The Christmas festival celebrated today is a fusion of ancient pagan innovation, and evolving traditions. This origin, and the innovative disposition of Christmas, marks the disconnect from the spiritual meaning it purports to symbolize. The discerning mind is quick to comprehend that, the Christmas equation does not add up, subsequently lumping up the whole story together with the principal figure as a projection of myth like it's earlier versions; celebrating the winter solstice, Saturnus (the harvest god) and Mithras (the ancient god of light) in pagan-Rome. Moreover, the introduction of Santa Claus, Christmas trees and the commercialization of Christmas magnifies the spiritual bankruptcy of the celebration.
To highlight the effect of deceptive religious symbols on faith, this article explores the origin of Christmas and focuses on the Quranic injunction to Muslims "...do not be like or emulate those who received the book (Jews and Christians) before you" (57:16). History establishes that, the principal inventive nature of Christianity and Judaism, and the adoption of foreign customs and dogmas, coupled with the habits of some corrupt clergy strike a lethal blow to religion. Science or human intellect on the other hand, further asserts itself as the ultimate judge; therefore replacing God. Christmas, it is claimed, is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus, peace be upon him.
'I bear witness that, there is no god but Allah and Jesus is his true prophet and messenger' is the testimony of faith borne by those who submitted to Jesus peace be upon him's call. This universal testimony of faith is generic to all prophets of God. "Believe in one God and follow me". Subjecting Christmas as a religious celebration to scrutiny, is misappropriation of the scarce resources. A little known and lesser accepted celebration was reinvented by merchants. As early as the 1830s, merchants spawned Christmas to what it is today for economic returns. It is disturbing as well to note that, even the Christmas date is not a historical fact. Given the difficulties and the desire to bring pagans into Christianity, William Walsh says, "The important fact then which I have asked you to get clearly into your head is that the fixing of the date as December 25th was a compromise with paganism" (The Story of Santa Klaus, 1970, p. 62).
There were three positions regarding the celebration of Christmas in the Church: first, outright objection on the basis of lack of biblical proof. This was the position of most fundamental churches; the second position held the same view as the first one, but left the decision to celebrate on the local churches. Ostensibly these churches only celebrated Christmas if it fell on Sunday; the third position was holding a service to mark the 'saviour's birth'. This last position was held from the mid of the 19th century. (David Gos). However, some Christians have maintained the first position, and further reiterate Christmas' pagan origin as their basis for its rejection (David B Loughram). Under the heading "Italian expert links first Christmas celebration to pagan shrine in Rome" in December 22, 2007 the International Herald Tribune traces Christmas to paganism and argues that, Churches were built next to or on pagan shrines to christianize them. Nonetheless, does this pagan origin affect Jesus peace be upon him ?
Jesus peace be upon him, whom millions claim to commemorate his birth on Christmas is a prophet of Allah according to Islam. Islam teaches Muslims to believe him and his message (Quran, 2;87), indeed one cannot be a Muslim and prefer one prophet over another; this is tantamount to kufr or disbelief. (Quran, 2;136). Arguably Muslims have a right over Jesus more than Christians, throughout history Christians have continued to vilify and watch his vilification with a laidback attitude. His miraculous birth is among Allah’s attributes; khalq or power of creation. To create, Allah doesn’t not need anything. In the case of Adam peace be upon him, Allah created him without the male or the female gamete. He created Hawaa or Eve from the male alone and created Jesus from the female alone.
Jesus came with one mission; inviting the Children of Israel to believe in one God and follow his teaching in fulfilling the law (Torah). (Quran, 5; 46), (42; 13). Muslims believe in Jesus peace be upon him and his message the Injeel or the Gospel. However, the distortion of the original message therein, brought about by the clergy, only warrants a general acceptance of the message the remit of which is outside the scope of this article. The inconsistencies in the Bible are partly to blame for rejection of religion in the west.
Allah strengthened Jesus peace be upon him with clear signs and proof to carry out his mission (Quran, 5:110). However, these signs prove to be the stumbling block to many. Rather than demonstrate Allah’s power, they are used to glorify Jesus and elevate him to a god. The Quran explicitly argues against this blasphemous dogma “Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not "Trinity” (Quran, 4;171). Loughram brings to focus the 'crucifiction' which the Quran affirms never took place (Quran, 4;157); "true believers must give up celebrating the heathen festivals of Christmas, Easter, and Ash-Wednesday".
Despite acknowledging the pagan origin of Christmas and the explicit Islamic injunction against celebrating ceremonies of other religions, Muslims, in the name of good neighborliness or religious pluralism, continue to celebrate Christmas. Undeniably, the challenge posed by religious pluralism is overwhelming and many would rather reciprocate neighborly niceties than be called fundamentalist or worse still terrorists! Intolerance indeed, the pressure on Muslims to adapt to other cultures is great. The death of religion as earlier argued, starts with incorporating man's ideas through bid'a or innovation and adopting human cultures. Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him word's portended this warning; "The Jews were split up into seventy-one or seventy-two sects; and the Christians were split up into seventy one or seventy-two sects; and my community will be split up into seventy-three sects" all of them will be in hell fire except one. Holding fast to the authentic teachings of Islam remains our constant jihad.
© 2009 Badru Jaffar Swaleh
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It was just a designated date by the Catholic church. They never deny the arbitrary date picking. They suspected that the actual date was in April.
ReplyDeleteThe Catholics knew for sure that it is never a history fact but an arbitrary date picked by a group of old priests.