Christmas is a religious event celebrated by Christians all over the world. They meet and greet and celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ. However, the event is contrary to Muslim belief, and every year, the question ‘ Why don’t Muslims celebrate Christmas’ arises.
We will answer why Muslims don’t celebrate this event, what their religious obligation is, and why they can’t say Merry Christmas to a Christian friend.
Can Muslims celebrate Christmas?
Christmas is mainly celebrated in Christian countries, and you won’t be seeing Christmas trees and celebrations on December 25th in many Muslim countries because of their religious beliefs.
Muslims believe in the unity of God (Allah); he is the creator of everything, and nothing has created him. He does not have family or friends and does not depend on anyone. This is the main reason why Muslims can’t celebrate Christmas.
Do Muslims celebrate Christmas?
You have probably seen several Muslims in the United States and the UK celebrating Christmas with others. You must be wondering why they are celebrating it or how Muslims celebrate Christmas when it’s prohibited in Islam, right?
The same Muslims drink alcohol and eat pork, although eating pork is forbidden in Islam. It depends on the beliefs, and you will find many Muslims who are not practicing Muslims and celebrate Christmas with others.
However, if you want to know Islam, don’t look at Muslims; look at what the Quran says about it.
Why don’t Muslims celebrate Christmas?
Because it is prohibited in Islam to celebrate the religious event of another religion, the second reason Muslims avoid Christmas celebrations is their belief in the unity of God (Allah).
The Quran says in Surah Al-Ikhlas, Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “He is Allah—One ˹and Indivisible˺; Allah—the Sustainer ˹needed by all˺. He has never had offspring, nor was He born. And there is none comparable to Him.”
The Quran clearly mentions that Allah is the creator of the universe, and he does not have a son, nor was he born. This idea of God not having a son contradicts Christan beliefs, which say that Jesus Christ is the son of God.
In another surah, the Quran clearly says, And say, “All praise is for Allah, Who has never had ˹any˺ offspring; nor does He have a partner in ˹governing˺ the kingdom; nor is He pathetic, needing a protector. And revere Him immensely.” — Surah Al-Isra Verse 111
Surah Al-Furqan Verse 2 says, “˹Allah is˺ the One to Whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, Who has never had ˹any˺ offspring, nor does He have a partner in ˹governing˺ the kingdom. He has created everything, ordaining it precisely.”
Therefore, Muslims believe that Allah has not been created and does not have a son. Therefore, they avoid celebrating Christmas.
What happens to those Muslims who celebrate Christmas?
Celebrating Christmas means you are associating someone with Allah and admitting the Christian belief that Jesus is the son of God. Allah has clearly mentioned in the Quran that he will not forgive those who will associate anything or anyone with him as a god but can forgive everything else.
Surely Allah does not forgive associating ˹others˺ with Him ˹in worship˺but forgives anything else of whoever He wills. Indeed, whoever associates ˹others˺ with Allah has clearly gone far astray. —Surah Al-Nisa Verse 116
This is not just with Christmas but any religious festival of non-Muslims associating anyone or anything with God.
How can Muslims avoid celebrating Christmas?
It does not matter if you are living in the United States, the UK, or any European country. Christmas is celebrated everywhere in most first-world countries, and the real question is how can a Muslim avoid celebrating it!
You have to tell your non-Muslim friends about the reasons why you can wish them Merry Christmas. Give references and instructions from their books, and don’t indulge in a heated debate.
Case Study
I work in an office in the USA, and we have colleagues from different religious backgrounds. All of them wish me Eid as a friendly gesture. Can I wish them Merry Christmas or Happy Holi?
Sorry, you can’t. We have already talked about the reason why you can’t say Merry Christmas as a Muslim and mentioned Quranic verses against it. All of these religious activities point to polytheism, which is an unforgivable sin in Islam.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has stopped us from copying or indulging in religious activities. It is mentioned in a Hadith that a Muslim should not copy greeting from other religions.
Here is a Hadith from At-Tirmidhi 2695, “Narrated by Amr bin Shuaib, from his father, from his grandfather, that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “He is not one of us who resembles other than us, nor who resembles the Jews nor the Christians. For indeed greeting of the Jews is pointing the finger, and the greeting of the Christians is waving with the hand.”
