He is like the image of Saturn, because there's a picture of Saturn that was done in the Sistine Chapel. And he's a well built man with a beard. And he's on a sleigh, but he has snakes with
wings. Yeah, so that's similar to a sleigh with the reindeer is I don't normally fly. But they're pulling Santa Claus around. It's like Saturn.
Similarly, the whole name St. Nicholas, or St. Nick. Nicholas himself, was a bishop who lived in Constantinople and what is now Turkey. And he was a very austere person he used to fast and he was very different than the jolly Mary Santa Claus that we know of. That's a different image altogether. I was shocked even more to find out that in Germany, they actually considered St. Nicholas to be the devil. He was dressed in red. And you can go in their traditions. And they considered him to be a dangerous person, they would say to their children, don't go outside in the winter, because Nicholas will get you. You see. And so this is why up until 1647, the British Parliament banned Christmas.
Yeah, in England, it was against the law to celebrate Christmas, because they considered it to be I say tannic type of thing. Yeah, a nature worship thing, not a Christian ceremony. So therefore, so this is what started me to think that really, you know, something's going on. And we have to become detectives, to really separate monotheism from polytheism. To separate nature, worship, nature worship, from the worship of one God. I took it a step further. Yeah. When the spring Solstice came. This was the time of the return of life, life after death. Because in the northern countries, that's the time when the trees and plants that have dyed then become green. And so the ancient nature
worship is in Northern Europe. They had a goddess call astray, or Ostern, or what we now call Easter. So they believe she was a goddess and she waved her one. And everything turns green. Yeah. So the bunny rabbits and the eggs and chickens and flowers and all these symbols of Easter have nothing to do with Jesus peace be upon him. Because Jesus was Jewish. He was following the law of Moses. So these have nothing to do with Jesus. The egg is the symbol of life. And the rabbit is a symbol of fertility, because the rabbit is one of the most productive mammals in terms of having babies. So all of these are really fertility symbols. So it's a fertility, nature cult. And so, they
incorporated life after death, meaning spring after winter. They mix that with the concept of resurrection of life after death. So they amalgamated the two
That's the reason why Christians today say Easter, when actually that was not a Christian ceremony or a Jewish ceremony that was a pagan nature worship. So all of its mixed up together today. And
this is what we have to do to separate the two.
I took it a step further, yeah. And then we found Halloween. Halloween is coming in at a time. It is really the celebration of some hain who was, you know, the God of evil, and the underworld. And so it was a underworld cult as well. And Halloween is actually a time of evil and a time when they believe that the spirits of the dead would rise to the surface. And they would
come to people's homes, and they would haunt them. And so the people used to wear a mask, they would mask their face. So if there was a ghost or a spirit that had wanted to take revenge on you, you have a mask on, so he doesn't know who you are. Yeah. So this whole concept of masking on Halloween actually came from the ancient practices during that time. Another interesting holiday we found out that has two sides is St. Valentine's Day. Yeah. Now St. Valentine's Day in February falls on what was called lupercalia. And the lupercalia. For the Greeks and the Romans, this was a time when they would get young people together. And in order to get them into sexuality and to, you know, prepare
them for marriage, they would bring them together, and they would actually allow them to have sexual relations. During this time. This is the lupercalia. And so this is the reason why Valentine's Day you have Cupid who shoots you with the arrow when you fall hopelessly in love. Yeah, okay. Valentine himself, St. Valentine, he was another Christian, Bishop or priest. And he was in a sense that the patron saint of lovers, because the Romans in ancient times, they would force their soldiers to go into battle. And they would stop them from getting married until after the great battles were over. And many of them wanted to get married. And they would secretly have lovers. And so Valentine would
help them and support them. And so when they found this out, they arrested him. And when he was in jail, he wrote a letter to his friends, the lovers, and he said, from your Valentine. So So this incorporation then comes, it appears to be an innocent day. But in reality, it is a day of heightened sexuality. And that is something which is dangerous for the youth today, because it can get them into adultery, and fornication, and sexually transmitted diseases and HIV AIDS. All of these things can happen unless, you know, they deal with marriage and proper sexuality. Now, how do we bring it home? Because this is a lot of information, right? People can get overwhelmed like,
well, I'm just trying to pass a little love note to the woman, or I'm just trying to, you know, in school, they might have the little sweetest cards in that, and it seems so innocent, but bring it home. What is the actual when you go deeper? And you see this right, the roots? And what is the danger or the outcome of all this innocence that later you had mentioned fornication and all these other? Well, what we realized with and what Islam shows us is that, you know, the Quran itself tells us well that Tucker was in a in the who can afford it and was asked below is that Don't come close to adultery. Yeah, because it is an evil, and it will destroy everything in your life. So therefore
the Lord is telling us, he's not saying don't commit adultery, but don't come close to it. So therefore, anything that can lead a person towards you know, fornication, adulterous relationship, we tried to stop this because we realize, in this case, you see if a person is going to commit murder, murder is not a natural thing to see a person killed, or a person raped. That's a horrible thing. But for a man to have a relationship with a woman for a woman to have a man. That's natural thing. Yeah, we're created for this. Yeah. So therefore, it's something that the body wants to do. Yes. So that's why I lost that Don't come close to it. He didn't say don't do it. Yeah. Because if
you come close, then you're going to do it. Yeah. Because you're made for this. So therefore, what Islam does, is that it gives the protections. So the sexuality can come out, but it will come up with respect. And especially for the young girl, she will be given, you know, the place that she deserves. Her body is protected. Her honor and dignity is protected, her family is protected. And that's really what we want. And that's the lawful marriage. Right now. We went from we're gonna go low and reverse Halloween. I want to just identify with my favorite, superstar favorite comic figure, hey, look, I want to just go from door to door and get some candy. What's wrong? Well, trick
or treating and what
was young as a non Muslim, I trigger treated. And we were living in a big housing project. So we had 1000s of kids walking around here with masks on and whatnot. But actually, unfortunately, because of the rise of Satanism, in America, this time has become extremely dangerous. And people will tell you today don't send your children out on trick or treating. Because there's perverts, and there's murderers and Satanists who actually capture the children kidnap them during that time. Also, some of the people use would put filthy things in the bag. Yeah, I mean, if your child is gonna beg, you know, people for candy, you better be sure what that candy is. Yeah. And so it's a dangerous thing.
