Is Wishing Merry Christmas or taking part in the Celebration of Christmas Permissible?

Zakir Naik

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Channel: Zakir Naik

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The first question

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on the WhatsApp is

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from fedoras shake. A marketing executive from New York USA. Is it permissible to wish our Christian friends Merry Christmas?

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A similar question is posed by cathedral Solomon.

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She's a university student from London UK. Can we accept food or gifts from our Christian friends on the occasion of Christmas?

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A similar question is posed by Sultan Khan from Toronto, Canada. Even though we know celebrating Christmas is wrong. Can we politely wish our Christian friends compliments of the season? Or happy days? In our hearts? We disagree with them, but to maintain the friendship can we say good words to them?

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The basic question asked is that can a Muslim wish that Christian friends Merry Christmas? Or can they exchange food and gifts on location of Christmas? Or knowing it is wrong? Can we politely say some kind words or can we say happy season all compliments of the season? Is it permissible? As far as wishing non Muslims on the festivals, most of the non Muslim festivals they involve either Schilke or the involves things which are not permitted in our Sharia. So most of the festival sins that involve shirk are things which are prohibited in Nigeria, but national wishing them on things which is wrong is prohibited in Islam. Allah subhanaw taala says in the grace Quran in surah Majda

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chapter number five was number two that help one another in bed and Taqwa in virtue, in righteousness and good deeds, we should help each other and there was continuous but do not help one another in sin and transgression. So we cannot help one another whether it be Muslims or non Muslims in things which are prohibited in things which actions. Allah subhanaw taala further says in the Quran Quran in Surah Furqan chapter number 25 was the Messiah to that those who

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do not witness things which are false, or do not witness falsehood. So here Allah says in the Quran, that the true believers the moment did not witness falsehood. So when we wish a non Muslim in the festivals, which is against the Sharia, but natural, we are agreeing to things which are wrong, and we are saying that what they're doing is right. It is like, we know very well, that most of the festivals involve sharing, and especially Christmas. So when we wish someone Merry Christmas, what are we seeing if that we are congratulating them for the festival of Christmas? And Christmas is a festival, which the Christian believe that Jesus Christ peace be upon him, who they consider to be

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God, or the Son of God was born on the 25th of December, and they celebrate Christmas as the birthday of the God. Now when we wish them Merry Christmas, what are we doing? We are actually congratulating them on the ship and giving shahada and bearing witness knows Mila that Allah subhanho wa Taala was born on the 25th of December. So we are actually taking part in the ship. And Allah clearly mentions in the Glorious Quran in surah for Tron chapter number 25 FOSDEM 72 That they do not witness falsehood. Allah says in the mind that prefers number two that do not help one another in sin and transgression. So when we wish them Merry Christmas, we are giving shahada via

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bearing witness that nose Biller, Allah begat a son on the 25th of December or nose Biller, Allah was born on the 25th of December. Both of these things are absolutely against the teaching of Islam. Allah says in the Quran in surah Maryam chapter number 19 Verse number 88 to 92 We're Carlota Casa Rahman wala, and they say Allah was gracious had Begotten Son letter the Gita, Misha da indeed they have put forth a thing most monsters that anyone who says that Allah has gotten a son. It is the biggest abused in Utah last Martella. Takada Samata fatahna Minoo, as though the skies are ready to burst open water circle around the earth to split asunder with the courage bajada and the mountains

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to fall down to utter ruin. If anyone feels that Allah has forgotten the sun if the sky had feelings if they're both open, the mountain will have fallen out to utter ruin. And imagine V Muslims who claim to be believing in what Allah subhanaw taala believe me Tawheed

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Again, Sherry, if you wish the Merry Christmas, we are giving shahada that Allah subhanho wa Taala has begotten son on the 25th of December. It is the biggest sin that is the reason all almost all the classical scholars, the medieval scholars, they said It is haram. 100 equal Islam ignore Tamia he faith that wishing the non Muslims on the festival is prohibited, even exchanging food or wearing the clothes or bathing or you the firework on the Festival of the non Muslims, it is prohibited. We cannot even take part in the celebrations. We cannot even wish them on the days and she called Islam unit EMEA is very clear that all these things are haram and it is prohibited in Islam. According to

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NACA you, may Allah have mercy on him. He says that,

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wishing the non Muslims on the festivals, most of which involve shirk, and things which are haram is totally prohibited in Islam. It is like wishing them for example, someone does adultery, and oh thank goodness adultery, somewhere else we can call and I think good you have drank alcohol. These are sins. So when you wish them in the festival, you are agreeing with them that what they're doing is right and it is totally prohibited. So almost all the scholars that you find the classical and medieval scholars, they say it is prohibited. Today you may find some scholars who may say it is permissible because there is no text in the Quran, which prohibits greeting them or exchanging gifts

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etc. But this is only in small number and they are not following the classical scholars. So according to me, I do agree with Schakel Islam up Tamia and a young and most of the majority of scholars that wishing non Muslim during the festival is privated. And if you read that, almost all the classical scholars have prohibited. So according to me, wishing the Christian Merry Christmas is prohibited, even saying to them good words, because you want to be polite to them or saying compliment of the season or saying Have a happy day. wishing good things for the non Muslims worldly things, it is permitted. There is no problem at all. But specifically picking on the days of the

