First and foremost, I do not mean to offend anyone. Honestly. I've just got an opinion I need to put out, something that is mildly irritating me. But please don't be hurt because I don't want you to be hurt or anything. You can disagree too, I don't mind.
Anyway, the business I am speaking of is related to these two words: 'Merry Christmas.'
I do not celebrate Christmas. A la duh, I'm a Muslim. I've also been taught not to say Merry Christmas to anyone because while you may not mean it, it shows your support for this celebration, which, in my opinion, from research I've seen, is not really based on religion to start with. But whatever. This is besides the point.
My issue is regarding the airy fairy Muslims who run around saying it's okay to celebrate Christmas, to greet everyone with those words, who go out of their way to buy presents for their friends who celebrate. Who get all cuddly and giggly that love makes the world go around and we have to mingle and mould and fit in to the norm.
There was an episode, recently, regarding a mosque in Sydney. At the Friday khutbah - which is basically a religious talk delivered after the Friday congregational prayer - the imam or whoever was just talking about Christmas, no biggie, and basically said that no, we shouldn't run around wishing everyone Merry Christmas. He didn't say KILL THE INFIDELS, he just said you shouldn't say it, particularly considering you don't believe it. A young brother from the mosque uploaded this onto their website. Again, no biggie, just a note to the Muslims.
Someone got offended. The hate mail flowed in. And the imam and the team decided to crumble and pay some people to paint the words MERRY CHRISTMAS loud and clear across mosque.
This is so incredibly stupid I was kind of left speechless.
More specifically, I recently heard about a Muslim girl who makes extra efforts to celebrate Christmas. Never mind she doesn't cover or doesn't put half as much effort into the religion she claims to be a part of, just because she parties hard on Christmas, non-Muslims are using her as the perfect model of a Muslim that we should all strive to be a part of. I just want to hit her across the head with the Punishment Salmon.
Hear me out. I'm not saying that we should grab our axes and hack down all the Christmas trees. I'm not saying we should egg the houses with Christmas lights. I'm not saying we should have a bonfire with Christmas cards and all those Christmas sale junk mail you get. Good heavens, no.
Let me share you a little note from my life. Our old neighbours are great buddies of ours. They are Christians. We are Muslims. Sometimes our family trust theirs even more than our Muslim brothers and sisters. When they had immigration issues and were in danger of being deported, my father stepped in and used his contacts to save them. When my father took my mother in the earliest hours of the morning to deliver my baby sister in hospital, it was the mother from next door who woke up a little past midnight to mind us. We love them. They love us. Even though we've moved away, we still keep in contact.
On Christmas, they bring us sweets. They used to bring us presents. Likewise, on both Eids, we share our own treats.
And yet, in no way do we expect them to wish us by the Arabic Eid Mubarak. Nor do we require gifts and cards on our celebration. They don't even remember the dates for Eid until we show up with food, and we don't care. Likewise, they don't expect anything from us on Christmas. That's just how it is. It's mutual respect and integration, but no compromise of values.
But it seems to me, in this day and age, when Islam is the flavour of the month to cop all the hate, we Muslims always have to sugar coat things and try extra hard to please anyone. I'm not holding it against anyone personally. Some people just want to be polite, and I understand. These are sensitive times we're in.
But we shouldn't have to.
I don't see many non-Muslim folks running around going out of their way to wish me on Eid. I don't see people going out of their way to wish people Happy Hanukkah or Diwali either. I don't see special sales on this time of the year, and we certainly never get public holidays. I've had some teachers - and I'll be fair when I say very few - look impatient and annoyed when I inform them I'm taking a day off to celebrate Eid.
I have been torn during primary school. I've either had to learn the Chrismas carols, make the decorations and cards, participate in the Secret Santa events, or sit out altogether. Yet around Eid time, they don't teach nasheeds or make Eid cards. The same for most other celebrations. I have never complained though. Neither does anyone else. In fact, I love my primary school. Despite their Happy Christmas times, they always respected multiculturalism and religion, and even though they didn't go out the extra mile for us always, they never expected us to return that either.
Furthermore, I've yet to see a church put up a massive EID MUBARAK banner. Or a temple with a HAPPY HANUKKAH sign.