I mean, disease can be passed on, you know, so many dangerous for children that most people who have sense won't send their children out trick or treating. Yeah, so Muslims who are supposed to be more organized, you know, should really avoid this, because we have no relationship with that event at all. But for a person who's not a Muslim, what I say is, think about it. Yeah, don't follow the hype. Don't be pushed along. Yeah, to do things. Right, without using your intelligence. This is so important today, because, you know, even very dangerous drugs are given names, like, you know, designer names, and, you know, things which are really dangerous are made to seem fair seeming and
seem innocent. So we have to question what is behind things. And so therefore, I would say for Muslims and people of consciousness, don't be involved in trick or treating at all. Yeah. Close your door. Right. And don't do it. I mean, that's unfortunate. Because if you don't, if you don't treat, they're gonna trick you. Yeah. And we used to throw eggs in the door horizon, you might get in trouble. But after a while, I think most most of the trick or treaters, they can see a door. They know if somebody's not into it, necessarily. Just leave it the best perfect time to get robbed, though. So you got the mask? That's right. Open the door. Give them up. That's right. Not that. Not
that. The Candy but the money. That's right. So be safe. That's right. Yeah. Tell us now. Look, I don't see my family all year. And is the season to be jolly. We're getting together? Yeah, family time. What's the problem here? Well, this is a great crisis for those who have accepted Islam. Because we are supposed to keep relations with our families. Yeah, it is part of the Sunnah. Not to break off with your mother or your father, and to keep your relations. And so therefore, we need to be balanced. Some people would go to extremes, and they have nothing to do with their families and cut them off. That's not the Islamic way. Yeah, but at the same time, the other extreme is to just
go there and sit up there when the eating ham, and they're eating things that are not permissible, and to sit there and to be involved in it. So really, it is permissible to visit families. There's nothing wrong with showing respect, you know, to your family. But Muslims need to be very clear with their parents that they don't eat pork, or they don't drink alcohol, they need halau food, you know, and if the family gets together on, you know, on an occasion like that, for most people, there's no religious part of it, it's a social thing. So they get together for social reasons, you can do that. But we just have to make sure that it's halau, that the food is halau. And of course, no drinking of
alcohol. In some cultures, you have a pudding or, you know, a cake that's got wine inside of it, you got to watch out for that as well, fruitcake, or whatever it is, it depends on the culture. So you know, it's like a balance. It's it's a way of showing respect to your family, but not following their traditions. And so
I would recommend that we still keep relations with the family, in terms of presence, you can receive presence. There's nothing wrong with that. But the giving of the presence, what we tried to institute is that we would not give presence on Christmas. But when he day comes, then we would give our families presence, to show them that yes, we are giving you we do love you. We're giving you presence. But we're not necessarily following this tradition. Because this is not Islamic. And it's not even Jesus from the followers of Jesus peace be upon it. None of them ever come down to celebrate any of these. None of these holidays. These are nature based holidays. Yeah. Has nothing
to do with the prophets. Yeah. So we have to make it clear. But you see, for a lot of the people in the older generation, it's tough to to distinguish this because this is a cultural thing now. Yeah. And it's become a North American Western way of celebration and family and whatnot. So we have to be sensitive to people's feelings. And to let them know that we still do love them, and we care about them. But we're not going to follow traditions, which lead us into polytheism or eating food, which is not permissible law in Islam. So before we come to an end, and just a few more points, how do we bring it home as far as now we want to do things the correct way. So what advice do you have for
those people who are just going with the flow, just letting their desires dictate their life? Why is this something so important that we mentioned a lot of the is this
To say, pagan roots from some of these holidays, and why it's important to really investigate, like you did, instead of just blindly following along.