Why do Christians celebrate Christmas?
Christan celebrates the birthday of Jesus Christ on December 25 every year, and that is called Christmas. However, there is no verse in the Bible in which Jesus Christ (PBUH) has claimed that he is the son of God. However, Jesus himself never claimed that he was the son of God anywhere in the Bible.
What do Muslims celebrate instead of Christmas?
Muslims have two events in Islam. Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. Eid-ul-Fitr is celebrated after the Holy month of Ramadan, and Eid-ul-Adha is celebrated at the Haj event.
Eid ul Adha
The Eid which makes Muslims remember the sacrifices of Abraham (PBUH). Millions of Muslims in every corner of the world slaughter animals to remember the sacrifices Prophet Abraham (PBUH) made by sacrificing his son Ishmael (PBUH) for the will of Allah.
Eid ul Fitr
Eid ul Fitr is observed as a blessing after the holy month of Ramadan. The Quran was completed this month, and that is why Muslims celebrate this month with high religious spirits and end it with Eid ul Fithar.
Fitr means charity, a special charity in the name of Allah, who allowed and enabled us to fast in the holy month of Ramadan. Fitr is a charity given before the Eid prayer to compensate if there is any lacking in our fasts during Ramadan.
Ramadan
Ramadan is probably the most popular month in the Muslim calendar. It lasts 29-30 days, during which Muslims observe obligatory fasts from dawn to dusk. The workload is balanced. Accordingly, working hours are reduced, and other facilities like holidays and leniency are given to people in most Muslim countries.
Ramadan is a month full of blessings and great food. As mentioned above, the Quran was completed this month, and it is the blessed night of Qadar, which is a highly rewarding night.
Ashurah
The nine and tenth of Muharram are mourned in most Muslims’ homes. The death of Hussain (RA) and his family is still remembered by the world. Muslims from both sects do whatever they can to make this day special.
Some of them cook good food and distribute it among relatives, neighbors, etc. Others sit together and discuss the injustice that happened with the Grandson of the Holy Prophet and his family. Some of the Muslims fast on the day of Ashura, which is a Sunnah as well.
Wrap Up
So far, we have discussed the reasons why Muslims can’t celebrate Christmas on December 25th every year. That is because Islam does not allow them to indulge in any celebration that’s associated with Polytheism.
We have mentioned the right and relevant Quranic verses and a Hadith to prove our point. And advise Muslims to refrain from celebrating Christmas, Holi, Dewali, etc, in the light of the Quran and Hadith.
FAQs
Do Muslims celebrate Christmas in the US?
Yes, some of them do, and others refrain. Islam forbids us to participate in non-Islamic religious activities, especially which leads to polytheism.
For those of you who are Muslims and celebrate Christmas, say Merry Christmas and decorate your home with lights and Christmas trees. You will be asked about this on the day of judgment.
What holidays do Muslims celebrate instead of Christmas?
Here are the holidays that are celebrated in Muslim countries.
- Three or more holidays of Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr
- Ashura holidays
- Laylat-al-Qarad
- Night of Merraj (In some countries)
- 12th Rabi al-Awwal (Birthday of the Last Prophet PBUH)
Do Muslim countries celebrate Christmas?
No, we don’t know if any Muslim country is officially celebrating Christmas. However, in Pakistan, there is a holiday on 25th December, but that is because of the birthday of its founder, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Can a Christian marry a Muslim?
Yes, they can. Both Islam and Christianity are the religions of God, with hundreds of similarities. Therefore, it’s allowed for a Muslim to Marry people of the Book, which are Christians or Jews.
Muslim women can not marry a Non-Muslim man whether he is a Christian or Jew. To get married, he has to leave his religion and accept Islam.
— Can a Catholic Christian marry a Muslim?
Yes, they can, but they have to commit to their religion and avoid conversion. It is called a dispensation, which is required for a Christian to marry a Muslim.
A Christan must follow these conditions to obtain a dispensation.
- The Catholic party must commit to staying Catholic.
- The Catholic party must commit to raising the children as Catholics.
- The unbaptized party must commit to the Church’s understanding of marriage, which is permanent, faithful, life-giving, and lasts until death.
