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
