Questioner: Assalaam Alaikum. Please I have a question that is bothering me which I need a good answer to. Can a Muslim participate in Christmas celebration?
Answer: Wa alaikumus salaam warahmatullahi wabarakaatuh. Praise be to Allah and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad. As the season of Christmas approaches, questions often arise concerning Muslims participating in Christmas celebrations. Islam provides clear guidance on this matter and there is a scholarly consensus on it.
The direct answer to this question is that it is not permissible for a Muslim to participate in Christmas celebrations and any other non-Muslim celebrations like New Year or easter festivals. With the growing diversity in societies, many Muslims wonder today that, what is wrong for a Muslim to participate in Christmas celebrations.
Islam is a religion built on submission to Allah’s will and the guidance provided in the Quran and Sunnah. Let’s go into the Quran and Sunnah to clearly explain what prohibits a Muslim to participate in Christmas celebrations.
Christmas celebration contradicts Tawheed (Oneness of Allah)
Christmas celebrated on December 25th, is a significant holiday and festival for Christians around the world. They use this day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, whom we Muslims also revere as a prophet known as Isa (Peace be upon him).
It’s crucial to understand what Christmas represents. For many Christians, they regard Jesus as God and some regard him as the son of God. While they are celebrating his birth even after having the belief that he is God or God’s son is a total disbelief and associating partners to Allah (Almighty God). Allah says in the Quran:
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begets not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him.” (Qur’an 112:1-4)
“They say, ‘The Most Merciful has taken a son.’ You have done an atrocious thing. The heavens almost rupture therefrom, and the earth splits open, and the mountains collapse in devastation.”
(Surah Maryam 19:88-90)
Allah made it clear in the above verses to clear the misconceptions of saying Allah has a partner, son or wife. He is One, Allahu Akbar. He has no wife not to talk of having a son. We human beings are the ones in need of that. Allah who created the heaven and the earth is in no need of any helper.
The statement they are saying about Allah having a son is a great sin itself that almost causes the heavens to break down and the earth to split. May Allah save us from this statement not to even affirm it.
Celebrating Christmas is like imitating the disbelievers in their action
We have understood from the above explanation that the belief of the Christians about the prophet Isa (Jesus Christ) is a total disbelief that can take any Muslims that have such belief too out of the fold of Islam. So what about imitating them and joining them in this practice
Saying that Allah has a son and affirming it in mind will take a Muslim out of the fold of Islam likewise accepting that those who are doing it are doing the right thing. That is accepting that the belief of the Christians is right too. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
(Sunan Abu Dawood 4031)
Muslims believe that Prophet Isa called Jesus (peace be upon him) is one of the greatest Prophets, not the son of God. Therefore, for a Muslim to participate in Christmas celebrations means that he also accepts that the prophet Isa is a Son of God and celebrating the day of his birth is right. By doing this, one has joined them in the act and will be out of the fold of Islam after knowing about this.
It is not allowed to participate in doing Christmas carols or decorating homes with Christmas trees, gingerbread houses, and other decorations. It is not allowed to exchange Christmas gifts with them too. And our Prophet has warned us about this and their ways before. He said:
“You will surely follow the path of those before you, step by step and inch by inch. If they entered a lizard hole, you would follow.” We said, “O Messenger of Allah, do you mean the Jews and Christians?” The Prophet said, “Who else?”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3456, Sahih Muslim 2669
Our Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) has already said that stylishly and foolishly we will be following their way till we become part of them, unknowingly thinking we are doing it out of being nice or good to them. Whereas leading to our own destruction. We should stay in our lane and uphold the guidance of Islam. Allah says:
“To you be your religion, and to me be my religion.”
(Surah Al-Kafirun 109:6)
I hope that our brother who asked the question “Can A Muslim Participate In Christmas Celebration” now has a better understanding of its impermissibility. We ask Allah to grant us steadfastness.
Evidence of the Impermissibility of Christmas From A Great Christian Pastor
There was a statement from the General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry in the name of Pastor W.F. Kumuyi, who said that Christmas is idolatrous. Pastor Kumuyi was quoted in the following words:
“We don’t celebrate Christmas. It actually came from idolatrous background. That is why you don’t hear us sing what they call Christmas Carol. Never! … When you find anybody coming in, or any leader, trying to introduce the idolatry of mystery Babylon that they call Christmas, and you want to bring all the Christmas carol saying that is the day that Jesus was born, and you don’t find that in the Acts of the Apostles or in the early church, then you don’t find that in the church either. If you don’t know that before, now you know.”
Celebrating Christmas As Culture and Not As Religion
Some argue that Christmas today is more like a cultural festival than a religious one. But even if viewed as a cultural event, what about many of its symbols and traditions — like the Christmas tree, carols, and nativity scenes— that still carry religious significance? We should be careful as Muslims and not spoil our faith all because of unnecessary celebrations.
We all heard what the Christian leader said to Pastor Kumuyi about Christmas. What concerns you as a Muslim to participate in Christmas celebrations? Allah warns us:
“And do not follow what you have no knowledge of. Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart—about all those [one] will be questioned.”
(Surah Al-Isra 17:36)
Our Prophet (Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) warned us too:
“You will surely follow the path of those before you, step by step and inch by inch. If they entered a lizard hole, you would follow.” We said, “O Messenger of Allah, do you mean the Jews and Christians?” The Prophet said, “Who else?”
Sahih al-Bukhari 3456
What are the festivals for Muslims?
The festivals of Muslims are two, which is the Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. We also have the weekly festival on Friday. Allah says
“For each [religious following] We have prescribed a law and a method.” (Quran 5:48)
Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are the two celebrations prescribed for Muslims. Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived in Medina during two days which they were celebrating. The Prophet said,
“What are these two days?” They said, “We would celebrate these two days in the time of ignorance.” The Prophet said, “Verily, Allah has replaced these two days with two better days: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.”
Source: Sunan Abi Dawud 1134
“Every nation has its festival, and this is our festival (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha)”
(Sahih al-Bukhari 952)
Allah has prescribed for each nation its own festival and our own festivals are Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. It is also understood that they had a festival during the time of ignorance in Medinah, before which the Prophet told them to stop those ones and hold on to Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adh,a which Allah has ordained for them. This is very clear now that it is not permissible for a Muslim to participate in Christmas celebrations
It is important to be good to them in all way,s but not to compromise our faith for that. Respecting others who are non-Muslim and living harmoniously in diverse societies does not require compromising one’s faith. We can read about things that can nullify one’s Islam here.
As Muslims, we are to adhere to the Quran and Sunnah, maintaining the distinct identity of Islam while showing kindness and respect to others. By avoiding practices that conflict with Islamic teachings, we protect our faith and honor the values entrusted to us by Allah.
May Allah guide us to the straight path and grant us the wisdom to uphold our beliefs in all circumstances. O Allah, guide us to the straight path, the path of those who have earned Your favor, not of those who have gone astray. Aameen.