It's not that we all hate each other. We just respect each other's beliefs with the understanding that we don't have to contribute.
I have nothing against Christmas. And I will not judge you if you're a Muslim and you wish others so. I'm not the judge, and you have your right to do what you want. I'm just saying you need not compromise and be wishy washy. Don't be so desperate to fit in when it's not required. I think I have more non-Muslim friends than Muslim, and they have never been offended if I don't wish them, or turn down an invitation to a Christmas party. Likewise, I don't expect them to do anything special for me. We have different values.
I know this is small and petty, but that's what annoys me the most - it's so small, so why is it so hard to ignore? Why is there always a big fuss kicked up? (I think this rant is turning out contradictory ... o.O)
And on that note, I hope your holidays are going fantastically - if you have them - and if not, well, I hope you have happy days yet (:
Behold, Kiko. Saying hi and looking cute ^_^
Laila
"I don't see many non-Muslim folks running around going out of their way to wish me on Eid. I don't see people going out of their way to wish people Happy Hanukkah or Diwali either. I don't see special sales on this time of the year, and we certainly never get public holidays. I've had some teachers - and I'll be fair when I say very few - look impatient and annoyed when I inform them I'm taking a day off to celebrate Eid."
ReplyDeleteI can't agree with this at all. Perhaps its very different where you are but in Malaysia, I'm wished Eid by my non Muslim friends. I wish them Happy Diwali, Chinese New Year, Chap Goh Mei, and perhaps every other festival under the sun.
You're living in a country where Christianity is perhaps the main religion, so you have to accept that hey, perhaps Eid and other holidays are not big over there. Islam is the main religion here but we celebrate so many other beliefs' celebration. By celebrate it means, public holidays, sales and wishing each other.
Its not about sugar coating, or wanting to fit in. Its about accepting. Yes, the imam shouldn't have painted that, and the girl shouldn't celebrate it. But to wish someone is not wrong. I don't celebrate Christmas at all, but I wish my friends it.
I think the problem you have is due to where you live and the culture and acceptance there.
I guess this is country specific - I tend to forget that I don't seem to have any readers from where I am :/ But over here it is sugar coating, believe me. Not everyone, but a great number of people... it would take me forever to explain, but I respect your views.
DeleteAlso, I'm not against acceptance. Just to make this clear - and perhaps this is country specific too - there's a difference between accepting and contributing where you don't need to. I accept that my friend celebrates Christmas, she accepts that I celebrate Eid. It doesn't kill her when I don't wish her Merry Christmas, and it doesn't kill me if she doesn't wish me Eid Mubarak, - I'm Muslim, she's Christian. That doesn't mean we have massive walls up to separate each other, it just means we know our differences.
DeleteAnd you sound mad :/ I hope I'm interpreting that wrong, but if I'm not, I'm sorry - I didn't mean to upset anyone. I don't know every single way in the world, I'm writing what I know. Also, I tried not be judgemental too. My sincere apologies if it came off wrong :/
I'm mad like the Hulk. HAHAHA. Nah. I have the worst way in telling my opinion in a peaceful way. I still stand by my opinion that perhaps its the country that contributes to the way people are acting? I've never heard of any Muslims over here celebrating Christmas. Well, if you're invited to an openhouse/gathering, some do go.
DeleteCome to think of it, the only ones that I know celebrate are the ones who come from a multi religions family. Like, I knew this half Chinese half Malay muslim girl who celebrates every single thing because she got relatives that are Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Hindus.
Reading your reply, perhaps people are trying to be accepted rather than being accepting? That could be the problem. They don't wanna be the person who's different.
*leaves a cookie*
I used to think my little sister got mad like Hulk... she used to throw chairs twice her size O_O
DeleteThe half Chinese half Malay muslim girl sounds cute x) Reminds me of Pi :P
Anyhow, yeah, that's exactly it, I just wish they could see that they don't really need to change to be accepted. My experience is that the more firmly you stand by your beliefs, the more people will take you as you are. If you allow yourself to be prodded and pushed about, when they eventually accept you, it's not really you, is it? It's more what they made you... if that makes sense.
Thanks for the cookie (: And your honesty, too.
