"...The historic incident of Nijran whereby the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) treated the Christian delegation as his personal guests, made them stay in the Prophet’s Mosque and allowed them to worship there reflects the true spirit of harmony and brotherhood espoused by Islam.” (Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, theamericanmuslim.org, Dec 24, 2010).
It's almost every year, when the end of the year comes Muslims are debating upon the law of saying "Marry Christmas" to friends, relatives, colleague or neighbors who are non-Muslim. Islam is religion of peace. We must show this peace to all mankind in this planet. Some scholars such as Ibn ul-Qayyim, Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn ʿUthaymīn, and others state saying Marry Christmas is not permissible for Muslims. The Muslim scholars who state that it's permissible are Yusuf al-Qaraḍāwī and Muṣṭafā Zarqā. It is forbidden by consensus of the ulama (ijma’).
Ibn al-Qayyim, may God have mercy on him, said: “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."At the end of the article titled Saying “Merry Christmas” written by Jamaal and posted on jamaaldiwan.com on December 21, 2011 wrote:
"The opinion saying that it is impermissible is based on a statement of Ibn al-Qayyim where he says there is “agreement” amongst the scholars that it is impermissible (This was narrated in his book, Aḥkām ahl al-dhimma).However, there are two things attributed to Ibn Taymiyya. One is that it is impermissible. The other, which is mentioned by Shaykh Bin Bayyah is that the Hanbali school has three opinions on this issue: prohibited, disliked, and allowed. He then says that the choice of Ibn Taymiyya was that it was allowed. Shaykh al-Ghiryani, a prominent Libyan Maliki scholar, also said that the majority of the Malikis consider it to be disliked. The point in sharing all of this is to show that it is NOT an area of agreement amongst all the scholars. Perhaps Ibn al-Qayyim did not mean “scholarly consensus (ijma’)” when he said “agreement.”
Look this Quran verse:
But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do. (Quran Luqman: 15, Sahih International Translation)If You Follow The Scholars Who State It is Impermissible
Sheikh Ali Gomaa, the Grand Mufti of Egypt said, "...so what about those who show respect to our religious choices and do not insult our belief in any way or form, should we not even be more eager to show extreme kindness and envelop them with mercy in our sayings and deeds, to be a real embodiment of what Islam is all about?" (theamericanmuslim.org, Muslim Christmas Grinches, by Sheila Musaji: Posted Dec 24, 2012)
There is no force on all Muslim to follow which scholars, even to embrace Islam for all non-Muslims. Therefore, it doesn't matter for all Muslim to follow the scholars who sate saying Marry Christmas is haram (impermissible) or they who sate it is permissible. You can choose by yourselves.
However, not all Muslims can choose to live and interact with only Muslim community in this world. In society we make interactions with all people, all religions. Sometimes we also need them. In this case, we need to consider the social matter, not only religious matter. Two days ago my Christian land lady asked me, "Is it okay for me to make interaction with you as I am Christian?" I explain her that it is okay. Then she told me her experience when she wanted to sake her neighbor in a meeting and that Muslim woman refused because the religious matter. "Once she doesn't have money and asked me to borrow," my land lady added.
I tend to make someone, who has different religions, friend. My consideration is that I believe that I am able to protect myself from being affected by their belief and I am sure I can show the message of goodness in Islam. If they become my friends, I have a lot of chances to show them the goodness of Islam. I am worried if they become friends of other who just invite them to be evil of the world. To make them become friends is to make them interested of being with us. I consider it the process of teaching them about Islam.
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, (president of the International Union of Muslim Scholars)
I do agree with Dr. Al-Qaradawi as he said,
“Many of our Scholars live in their books and do not live in their reality, they have no understanding of their surrounding reality because they have not read the “Book of Life”, but only read the books of their predecessors. For that reason their fatwas appear as if they have just come out of a grave!”
It is normal to have different point of view on something. Even Sahabat (Muhammad's (PBUH) companions who lived and learn Islam with Him also has different thought). It is not my capability to join the debate among the Muslim scholars, but as one of Muslims in the world and a member of society, I feel that I must share my point of view on this debatable issue. I am living in a boarding house, and my land lady is Christian. She celebrate Christmas today.
About what Dr. Al-Qaradawi said, it looks opposes other scholars as he said many scholars live in their books, not in reality. I do agree with it as what I am seeing through out my life. I was growing in Muslim society, I was studying in Islamic schools. I see the different of the Islamic teachers who just read book much with little social interaction and the Islamic teachers who make more social interactions. The different is on the way they transfer the knowledge of Islam.
The teachers who only read book much tend to teach, "The book says this, so we must follow it." Without any other considerations. I meet a lot of Muslims who have just recently got in touch with Islamic study behave like that. In my country Indonesia, in my point of view, the Islamic education is poor. Not all generations can access it easily.
In my point of view, Islamic teachers or Islamic teachers are Muslims who have much knowledge about Islam. They know much about Islam. They know more than other Muslims. Therefore, it is their responsibility to transfer the knowledge they have, if may I name it as "Teaching". Yeah, they have responsibility to teach other Muslims. In teaching and learning there is a range of process and end with evaluation by the teachers, to determine who are success or not. Therefore, is it okay for a teacher to say, "You're good, you're not, you're wrong, etc" before they teach their students (society) well?
Muslims are not only suggested to share knowledge with other Muslims, but also with all humans in this planet including non-Muslims. How can we share the knowledge of Islam with them if we make them dislike us? It is a social consideration that less considered by Islamic teachers who much read book only than making social interactions. I see some Islamic teachers and Muslims who have more knowledge tend to blame other Muslims, whereas those teachers have never teach those people yet. Let's ask ourselves, "Have I share the knowledge of Islam well to all mankind?" before we claim others as infidel or kuffaar.
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