Salâmun `alaika yâ al-Masîh! (Peace on You, Jesus)
Oleh: Novriantoni
We sometimes fail to remember that many Muslims were no longer interested in building a social gap with others of different faith. They realize that congratulating non-Muslims on their holidays does not contain theological interest, but it is a way to build tolerance and respect among religious disciples.
In the end of year, some Muslims were trapped by Islamic legal questions on whether they were allowed to wish the Christians a merry Christmas or not. The answer varies and depends on the perspective of Muslim clerics. However, it seems that most of them forbid Muslims to congratulate the Non-Muslim’s holiday.
One of the reasons behind this prohibition is due to its negative implication. They presume that to congratulate Non-Muslims on their holidays (e.g. Christmas) is to justify their beliefs, while according to Islamic perception some aspects of these beliefs have been manipulated and corrupted (muharraf).
Some of them will add a brief historical data about Christmas, that it is a mere extension of a festival called Natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of invincible sun) which was a custom of Roman pagans. This ritual then adopted into the Christian’s tradition and became part of the Christian’s doctrine despite of different dates of celebration. The Roman Catholic Church, Protestant Church, Greek and Roman Orthodox Church celebrate it on 25 December. While most of Eastern Orthodox Church such as Coptic Church in Egypt, celebrate it on 7th of January.
These additional facts used to affirm the prohibition of wishing the Christians on Christmas day. Therefore, Muslims who tolerate Christian’s religious practice, for instance by wishing them a merry Christmas, will be regarded as admitting unjustified thing in Islam.
They will also insert in their argument surah al-Maidah: 3 “This day have I perfected your religion for you and completed My favour unto you, and have chosen for you as religion Al-Islam” and Ali Imran: 19 “Lo! Religion with Allah is al-Islam”. Popular interpretation of these verses asserts that Islam is the only perfect, complete and blessed religion.
Another reason behind this prohibition is an assumption that saying a merry Christmas will blemish common Muslim’s faith, which I think is exaggerated. Based on various reasons too, a famous Muslim cleric in Jakarta advised the President of Indonesia not to join the Christmas celebration and to appoint a Christian cabinet minister instead of him.
I think this advice will be neglected in countries with strong Islamic tradition such as Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan etc, because it seems to underestimate the capability of Muslim (even president) to guard his faith. Everyone knows that congratulating the Christians on Christmas day is just an ethical conduct and part of social wisdom within society.
We sometimes fail to remember that many Muslims were no longer interested in building a social gap with others of different faith. They realize that congratulating non-Muslims on their holidays does not contain theological interest, but it is a way to build tolerance and respect among religious disciples.
Such trivial deed seems as an oasis in the dessert, within the escalation of religious intolerance today. I think wishing a merry Christmas will never bring about faith destruction for Muslims, but create peace and social harmony in this plural country.
Based on this consideration, I sincerely wish all my Christian friends a merry Christmas in the similar wording to Quranic verses surah Maryam 33: “Peace on you (Isa or Jesus) the day you were born, the day you died, and the day you raised alive!”
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is it a true gap?
I grew up in moslem community (95%), and I met only 1 or 3 christian’s friends. I was taught much about Dinul Islam, at home or at school. I proud in it. And as long as I live, I found that there is no gap between the non-moslem people. Why?,, because we are the majority and always protect this relationship. Then the data show up that the conflicts about religion always happen when the moslems are minor. I never congratulate the other Days, but it is doesn’t matter. I mean it doesn’t break our friendship. I clearly understand about Aqidah (vertical belief) and Mu’amalah (Human relation), so I could separate some thing related to Aqidah and Mu’amalah itself. I hope every moslem could understand this. As moslem, we have to present the strong belief for the Hereafter Day, for ALLAH the only God, etc. And we also have to take care our people, whatever belief they have. And, if Novri said about the Quran, I suggest him to look for the history of the coming of Islam. Because in my belief, Prophet Isa as mentioned in teh Quran is completely different from Jesus. Why?.. Because the person who is assumed as Jesus is the Person who are killed (disalib) at that time. And here the moslem belief that Prophet Isa as is protected by Allah from this kind of processing (penyaliban). So, I disagree if you use the holy Quran to your argument, but no body will prohibit you of course. You could say anything you want, but please give attention for this mistake.