*snaps it in half and hands back a piece* ^_^
First off LnM,you're entitled to your views and beliefs and it's perfectly fine to say what you want and that you've tried to be all politically correct says a lot for you.
ReplyDeleteBut even others are entitled to their views and for them wishing others Merry Christmas must be how they want to foster acceptance and happiness...I'm talking about your 'airy-fairy' Muslims there...Live and let live after all!
And no one's under any compulsion to give up their values or beliefs,...especially these days when secularism is the order of the day.:)
And Kiko is the cutest kitty after Puss in Boots on my list!
As I said - I'm not judging everyone on the same boat. And I know some people aren't sugar coating - it's their version of being polite and all. My 'airy fairy' reference was trying to be specific to those who do in fact compromise things in order to fit in, and it's like... they claim to be a part of a religion, but it's just a label to them - they don't practise it, for one, they're just big on saying 'I'm a thisreligion, and look at me, I'm not like them' (re: the others in their religion.)
DeleteAnd that's my second point - we don't have to give up values and beliefs, so why do so many? Again, country specific, it's obviously different where everyone else is coming from ^_^ I should move.
AH, Lailabug. I love you. And no, I am not upset at all by this. Don't you worry. On the contrary, I find myself agreeing. In today's society, everything is a matter of PERSPECTIVE (I'm using caps because I dunno how to italicize). This kind of thing, various holidays differentiated by religions, it's a normal thing. It's just a matter of how a person REACTS to it that it becomes a different matter and more complicated.
ReplyDeleteChristmas isn't actually a 'Christian' thing/event. It's more of Catholic. And uh, I believe Catholics call themselves Christians too and I guess that's why it's most often thought a Christian thing? Hmm. Probably. I'm a Christian. My religion is based on Christianity but Christmas isn't an important event for us. We do it because of CULTURE not religion. Here in my country, Christmas is a very big thing.
I guess you could say that the whole Christmas enchilada... it's really just a society thing nowadays. It has nothing to do with religions anymore. We're so affected by each other, we forget the main reasons we do it in the first place. Which is sad. Those you say who are so INTO it that they, more or less, CONDEMN you if you think otherwise, I don't think they REALLY REALLY believe in Christmas at all. It's a SOCIETY business. And when it's about society, everyone's judgement gets clouded.
Did I make sense? I hope you get my meaning out of this. I'm not upset. I understand what you're trying to say. I respect you. I respect your beliefs. And I know you do the same for me. :)
Love you, Lai. You just stay the way you are now. You're awesome that way.♥
Thanks for your understanding ^_^ I find, over here, there are few like you (and your community, it would seem), who actually practise. I'm pretty sure there may be a census out there that says a majority of our population are 'Christians', yet I doubt many would go to church or even know much about their own teachings as you would, which is quite sad. Muslims do it too, and it becomes a label more than anything...
Delete... okay, I lost my point, but the essence of it is I'm glad there are people like you around to understand and to be okay with differences (:
So yes, I get you, sister, for all those differences, we're weirdly similar, huh? :P And back at you ;)
P.S. GAH. Kiko is so cute. ♥♥ How have you managed to still stay alive with that kind of company?? I am amazed.
ReplyDeleteI don't think wishing Christians is a big deal personally- it might even be a gesture of co-existence in the correct context. But I'm totally with you on how some Muslims have this need to sugar-coat their religion to seem more acceptable to others. That story about 'Merry Christmas' being painted on the mosque is so out of bounds :/
ReplyDeleteYou should come to Dubai and see how excited all the Muslims get about Christmas, and how shopping malls compete to have the larger Chistmas trees...it annoys me because it is not even relevant to anyone's religion/culture plus not half of that energy and celebration goes into Eid.
Oh, I don't really understand it myself, but I trust the teachers who have taught me, so maybe one day I will *shrug* My point wasn't really the wishing - I think it's okay to wish, but keeping in mind that there are alternatives to how you can do it. Like I said... down... below somewhere...
DeleteHaha, it's almost ironic, isn't it? ^_^ And that energy is what saddens me the most - why don't we make the most of our own celebrations instead of chasing up the others? Eh, such is life.
