Celebrating Christmas

I honestly don't know what's wrong with Muslims today. You've got those holding Xmas dinners with turkeys, openly with no shame putting up trees. This is a disease and we need to be really firmly against this and openly show disgust to those who don't desist with these crimes. There should be no intellectual dishonesty on this topic either because everyone knows that the Islamic tradition is full of Hadith highlighting from the Holy Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon Him) that we should be different from so and so. For example, hold a conversation while eating to be different from the jews, don't wear clothing dyed with saffron because this was the practice of the disbelievers and there are many others.

 

How about " you have a good holiday season "

It is very common in India for Muslim professionals to greet their hindu colleagues with " happy diwali ", so common that it is the norm, and the hindus get closer to you in business and very happy; and they make sure that they wish u on Eids including Milad.

iamthinking their could be other ways around this without offending disbelievers

 

If a Muslim doesn't celebrate Christmas but does say 'merry Christmas' to a non muslim work colleague or neighbour etc, will that be regarded as kufar or haram?

 

is it? why not celebrate the birthday of Nuh 3alaihis salam, or Musa 3alaihis salam?

anyone who uses that line is simply a con and a cheat and doesn't have the guts to say what he is really doing - he's aping the christians, or their offshoot - the consumerist capitalist godless western society - and trying to be like them. nothing more than that.

 

in the first place, why should muslims celebrate christmas?

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in the screenshot:

Christmas is no longer celebrated by Christians or pagans alone rather we find atheists, Muslims and people of other faiths celebrating it also.​

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since when are muslims celebrating christmas? greeting christian friends/colleagues was something, but celebrating christmas?

does haroon mazkur give presents to his family on this day? hang a stocking on the fireplace? have a christmas tree in the living room and decorated with a lot of small toys - fairies and elves. how about a few stars - and a little nativity scene (but strictly no representation of jesus alayhi's salam; 3 wise men will do). turkey for dinner, and a few carols (we also recite na'ats don't we. what is the harm in singing those carols that do not have shirk in them?)

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if this is a tahiri/minhaji, that is another story.

 

I don't think there was any reason to club all the posts together (just because they were all posted the same day). I understand that posts with repetitive/similar ideas need to be eliminated/reduced, but that wasn't the case here.

Does having fewer threads make any difference?

 

posts by ottoman

"It is not permissible to give anything to anyone in honor of the days of Nowruz or Mihrgan, which are Zoroastrian holidays. It is haram to give presents in the name of these days or with the intention of observing these days. If one does so because one respects these days, one becomes a disbeliever [kafir] because these days are respected by polytheists. Abul Hafs al-Kabir states that if one worships Allahu ta’ala for 50 years and then gives an egg as a present to a polytheist in honor of the Day of Nowruz, one will become a disbeliever. However, if one gives a present to a Muslim on this day without paying a special attention to this day or because one has to follow the custom, one will not become a disbeliever. If one who bought on that day something which one would not buy on any other day did so because one respected that day, one would become a disbeliever. If one bought it only for consuming it without specially observing that day, one would not become a disbeliever" (Durr-ul-Mukhtar, Vol. 5, p. 481).

It is written in Bazzaziyya, "Nowruz is Magians’ day of feast. It is disbelief to join Magians and to imitate them on that day." A person who imitates disbelievers at Christmas, Easter, or on other feast day will become a disbeliever. (Se'adet-i Ebediyye)

"It will be kufr [disbelief] to wrap round the waist a special sash called zunnar worn by priests; to worship idols, statues, the cross, that is, two sticks intersecting each other at a right angle representing, according to Christians, Jesus' sacrifice; to wear a cross with reverence; to insult what we have been ordered to show reverence to; and to show reverence to what we have been ordered to despise. If one does any of them, one will become a disbeliever" (Sharh on Birghiwi's Wasiyyatnama, pp. 115 202).

Hadrat Imam-i Rabbani states:
"It is shirk [polytheism] to respect the festival days of Hindus [also Nowruz, Christmas, and Easter] and to imitate their customs on those days. It causes disbelief. On festival days of disbelievers, the ignorant ones of Muslims do as disbelievers do, think of those days to be Muslims’ festivals, and send presents to one another like disbelievers on those days. They ornament their furniture and meal tables as disbelievers do. They distinguish those nights from other nights. All these are polytheism and disbelief" (Maktubat, Vol. 3, Letter 41; Se'adet-i Ebediyye).

It means, "O the benevolent, good-doers, the charitable! Donate of that which Allah has given you to those in need."

Aqîqa:It means sacrificing an animal (by cutting its throat) to thank Allahu ta’âlâ for a newly born child. Two are sacrificed for a son, while one is sacrificed for a daughter. It is not fard, but mustahab, to sacrifice it. That is, it is not sinful not to sacrifice it.

People will be resurrected and brought to the Gathering Place according to their deeds.