wallahua’lam, pardon me,
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when i was browsing i found this intertesting topic and made my eyes watch closely to it. it’s (congratulating christian/s) not supposed to be a big issue. does it mean you are not a tollerated person when you’re not congratuating a christian? does congratulating a christian make you more tollerated? i, my self as a muslim, feel ok if my muslim friends don’t congratulate me when i’m having idul fithri or the like, and so they do. it’s too narrow putting congratulating one’s holiday in perspective of tolleration among religions or between muslim and christian particularly.and one thing for sure you can’t compare all religions though, some people thought including you probably, they purpose one thing; the goodness. guys, each religion has its own way to “face” the God. it has its own belief/faith (akidah)which is, of course, different one another.i don’t mean to be “secullar” but let each religion run on its own track. don’t mess them out under tolleration perspective!!! thanx
Your last statements, “Based on this consideration, I sincerely wish all my Christian friends a merry Christmas in the similar wording to Quranic verses surah Maryam 33: “Peace on you (Isa or Jesus) the day you were born, the day you died, and the day you raised alive!”
I dont understand—knowing your background as Al Azhar grad- take Isa here as the same person of Jesus in Christianity. You must know it’s not Isa, its another person (Judas) whose face had been changed like Isa! So, you can not put this surah as your justification to your subject above!
We moslems already give our toleration and understanding in other aspects (there will be a very lost lists if u wish and I’m sure u know better than me). So, why this not giving-christmast congrats should be a big issue for non moslems to points moslems as not being a good, tolerant ummat??? Pliss de ahh!
“...I think this advice will be neglected in countries with strong Islamic tradition such as Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Jordan etc, because it seems to underestimate the capability of Muslim (even president) to guard his faith. Everyone knows that congratulating the Christians on Christmas day is just an ethical conduct and part of social wisdom within society.....”
comment : I think it’s ridicilous to take the perspectives from a criminal....what’s mean???? mostly of arab countries are ruled by dictator system...they’re not only urging people to “keep silence” from politics...they also urging people to believe islam as they see....a secular Turkey founder urging secular to his people backed by guns and weapons from his army....well this is not the way the moslem use to be while seculars history believes violence since a long time......what doyou think?????? I think you need army backup to make a mess within moderate moslems here.....or in order to “secularizing moderate moslems” well its pretty humiliating
I have got some comments to Misbahul Huda. I think you had misunderstood what Novriantoni was saying.
Personally, I completely disagree with your points, referring questioning Novriantoni’s opinion about comparing Islam and Christian beliefs. It is a very irritating issue, due to every religion has its own positives and also negatives definitely, in other faith’s points of view).
The truth is no one will choose to have a religion if there is an impediment in his/her belief. Everybody thinks that his/her religion is the best. full stop!!
To solve this problem, why don’t we reflect ourselves? Are we doing the right thing based on our religion? Should we stay away from Christians, Buddhists, Hinduists, etc. though we are living in multicultural country? Does Islam teach us to hate other beliefs whatever some different perceptions we had?
I believe that Indonesia is a multicultural country, which is giving best opportunity to its citizen to choose its own religion. It is true that there are lots of extreme beliefs in Christian which are destructive, including in Ambon, Sulawesi, Papua, etc.
Of course, we are not supporting those particular beliefs which I had mentioned.
I reckon Novriantoni gave a briliant argument about the religion gap in Indonesia. He knows that social interactive should be built whatever the differences occured. Questioning his opinion about not presenting the negative side of Christian would not solve the real problem.
Or… may be you (Misbahul Huda) just happy to see the gap between Muslims and Christians getting wider and wider???
Regards, Sidiq
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