Thanks for your comment and your understanding (:
Oooh, loving these well constructed comments. THAT's what a good blog is about. (still need to fix that atrocious comment font...*glares*)
ReplyDeleteI'm just going to respond with my own conclusion, which has been aided from my father's consultation and knowledge:
That mosque shouldn't have caved in to say Merry Christmas. Why are Muslims 'made' to conform for other celebrations? That's not appropriate; if they celebrate it, go ahead. If they don't, don't make them a part of it if they don't want to. As Muslims, they shouldn't be celebrating Christmas, but then again, I've heard some so-called Muslims have tattoos and eat pork. Mainly in America, though.
Saying 'Merry Christmas', 'Happy New Year' etc, is actually a different matter, and is actually a very minor part. It's not going to kill you whether you say it or not. Some imams believe in not saying it, others do. Either way, there's no reason to start a war over it (not that you are, because you're mainly talking about sugar coating things).
The reason to this is because saying 'Merry Christmas' does NOT mean that we are 'congratulating' them on their celebrations, and we are 'supporting' it; it is merely an expression of goodwill. If you say Merry Christmas, what are you trying to get across? That wow, I totally approve? Usually it is a pleasant expression. As Fiqh (minority) in Australia, in order to get more non-Muslims into Islam, what way can we do this other than to befriend them? And it's because we are Fiqh we don't have many people wishing us Happy Eid and etc. If we don't accept their gifts (on the basis that it's only a gift, and not a Christmas present), and we don't greet them, and treat them as our equals and friends, then how are we going to get them to revert? There's a high possibility that Australians will get offended if we act like this, not saying Merry Christmas and other stuff. We just have to establish to them that we have a different religion, but goodwill all the same.
And there's a very good Hadith about this as well. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was greeted by Muslims and many non-Muslims alike. And when these non-Muslims greeted him, he simply responded "and the same to you." Thus, it should be acceptable to do this, and should be highlighted that because we are Fiqh, it should be encouraged (but not to the extent of celebrating.)
Just to finish, with that Hadith, I'm sure you're very aware of the badassness (ahem) of our Prophet. Some non-Muslims thought they were smart, and when they greeted him, instead of the usual "May peace be upon you", they said "May you be poisoned."
Feisty little Aisha, the Prophet's wife returned with the same sort of attitude. When she was reprimanded by the Prophet, she asked why.
"Didn't you hear what I said?" he asked.
"No," was her reply.
"I said, 'And the same to you.'"
That's my two cents. :D
I love you Linch (:
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing up the hadith, firstly, because I like to have references as it makes the argument solid. I wrote this ages ago when I was half asleep, so I couldn't be bothered.
Anyhow, the hadith regarding the 'same to you thing' is what I'm sort of trying to get at - I'm not saying shut down in the face of others. The other Sunday, I was at Sr Amina's class at the mosque, and there was another lady there, raving on, and from what I could hear, she was saying how if someone wishes you Merry Christmas or gives you a gift, you should just turn your back on them or something like that (I may have heard wrong), and I was like O_O
Of course we're trying to get people to revert. But when we have those options of 'same to you', or 'happy holidays', or 'hope you have a great one', which is a friendly acknowledgement without defying any bounds. I'm not personally holding it against anyone who says 'Merry Christmas', only God knows their intentions, but I just wonder why, when we have the 'safer' options, don't we take them?
Thank you for your wise, well constructed, evidence based and level-headed response, my friend ^_^
Oh, goody, I was hoping that you weren't on edging onto the whole shutting down thingo. I was a little worried there.
DeleteYour response is very appropriate, and it's just left to each individual how they're going to address this. Of course, like I said, it's not going to become a war or something.
Oh lovely, more pleasant adjectives. I'll add that to my resume :P
Take it like this: Christmas, whatever it might have been as a Christian (or Catholic) celebration, has transcended a mere religious context. Its connotations involve a multi-cultural event that's unrestricted by geography and faith, and, overall has more to do with the act of family celebration and giving, rather than that of celebrating the birth of Christ, or so.