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festival and wishing them on the festival. This is not permitted because you are going out of the way to wish them on the festival. That means you're encouraging the festival and you're agreeing with the festival which is prohibited otherwise wishing good things for the non Muslims could help me they have wealth. It's all permitted normally, but specifically wishing them on the festival is actually encouraging them. And according to me, and according to majority of the Scholars, this is prohibited taking part in the celebration or exchanging gifts, or very good clothes is prohibited. I would go a step further and say that we have many of the Muslims who are businessmen who try and do

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more business during the festival of the non Muslims and they have a Christmas sale. Then they have a Diwali sale thing they'll do more business. According to me even this is prohibited the moment it's a Christmas sale, that means agreeing with Christmas, that we agree that Allah subhanaw taala knows Billa Begotten Son on the 25th of December, you're agreeing that Allah was born on 25th of December nose biller. So for a Muslim to wish the non Muslim on the festival or to take part in the festival or exchange gifts or even try and do more business taking advantage of the festival and saying we are having a Christmas sale. It is not permitted and it is not correct under the Sharia.

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There may be certain non Muslims

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who may not understand and who may feel offended.

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And I give the reply that in our festivals, we don't force any of the non Muslims that they should follow a festival. Imagine if a Hindu who is a vegetarian, I would not expect him to come and visit me during Buckley eat or do other to wish me happy because he doesn't believe

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in eating goat eating meat eating beef. So I would not be offended if he does not come and wish me happy the Lada imagine. If I tell all the Hindus, even though you're a vegetarian, which many are you should come and wish me on Ebola. They've offended how can they wish me on Ebola and we know that in Israel

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We sacrifice a goat or we sacrifice a cow and this the thing is wrong. So I respect the views. The similarly a non Muslim should respect my views. I expect the Christian to respect my views.

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Now the question comes, that if a Christian comes and wishes you you cannot reply, somebody said Merry Christmas, you cannot reply Merry Christmas, or same to you, this is also prohibited. What you can do is best is to keep silent.

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The best is if you know comparative religion, if you have seen my lectures, replying with sigma is the best. But if you don't know any reply, the best to keep silent, or you can say that may peace be on you, or you can wish them May Allah give you hedaya That is the best wishes Daya for the non Muslim is the best way you can do to them. But if a non Muslim comes and wishes me, Merry Christmas, I had asked him that, why are you celebrating this Christmas? So he will tell me that Christmas is the birthday of Jesus Christ peace be upon him. So I will ask him, does the Bible say that Jesus Christ peace be upon him was born on the 25th of December? And the answer is no.

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Nowhere that the Bible said that Jesus has peace be upon him was born on the 25th of December, this 25th of December is the birthday of the pagan gods.

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Previously, the pagan gods before the birth of GFP will be upon him.

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In the Greek philosophy, and in many other mythologies, they believed this was the birthday of the gods, some believe it was the birthday of sun god, and in different mythologies in different philosophies. This was a common date 25th of December. So the Christians to make it even acceptable, by the people of that time, they started saying that Jesus QSP upon was born and ready for December. In fact, if you read the Bible, it says that Mary mela masyado, who was the mother of Jesus cast peace be upon him when she was pregnant. And she was asked to shake the tree dates. And we know that dates don't appear during winter. So from this, we come to know that when Jesus QSP one was born, it

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was not winter, it was summer. So for sure, Jesus Christ, peace be upon him. He was not born in December, neither on 25th of December. So when a Christian asked me, I will start doing our to him.

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And I will say, Who's the ghsp? Before we will try to tell me that Jesus Christ is be upon him. He's almighty God. So I will tell him that can you point out a single unequivocal statement from your Bible? Anyway, from your Bible, where Jesus says, Peace be upon himself say that he's got away, he says, Worship Me. And if we know your Dawa, very well, you can continue and you can prove. So during these occasions, if you're well versed with comparative religion, you can take this opportunity for calling them towards Islam. In no way can you agree with what they're doing is right. Allah clearly says in the Quran in surah Imraan chapter number three was the 110 the worst I started the session

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with Allah save Kuntum Tara Omotenashi that leanness or Muslims, he had the best of people it was mankind. The reason Allah causes the head OMA, the best of people is that Morona Bill Maher Rafi was at home that animal care but we do not believe because we enjoin what is good, and we forbid what is wrong and we believe in Allah. We are called the Omar the best of people, because we're supposed to agree on what is good and forbid what is wrong. So, here, we have to call them to the truth of Sahil and forbid them from doing wrong. You cannot enjoin what is wrong, you cannot wish them on the festivals which is again that is you can slump what they have to do is called them to Tawheed and to

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our to them and you can surely watch my video cassettes on similar to with some Christianity on was Julius CASB upon crucified Jesus God, I made these cassettes which will give you information on how you can convey the message of Islam to the Christians during this festival of this. Have done flourished.