Brace 'Tis Season

Bismillaah.

It's two days to go...
to...
FRIDAY!
Who loves Fiday?
Yeah, me too :)
Best day of the week.

Anyways, this Friday the Christians (and everyone else who celebrates it) are celebrating Christmas.
It's THAT day of the year again - a day that I nominate as one of the source of every Moslem's problem, because, well...
We live side by side - Christians and Moslems (and other religion believers as well) - and this day has always been one of the most awkward day each year (at least for me). I have Christian friends too in my group chat, that's why.

The most debatable stuff around Christmas is can a Moslem make a Christmas greeting.
Well, the answer is no.

Because, simply, 
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." 
This is narrated by At-Tabarani and Abu Dawud, reported by Ibn Umar and Hudhayfah.

Are you one of them? Of course not - you're a Moslem, right?

And same thing goes with attending the Christmas feast and so on. You really shouldn't do that.

I don't want any of you sisters and brothers follow the rites of other religion because it may lead to Allah's wrath, as stated below:

Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, said in Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah: "Congratulating the kuffaar on the rituals that belong only to them is haraam by consensus, as is congratulating them on their festivals and fasts by saying ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’ and so on. If the one who says this has been saved from kufr, it is still forbidden. It is like congratulating someone for prostrating to the cross, or even worse than that. It is as great a sin as congratulating someone for drinking wine, or murdering someone, or having illicit sexual relations, and so on. Many of those who have no respect for their religion fall into this error; they do not realize the offensiveness of their actions. Whoever congratulates a person for his disobedience or bid’ah or kufr exposes himself to the wrath and anger of Allaah."

Then how to respond to their celebration? Maybe they greet you with Christmas greeting or maybe they invite you to Christmas dinner or lunch?

Say that you don't celebrate it. Don't be too shy to decline :)

How about gifts? What if they giving you gifts? From what I read here (it's in Bahasa Indonesia) it's considered safe to decline politely - something like "This gift should be given to those who celebrate it, I'm sorry I can't accept this because I don't celebrate the day (and it's prohibited for us to accept your gift)."

Remember what's written in Al-Maaidah verse 2:

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ

"Help one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa; but do not help one another in sin and transgression."

Al-Birr is doing righteous and good deeds, and At-Taqwa means to avoid sins.

Transgression means overstepping the limits that Allah sets in our religion.

And also in Al-Kafirun verse 6:

لَكُمْ دِينُكُمْ وَلِىَ دِينِ

"For you is your religion, and for me is mine."

I think this verse is very clear. We live peacefully and tolerant with another religion believers but there are limits and we shouldn't participate in their religion's celebration.

I hope this somewhat short post will help you clearing some things on your mind.

I suggest further reading on this matter because what I wrote here is just a tiny itsy bits from a whole rule of interaction with another religion believers - there are lots of articles regarding this!

My last tip is be proud of yourself, your identity, and your belief!

Remember, Allah is always watching us :)

I wish you sisters and brothers out there have a pleasant day and good luck!