A Muslim Christmas?

By Ahmed Nassef

Recently, a Toronto mosque condemned Muslims who wished someone a "Merry Christmas."

Islam, as is the case with all great world traditions, has always been very flexible in integrating local traditions and customs.

We only need to look as far as the great rituals of Hajj to find a Pre-Islamic tradition that was claimed (or rather, reclaimed) by the nascent Muslim community.

Another example is the Prophet's reported commemoration of Passover (or more likely Yom Kippur) by instituting a fast on that day (actually predating the Ramadan fast).

As Islam spread throughout much of the world, many local traditions and celebrations were tolerated, if not wholeheartedly embraced by the local polity. Of course, this is part of the normal fusion that exists in most cultures, not least of which Islamic ones (witness the modern day Egyptian celebrations of Shamm an-Nasim, Iranian celebrations of Noruz, the continuation of Ismaili traditions in contemporary popular celebrations of the Prophet's birthday in Egypt, etc.).

So is wishing someone a Merry Christmas, or even taking part in Christmas celebrations, tantamount to recognizing the divinity of Jesus? For many, if not most, Americans, Christmas is a time to spend with family and to take part in a joyous celebration of giving. In fact, most popular expressions of the holiday owe more to pagan winter solstice commemorations than to theological doctrine. (For an amusing polemical twist, see one Christian's diatribe against Christmas.)

In many respects, the question of Muslim participation in the American celebration of Christmas is no different from what many other American cultural and ethnic groups concerned about assimilation have struggled with (and continue to). So you will find many Jews celebrating a "Christless" Christmas with their children, while you will also find Jews who are vehemently against that practice and African Americans who prefer the Kwanzaa tradition.

For many Muslims, this should be a relatively easy one. If you and your family celebrate each other's birthday, and the Prophet Muhammad's birthday, is it such a stretch to also celebrate the Prophet Jesus' birthday? Does the fact that most Christians believe in Christ's divinity make Jesus off limits to Muslims? Of course not--he is our prophet too.

In the end, actually taking part in the Christmas celebration will come down to personal and family decisions. But it does not take much to open one's heart enough to wish a Christian friend, co-worker, or family member a merry Christmas. If an open heart is not enough of an incentive, how will you feel when you begin hearing regular "Happy Eid" wishes from your non-Muslim co-workers, or when you are able to rent a "Rugrats Celebrate Eid" video for your child from the local Blockbuster?

We will find it harder to gain acceptance and recognition for Muslim holidays in America until we are able to show our acceptance and recognition of others, a quality that once characterized Muslim civilization.

This whole controversy reminds me of a story related to me by an Indonesian friend about an Egyptian Azhari shaykh who was shocked to hear traditional drums around prayer time during his visit. After railing against such sinful "innovation", his Indonesian hosts quieted him down and removed the drums. As soon as he left the mosque, the drums returned.