ReplyDeleteAs such, the fact that Muslims should 'celebrate' Christmas or not is debatable. It's basically the Ship of Theseus all over again: If a ship is slowly, piece by piece, replaced so that, in the end, the original parts have all been replaced, is the ship the same ship, or is it not?
Answer that wisely.
Then you have the matter of the Ka'bah. The original made by Hazrat Ibrahim was destroyed, by floods, and rebuilt over and over. Is then the Ka'bah that we look to the same as the one as was built first? Does it matter if it is?
You can say that it doesn't matter what the form is, so long as the original intent and function can be carried out without any problems, but can it really? Or does the form matter, and the function and original intent can be thought of as moot after it changes? Or, the new intention replaces the old, and gives a new function to the form?
Your answer. Your conclusion.
Other than that, saying 'Merry Christmas' seems like such a small thing, really. Not even worth really bringing into attention. For me, the 25th of December is, and will be Founder's Day. :P So, yeah, I don't adhere to that particular festival anyway, so I don't really feel the need to throw in my opinion on it.
The reason such a small thing can be so big is simple: when you're repeatedly being kicked in the shins, a thousand times a day, sooner or later, it's just as fatal as being stabbed in the face. Christmas isn't something that only one or two houses go about celebrating, and I don't imagine there's any lack of hipocricy on that front. Ha.
Now I totally understand the whole I-think-too-much-so-I-need-to-be-an-accountant thing ^_^ I have no idea how you managed to bring the Ship of Theseus here, but dude, you're amazing :P
Delete(As for the answer, my friend and I have debated it over and over again, we never came up with an answer. I guess that's how it's supposed to be?)
Anyhow, I guess I just needed to put my opinion out there, but really, it doesn't matter... there's a lot of things that 'should be this way' but it won't ever be so, right? And re: saying Merry Christmas, yeah, I agree it's so small, which is why I don't understand why such a big deal is made out of it, when Muslims say it. Basically, no one's going to get offended if you don't say it, so why bother?
But eh, such is life.
I totally agree. I am a Christian and to be honest I do not think Christmas should actually be celebrated the way it is, or at all actually. First off, in most families it has nothing to do with the birth of Jesus (or religion at all), it's more about presents and food. Secondly, the 25th of December is not Jesus's actual birthday.
ReplyDeleteI see where you're coming from with people of other religions celebrating Christmas. Not that its a crime or that I'm hating on them or anything, but they don't always believe in what Christians do. It is supposed, and I repeat, SUPPOSED to be a holy day.
But it is not anymore.
So boo.
Great post.
Tay
*breaks into applause*
DeleteI'm glad you can see it that way. I wish I met more people like you in real life.
That being said, I'm not really that fussed about Christmas. Live and let live. It's just the unnecessary Muslim involvement...-_-' But I sure am impressed by you knowing a little more regarding the history of Christmas than most (:
Thanks for commenting and understanding and putting in your two cents ^_^ 'Twas appreciated.
well what can one say... in this time of chaos, there are very little people left who would talk sense... as we have been shouting at the top of our voices that the alqaida and whatever does not represent the whole Muslim or Islam... similarly the girl that you talked about in your post does not represent Islam or Muslim... that is exactly our point..to know about Islam, read it, study it... do not believe in what we the Muslims might or might not do... we have our own views... honestly i would think we should join for a while to celebrate the festivals of the minority community in all the muslim countries and we should not expect these minorites to celebrate our festivals with us...but same should be true for the non-muslim countries, they should not expect muslims to celebrate the non-muslim festivals or face hate speech and hate crime!
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY.
DeleteI could do a whole other rant for all the People and Groups That Don't Represent Us, but I don't want to be a raving lunatic, and truthfully, the lines get blurry, don't they? Because then some will say yes, they do, and others bring up even more different people, and in the end it really comes down to each man to himself, on who's right anyway.
Thanks for commenting - yours was especially well said (:
I love how intense the discussion surrounding this blogpost has become!
ReplyDeleteIt kind of exploded, didn't it? o.O I totally did not expect that :P
DeleteBut but...it's Christmas!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm the Grinch! >:]
DeleteI kid ^_^ Hey, I'm not stopping you from celebrating, stranger (:
I see your point. I have had my own reservations about this.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you do (: Reservations to what side?
Delete