Muslims do not celebrate Christmas. Only the two Eids—Eid ul-Adha and Eid al-Fitr—were celebrated by the Pious Predecessors—the early Muslims who followed the Prophet Mohammed. Traditions that have not been observed by current generations are seen as bidah, or forbidden innovations. Consequently, there is no Islamic “celebration” of the Islamic New Year, much less Christmas. Christmas goes against the core beliefs of their religion, such as the Trinity and Jesus’ deity.
-> See also: Do Jews Celebrate Christmas?
Muslim View on Christmas
Jesus was a prophet of God, according to Muslims, and he was born of a virgin (Mary). They also anticipate that he will come back to Earth before the Day of Judgment to establish justice and vanquish al-Masih ad-Dajjal (the deceitful Messiah), commonly known as the Antichrist. Muslims believe that it is a violation of their monotheistic faith to celebrate or even acknowledge the Christmas festival. Muslims believe in Jesus as a prophet. However, they reject the Trinity and Jesus’ divinity as central tenets of Christianity.
However, there are still some Muslims who partake in the celebrations for the sake of cultural adoption without engaging in Christian practices (since they are forbidden in Islam). Similarly, many Muslims don’t recognize the Islamic holiday of Mawlid an-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Mohammed, as an authentic Islamic holiday since it was instituted in Egypt in the 9th century AD by the Fatimid dynasty. When it comes to most holidays like Easter, Christmas, Halloween, Diwali, Valentine’s Day, etc., Muslims are firm in their conviction that these are pagan festivities (“haram”) that should be avoided at all costs.
-> See also: Do Muslims Celebrate Halloween?
How Jesus Is Treated in Islam
Isa ibn Maryam (“Jesus, son of Mary”) is one of Islam’s most venerated prophets. Jesus is considered by Muslims to be the Messiah, just as he is by Christians. They, on the other hand, reject the idea that Jesus was born in a manger or that he was born in Bethlehem. Furthermore, they do not believe that the Three Wise Men followed the North Star.
Which Muslim Countries Celebrate Christmas?
It’s common practice to celebrate Christmas around the world for both religious and secular reasons. The worldwide variety of Islam is reflected in the vast range of opinions on Christmas.
For instance, in various Muslim countries, such as Egypt (10% Christian), Lebanon (30% Christian), the United Arab Emirates (9% Christian), Jordan (2% Christian), Palestine (2% Christian) and Turkey (0.2% Christian), people put up Christmas trees, light up buildings and streets, and have holiday parties. They also exchange presents with their Christian relatives, friends, and neighbors.
Reasons Why Muslims Do Not Celebrate Christmas
- Basic Beliefs: Most Muslims do not observe Christmas due to religious convictions that the holiday originated with Christians and has no place in Islam.
- Sinful Acts: According to Muslims, since Christmas celebrations often involve excessive drinking and other non-Islamic behaviors, it may lead to immoral actions, might be seen as mimicking non-believers, and is likely to contribute to a Muslim missing the dawn prayer (salat) the following morning.
- Date of Birth: Jesus Christ was not born on December 25, as commonly believed; this is a fact attested to by both the Quran and the Bible.
- “Not My New Year”: Because of the lunar nature of the Islamic calendar, their new year starts at the moment each new moon appears in the sky. Gregory’s solar calendar, which gained widespread use in the 6th century, had nothing to do with their calendar in any way.
- Fundamental Teachings: Celebrating a prophet’s birth, in their eyes, is the same thing as following that prophet’s teachings. Not adhering to the teachings is a way to earn God’s wrath.
- Protecting Identity: Muslim scholars preach that Muslims should not observe Christmas or other non-Muslim festivals in order to maintain their culture.
Why Some Muslims Still Choose to Celebrate Christmas
- Cultural Stimulation: For a variety of reasons, some Muslims opt to take part in Christmas festivities. Some Muslims celebrate Christmas because they recognize its cultural significance rather than its theological gravity. They believe that spending Christmas with Christian friends won’t compromise their beliefs and see it as a chance to share in the joy of the time.
- Interfaith Families: Muslims don’t commemorate this holiday due to its obvious Christian roots but some of them can still celebrate it out of respect for their non-Muslim relatives in interfaith families. But they still do not commemorate Christmas as a religious festival since it contradicts their faith’s distinctions, notably the doctrine of the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus.
What Do Muslims Think About Santa Claus or Snowman?
Santa Claus
In the eyes of some Muslims, St. Nicholas or Santa Claus represents the kindheartedness and charity that are valued in Islam. But in Islam and the Arab world, there is no Santa Claus, like there is Santa-san in Japan. Santa Claus represents materialism in the eyes of Muslims, who feel that the original meaning of Christmas has been lost in the commercialization. The exploitation of Santa Claus for political purposes is a cause for worry, particularly in Muslim nations.
Snowman
A leading Saudi preacher said that snowmen are inherently “anti-Islamic” and thus prohibited their construction. Invoking the kingdom’s stringent interpretation of Sunni Islam, the preacher stated that constructing a snowman was “tantamount” to making an image of a human person, which is forbidden in Islam. However, this is not taken into account by the present legislation in Saudi Arabia, and Muslims all around Saudi Arabia are free to construct snowman.
What Do Muslims Celebrate in December?
Muslim holidays are based on the Islamic lunar calendar, which is around 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar. As a result, Islamic holy days change every year. Possible December celebrations include the following:
Eid al-Mawlid
In the third month of the Islamic calendar, Rabi’ al-Awwal, Muslims commemorate the birth of the prophet Muhammad. The particular day might vary among various sects of Muslims. In some years, this Islamic holiday falls in December.
Rabi’ al-Thani
The lunar Islamic calendar enters its fourth month at this time. The death of Abdul Qadir Gilani (a Sufi saint) is commemorated by certain Sunni Muslims on the 11th of Rabi’ al-Thani, whereas the birth of the 11th Imam, Hasan al-Askari, is celebrated by some Shia communities on the 10th of the same month.
Jumada al-Awwal
The Islamic calendar has reached the fifth month. Some Shia Muslims commemorate the passing of Fatima, the Prophet Muhammad’s daughter, on the fifth of Jumada al-Awwal; however, this day is not frequently observed as a holiday. These celebrations may not always occur in December because of the lunar calendar shifts that occur each year.