I've read some advice that warns Muslims not to partake in other holidays, but if I don't, my mother will be very hurt. I am torn.
Is it wrong to celebrate the birth of Jesus? We believe in him too, and exchanging gifts for the benefit of my mother and Christian friends does not mean that I adhere to a belief in the Trinity.
Please respond; your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.
In this fatwa:
1- Islam encourages the Muslim to have kind and compassionate relationship with his parents and all his relatives whether they are Muslims or non-Muslims.
2- As a Muslim, you should show all forms of kindness and mercy towards your non-Muslim mother.
3- Let her see the true teachings of Islam as practiced by you and be a good ambassador of your religion.
4- You can participate in the festivities of Christmas or holiday seasons on condition that you abstain from specific religious rituals associated with them, if any.
Responding to the question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states:
How Should We Treat Parents?
Islam is all for treating our parents, relatives and friends compassionately. As a Muslimah, it is your duty to be most gentle and kind to them, especially your parents.
Allah says:
{Keep their company with kindness in this world, and follow the path of him who turns to Me. Then unto Me will you return, and I shall tell you what you did.} (Luqman 31:15)
Keeping good company of one’s parents includes accepting their invitations, eating with them all foods that are permissible for us to consume, which excludes pork, intoxicants, and that which has been immolated to idols.
Should We Celebrate Christmas?
You can participate in the festivities of Christmas or holiday seasons on condition that you abstain from specific religious rituals associated with them, if any.
As Muslims, we revere Jesus (peace be upon him) as one of the mighty messengers of Allah. We would have certainly celebrated the same, if only it had been a tradition established by Jesus and his authentic disciples.
We certainly know that was not the case. It is all too well known that celebration of Christmas was introduced into Christianity in the manner of the pagan cultic rituals. The celebration prevailed in the lands that the Christians conquered. As such, it is not something to be cherished as an authentic Christian festival.
What Do Muslims Believe About Jesus?
Muslims refuse to deify not only Prophet Jesus but anyone else for that matter including Prophet Muhammad.
We believe in all prophets, and consider them all as preaching the same essential message: Do not worship any other gods but Allah.
It would certainly be a good idea for you to broach this topic with your parents in one of their gentler moments.
Lastly, continue to pray to Allah to open the hearts of your parents to the truth. For He alone guides (people) to Truth.
Allah Almighty knows best.
Editor’s note: This fatwa is from Ask the Scholar’s archive and was originally published at an earlier date.