Well, it's important for people today
that we have a balance, yes. And that we realize that Islam is a gift, that in this world of confusion today, the last prophet Muhammad SAW Salaam, he did not come to start a new religion. But he came to bring the final test of testament, he gave the final version of the core and which actually filled in those parts that were missing from the message and corrected aspects of the message that had been lost over time. And so we believe that in the teachings of Jesus, what is left there is truth in there. And the teachings of Moses, there is truth. But the truth is, has been polluted, or mixed up with paganism, and with nature worship. And so Islam has given you a pure
straightforward way of approaching our religion, and you know, the straight monotheism. And so we need to really be thankful for this, and to keep ourselves out of, you know, the negative practices, which have destroyed the messages of many of the prophets who came in the past, what advice do you have for that person who sees the contradictions, he sees the flaws, he sees that you know, what the majority's religions, they have man's interpretation in them, they have man's fingerprint on it, and you know what, but they just go on with the customs. Now, they see, when they watch the show, they've met some Muslims possibly see, you know, it makes sense, this call to worship the creator
alone, to submit to Him alone to do what he wants you to do. And there's nothing less than paradise as a simple rational thing. That's right. And we should realize that this this
religion of the One God monotheism, this is something which was practiced by all nations. And the Quran itself says, We have sent verily a messenger to every nation, that they should worship one God, and stay away from false deities. And so in China, in India and Europe, Africa, the Americas Middle East, every nation, every tribe, has received a warning, a messenger, the Prophet Muhammad peace upon him is only the seal or the finality of all of these prophets. So in everybody's culture, there is some good, there is monotheism, there is purity, and and nobody should be disrespected. But we have to realize that there are negative forces, there are forces of the devil, there are forces
of paganism, which seek to defy the Creator, and take people on a course, that would lead them ultimately to hellfire. And so it is our prayer, that our friends and those who are watching our program, and our families, you know, could all be saved from the fire of * in the next life, and that we could all live in this life and peace and security, and find the best in this world and the hero, a couple more points, everything sounds good. It sounds like it's something that it's practical, it's rational. And there's evidence behind what we're saying all the people have to do is to dig a little bit, but there's some stigma attached to Islam, people seeing some things blowing
up, and they're associated with Muslims. They think that Islam oppresses the woman, they think a lot of some strange moonga. What do you have to say, in general about this, to help remove some of this garbage that has been put out there? Well, what I've found is that
the Islam itself, like other ways of life, is not necessarily the same as those who claim to be. In other words, in Christianity itself, there are extremists in Judaism, there are extremists in Hinduism there as extremists. Similarly, those people who have Muslim names, but they're not actually practicing Islam. Yeah. And so it's important for people today, because today, since we have technology, we are able to communicate, we have Google's we have so many ways of bringing information and we need to go to the essence what we call in history, primary sources. Go back, you know, as we say, take it from the horse's mouth. Yeah, you want to find out what something is really
about. Go to the source and find out what it is, then you can judge the followers. Yes, then you can judge an event and say, Is this a Christian event? Is this a Muslim event? Is this a Jewish event? Islam is no different than the other ways of life. And so that is important today, for everybody to be to have that open mindedness when they're dealing with each other. And we don't say that everybody has to be a Muslim. Everybody has a choice. The Quran says there's no compulsion in religion. Truth stands clear from falsehood. And so people have the right to choose what they want, but it's simple.
Important, that least they take a good look. That is the important thing today to respect other cultures and, and to seek knowledge to share knowledge, right so that we can all come to the best position in life. Thank you very much May God Almighty the creator Allah reward you for being with us. And I'd like to thank you for tuning in to another episode of the danger I hope you got to benefit I sure did. And as our teacher and shake has said, Come to go to the horse's mouth. And this is the place if you like what we had to say, Come back, every week here to the deen show where we got more teachers, teaching us this beautiful way, the way of life of all the messages of God, that
way of submission and surrender. Obedience, not to your desires, not to a man not to a woman, but the one who created man and woman, the one who created the sun, the moon, the one who Jesus prayed to the one whom Mohammed prayed to crater, the heavens and earth. And this is summed up with one word is now
we'll see you next time God willing, here on the deen show. Until then, I said I'm Aleykum peace be unto you.
Nina Shay banyuwangi
Bismillah.
in
Lima, Nina,
see what everyone's talking about.
You find one contradiction, it can't be from God.
But the rational idea, the rational explanation is you do your best to give up worshiping God is one I will never give up spreading this message. I hope that you take the necessary step you don't know if you're gonna live to tomorrow.
So you got to find that urgency to do the right thing right now.
The reality of life usually doesn't sink in. Until tragedy comes.
You get a few bad people. The media grabs ahold of that and spends it the way they want to.
You believe in Jesus you have stepped outside of Islam. You cannot be a Muslim as attended our faith to
my brothers and sisters and all your listeners whether you're an atheist Jew or your Christian, how can we deny the oneness of
the one that gave us life? Has that sustain that we've read the Old and the New Testament now read the final Al Quran has been sent to mankind as a source of healing and guidance revealed to Mohammed now what is recited by one in six people across your sphere. Start your journey here and if you really you're sincere. You come to Islam The only way to go yo let them know Eddie is the deen radio show.