If one does deeds like those of the pious but keeps company with sinners, one's good deeds will come to nothing, and one will be resurrected among the evil on the Day of Resurrection. If one does deeds like those of the evil but loves the pious and keeps company with them, one's sins will be turned into good deeds, and one will be resurrected among the pious. (Ka'b-ul-Ahbar)

Two Qur'anic verses say (what means):
(On the Day of Resurrection, We will gather them [disbelievers] on their faces, blind, dumb, and deaf. Their destination and abode will be Hell.) [Al-Isra' 97]

(He who does not remember Me will be afflicted with trials and tribulations, and on the Day of Resurrection he will be brought blind.) [Ta Ha 124]
Some pertinent hadith-i sharifs are as follows:
(He who likes what a nation does will be resurrected among them, even if he does not do their deeds.) [Hatib]

(A person will be resurrected with whom he loves. He who loves disbelievers will be together with them, and his good deeds will not avail him in the least.) [Tabarani]

(He who recites Surat al-Qadr once after completing ablution will be written among the truthful. He who recites it twice will be written among martyrs. He who recites it three times will be resurrected among prophets.) [Daylami]

(He who helps a Muslim with words or he who walks one step for him will be resurrected among prophets on the Day of Resurrection, and he will receive the reward of 70 martyrs.) [Hatib]

(He who has a crowded family but a low income and yet who performs his prayers properly according to its accepted standards and does not backbite other Muslims, will be kept with me at the Place of Gathering on the Day of Resurrection.) [Maktubat-i Ma'thumiyya]

(He who performs [Islamic marriage contract called] nikah with the intention of not paying the mahr will be resurrected among thieves on the Day of Resurrection.) [Riyad-un-nasihin]

(Whoever narrates 40 ahadith related to lawful and unlawful things to My community for the sake of Allahu ta'ala will be resurrected among scholars.) [Abu Nu'aym]

(He who continues to perform five daily prayers in congregation will be one of those who will cross the Sirat Bridge first and with the speed of lightning. Allah will resurrect him among pious people, and he will get the reward of 1,000 martyrs for each day and night he continued prayers.) [Tabarani]

(He who begs to increase his wealth will be resurrected with a face whose flesh has been eaten, and his food from Hell will be hot stones.) [Tabarani]

(Those women who took wailing for the dead as their occupation, if they do not repent before they die, will be resurrected wearing dresses of tar and having scabies.) [Muslim]

(When people rise from their graves, they will be made to come [according to their deeds] riding, walking, creeping, or prone on their faces.) [Hakim]

May Allahu ta'ala bless us all with the good manners of our Islamic superiors! In this context, Hadrat Shah-i Naqshband stated, "Anyone lacking in good manners cannot win Allahu ta'ala's pleasure." "It is my Lord who disciplined me," said our Master the Prophet. When our blessed mother Hadrat 'Aisha was asked how the morals of our Prophet were, she replied, "His morals are the morals of the Qur'an al-karim." That is, his life and words were interpretations and explanations of it. His every action was in conformity with our Lord's pleasure. Therefore, with his every action and every saying, our Master the Prophet was like a clear, understandable, and readily accessible book teaching the commandments of our religion. In the same way, the scholars of Ahl as-Sunnah, his inheritors, became a perfect spiritual guide [murshid al-kamil] each as they fully adapted themselves to him.
Learning Islam correctly is possible only through the suhba of a perfect guide [through being in his presence and listening to his spiritual discourses] or reading such a person's book, for perfect guides are like a clear, understandable book, too. However, false ones who pretend to be true spiritual guides are like a corrupt book, which leads humans to perdition. All reliable religious books are for us to learn Islam. Well, did the Blessed Companions read any books to learn their religion? There was no need for them to do so because the clear book, that is, our Master the Prophet, was before them. He was such a book that those with him were not only learning their religion from him by seeing him but also making progress on the path of Sufism. In other words, they were obtaining the lights and fayd (spiritual power) flowing from the heart of Allah's Messenger.

Our Master the Prophet declared, "My Companions are like the stars in the sky. Whomsoever you follow, you will attain salvation. He who loves them does so because he loves me. And he who bears hostility toward them bears hostility toward me."

Islamic superiors stated:
"Those who have not read Maktubat by Hadrat Imam-i Rabbani cannot realize the high status of the Blessed Companions. And those who fail to realize their high status will also fail to realize the high status of our Master the Prophet. No books can educate people about the manners to be observed toward the Blessed Companions, as the book Maktubat can. Only such people who know Hadrat Imam Rabbani and read Maktubat eagerly can get themselves well acquainted with the proper manners to be shown toward the Blessed Companions, with their superiority, and with their merit."

A hundred years ago, we were nonexistent. All of us will be nonexistent again after a hundred years. We live a very short life between two nonexistences. For this reason, we must do the most valuable deed in this life because the life is short and the way is long, while the place where we will reach will be endless. Death is no joke; it will certainly come. We cannot endure the fire of a single match, nor can we put our hands, Allah forbid, on the fire of a candle. The fire of Hell is not the typical fire we know. If man thinks of this fire only for a moment, he will lose his sleep over it and will not be able to eat anything. He will constantly think about in what state he will be in the hereafter.

