BEING A MUSLIM IN DECEMBER

By

Mubaarak Olayemi Ismail

The lights, red and white colours everywhere - yeah, it's December, the Gregorian month of December is almost a synonym to the Christmas and new year celebration. It's a season when our streets will be embroidered with Christmas lights, bells, trees and all sort of Santa Claus accessories.

Many people from different religious beliefs and even some sects among the Christians have raised objections against these festivals, many claimed that they are from fetish backgrounds and celebrating them is fetish while others claimed  that they have no basis in the Christian faith - But I'm a Muslim, I'm less concerned about it, since only not celebrating these festivals  won't make them a Muslim, why not leave them with their celebration and even the Qur'an says, "To you be your religion, and to me be my religion " (Q109 : 6).

But I'm a Muslim, either it is fetish or not, any religious festival that is neither Eid l Adha or Eid l Fitr is not permissible for me, I'm out!

But Muslims and Christians are neighbors, both Islam and Christianity claims the Abrahamic monotheism - and adherents of these religions have eachothers as families,  neighbors and coworkers, when it's this season, questions pop up from Muslims regarding maintaining Islam rules with their Christian neighbors, they ask questions like :

Can we eat their festival foods? 

Can we wish them? 

Can take our children to watch Santa Claus? 

Can we participate in lighting crackers and other fireworks? 

Can we buy Christmas(tic) toys for our children? 

.... And so many questions like this, but the only answer to these questions is a capital NO!!!

You should have nothing to do with anything that is not Islamic, Allah says "Do not assist one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment " (Q:5:2)

Islam is a religion of peace and it basically allows it's adherents to eat the food of the Christians (Q5v5), but Christmas food is not just a food we eat when we visit or attend their secular functions - This is linked with their religious festival, it's simply haraam. 

Be mannerly, if possible, you should explain the reason why you won't accept the food to your Christian neighbors with respect and good explanations and you can dodge it if they won't listen or understand. Also teach your children about this and find a way to save them from it. Be mannerly, use your brain and treat your neighbors with respect, verily, this is what we learnt from the prophet. 

Staying away from this festival doesn't make you an extremist and it doesn't mean that you are not supporting peaceful coexistence in the society, I'm very sure that a good Christian won't also in anyway participate or eat at a egungun festival - does that make him an enemy of peace?

Staying away from unislamic festivals is a way of Allah and his rasool, Allah says "and whosoever follow Allah and his Rasool has indeed achieved a great achievement. " (Q33: 71)

May Allah ease our affairs