What matters is Allahu ta’ala’s, not people’s, commending and liking someone. Whom does He love? He loves a humble person and does not love an arrogant one because it is Allahu ta’ala’s attributes that are hostile to all types of sins. However, it is Allahu ta’ala’s Himself who is hostile to the arrogant person. He says about such a person, “I will burn the arrogant one without showing any mercy.” Some talents, advantages, and positions that Allahu ta’ala has given to man should not lead him into arrogance and should not cause him to forget the fact that he is a human being.
The faith of a Believer is perfect if he meets the following three conditions:
1. He gets on well with his wife. His wife is one of Allah’s servants, and she has been placed in trust with him. For this reason, he should beware of all things that will upset her and fear violating her rights because the questioning about the rights of others will be very severe on the Day of Judgment.

2. He likes the company of the poor, not that of the rich. But the poor in this context does not mean beggars.

3. He, avoiding arrogance, can easily sit in the company of his aides and servants. He thinks, “I was a drop of water, but now I am in this state. Praise be to Allah, who has enabled me to reach this state.” If man thinks of the things he will face after death, he will abandon everything. Whoever has these three qualities should ceaselessly give thanks to our Rabb.

If Allahu ta’ala has given the following two things to a servant, he does not need anything else:
1. To be upon the aqeedah of Ahl as-sunnah wa’l jama’ah, that is, to follow the Messenger of Allah,

2. To have absolute loyalty, love, and obedience to the person who teaches this aqeedah, that is, who teaches our religion correctly. An iota of doubt, deviation, or dissent causes the benefit he derives to end. Therefore, it does not suffice to say, “I love the person who has taught me my religion.” He has to prove his love with his actions because actions speak louder than words. One’s state and behavior are more effective than one’s words. Love depends on obedience. Can there be love without obedience?

Question: It is declared in the 152nd âyah (verse) of Baqara Sûra, “Make dhikr of Me, and I will make dhikr of you.” What does “Allah’s making dhikr” mean?
ANSWER
Dhikr means remembering. Making dhikr of Allahu ta’âlâ means remembering Him. Islamic scholars explained the verse you have mentioned, the purport of which is, “Remember Me, and I will remember you. Give thanks to Me; do not be ungrateful,” as follows:
1. Remember Me by performing acts of worship, and I will remember you with compassion.
2. Remember Me by praying, and I will remember you by answering your prayer.
3. Remember Me in the world, and I will remember you in the Hereafter.
4. Remember Me in private, and I will remember you at a gathering.
5. Remember Me with ikhlâs, and I will remember you with salvation.
Once, a person asked our master the Prophet:
“Which fasting person earns more rewards?”
Our master the Prophet answered:
“Those who remember Allah the most”
That person asked the same question for namâz, zakât, and. hajj. But he received the same answer for each. Thereupon, when Hadrat Abû Bakr said, “Those who remember Allah have attained all goodness,” our master Rasûlullah said, “Yes, this is so” (Tabarânî).

Being with heedless and negligent people
When a person is in the company of those who are heedless and negligent of Allahu ta’âlâ, it brings much more rewards to remember Him, to talk about His commandments and prohibitions, and to urge everyone to do good deeds. It is declared in ahâdîth:
(Angels and divine compassion encircle those who have gathered together to remember Allahu ta’âlâ.) [Muslim]

(A crier from the heavens calls out as follows to those who gather together only for the sake of divine pleasure and remember Allahu ta’âlâ, “Allahu ta’âlâ has changed your sins into thawâb. Stand up from your places as having been forgiven.”) [I.Ahmad]

(If, at a gathering, Allahu ta’âlâ’s name is not made mention of and salawât is not said for His Prophet, they will feel a longing and remorse on the Day of Resurrection.) [Tirmudhî]

(Attending the suhba of a pious person once will be atonement for the sins resulting from attending the suhba of evil ones many times.) [Daylamî]

Dâwud ‘alaihis-salâm would pray as follows:
(O my Allah! When I forsake the gathering of those who remember You and start out for the gathering of the heedless and negligent people, break my foot before I get there, for it would be grace and a favor for me.) [Imam-i Ghazâlî]

The heedless and negligent people are those who do not remember Allahu ta’âlâ and who do not know of good deeds. We cannot get benefit from them. Instead, they cause us various sorts of harm.

We should see the suhba of the pious, that is, good people, as a golden opportunity. Good people always enjoin right conduct. They strive so that all people can have good moral qualities. If those whose hearts have become rusty with the stains of sins attend the suhba of the pious, the rust of their hearts will be wiped out.

We must be careful about the people we are making friends with, for a nightingale guides one to a rose while a crow guides one to a garbage dump.

To remember Allahu ta’âlâ is to remember His commands and prohibitions, to carry out what He has ordered, and to avoid what He has prohibited. Besides these, it is to glorify and exalt Him through the tongue as well. We should do our best to keep on repeating such words as Subhânallah, Alhamdulillah, Allahu akbar, and Lâ ilâha ill-Allah.