[MADRASA] Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!, Christmas Parties and Celebrating?

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[MADRASA] Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!, Christmas Parties and Celebrating?
Kashif
07/10/01 at 00:24:38
As we approach the end of the year 2000, we rejoice in the fact that Allah has extended our lives so that we have seen yet another Ramadan. Its another chance for us to partake of its tremendous blessings: we leave our food and drink in the daytime, and fill the mosques in the evenings worshipping Allah. It is another chance for us to make a fresh start and a time for us to charge ourselves with imaan to take us into the new year and beyond.

However, just around the corner is an event that has made the non-Muslims in our offices and universities excited too: the Christmas party. And we've been invited!!!

We know that at these parties the alcohol will flow, so this puts us in the sticky situation of knowing that as Muslims we shouldn't really be attending these events, but at the same time we don't want to appear different to everyone else. So what do we do?

Is the excuse "I'll go but I won't drink" good enough?

What does the Qur'an say?

Our Maker has established an important principle for us to measure our actions by - a sort of benchmark for us to judge ourselves whether we are doing the right thing or not:

"Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): "If you love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful." [Qur'an 3:31]

What Allah is saying is that if we TRULY love Allah then we need to demonstrate this by following His Prophet in all of our affairs; and when we do that THEN Allah will love us and forgive us.

Regarding the very nature of alcohol that is made to be consumed, the Messenger of Allah said "Truly Allah has cursed khamr(alcohol) and has cursed the one who produces it, the one for whom it is produced, the one who drinks it, the one who serves it, the one who carries it, the one for whom it is carried, the one who sells it, the one who earns from the sale of it, the one who buys it, and the one for whom it is bought." [Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah]

And specifically the Messenger said "Whoever believes in Allaah and the last day, should not sit at a table where wine is being served." [Tirmidhi]

We leave it to our believing brothers and sisters to decide now whether it is permissible or impermissible to go to parties where there is wine and other evils are openly practised.

When the believer sits in such gatherings it is as if his heart dies from merely seeing what is going on and saying nothing about it. Even if he himself does not partake of it, doesn't the Muslim's very presence put his stamp of approval on what is going on there?



Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
Sara
11/11/00 at 18:53:41
Assalam,
Good post! Now I got a question. I have 2 younger sisters who are in elementary school. And they have Christmas parties every year. And my mom really doesn't care and lets them participates in them. For example,everyone in their class has to bring presents for one person and refreshments for the class. What can I say to my mom to make her change her mind? She's hard headed.
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
Mona
11/11/00 at 19:48:38
assalamu alaikum,

Well Sara, your Mum has to think more about the long term effects of celebrating christmas at school. Sure things seem innocuous now since it only involves giving gifts to other kids. But then if things continue as they are, pretty soon your sisters will get used to the idea of celebrating christmas and may even [most certainly will] ask for christmas to be celebrated at your home by exchanging gifts and having a tree. Will that be okay then?  

wassalam

Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
humble_muslim
11/11/00 at 23:28:56
I agree with Kashif 100%.  But this again brings up the question I posed a few days ago, which is : It it permissable to eat in a restautarent where alcohol is being served, if you are sitting on a table where it is not being served ?
NS
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
Arsalan
11/11/00 at 23:46:35
Assalamu alaikum,

humble_muslim, I know the answer to your question but I have no evidence for it!  So I'm gonna keep my mouth shut.

I have a question though ... why is Christmas called Xmas (and Christians - Xtians)? Does anyone know? Does it have anything to do with the X being a symbol of a cross ??
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
bhat
11/12/00 at 11:02:13
Br Kashif,
Assalamualaikum Warrahmatillah,
I joined the medina community just few weeks ago and have constantly observed how nice and far fetched your posts tend to be. May Allah swt help you in your good deeds. Your post about Xmas parties etc is 100% true. Yes there is no excuse but to obey Allah swt.
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
Kathy
11/12/00 at 11:14:28
slm
How do you feel about exposing your children to their  holiday - but not letting them celebrate it?
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
Arsalan
11/13/00 at 01:16:36
[quote]I joined the medina community just few weeks ago and have constantly observed how nice and far fetched your posts tend to be. [/quote]*lol*  I think the brother meant to say far [i]sighted[/i] ;-)

Wassalamu alaikum
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
Kashif
11/13/00 at 04:35:21
assalaamu alaikum

Thank you bhat for your comments & and ameen to your du'a - for all of us. Thank you Arsalan also for your correction.

This forum is a nice one because everyone who posts contributes in some way to the almost vibrant atmosphere here. This is probably the only forum on the net which i've visited where people discuss topics without resorting to insulting and going to extremes.

Kashif
Wa Salaam
NS
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
proudtobemuslim
11/13/00 at 11:10:22
Assalam-u-Alaikum,

Thought I'd just add a bit more regarding celebrating Christmas... well it's a lot more than just alcohol.

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came [to Madeenah] and they had two days in which they would (relax and) play. He said, “What are these two days?” They said, “We used to play (on these two days) during the Jaahiliyyah.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has given you something better instead of them: Yawm al-Duhaa [Eid al-Adha] and Yawm al-Fitr [Eid al-Fitr].” (Reported by Abu Dawood).

This is just one hadith.

We also can't forget the fact that when we go to a Christmas party we are actively participating in the celebration of the birth of God (or the birth of the son of God)!!  Subhan-Allah, how can we dare show our face on the Day of Judgement knowing that we once celebrated his birth?  

Even congratulating the Christians on this occasion is not allowed since it declares that you approve of their rituals and customs... even if you don't accept them for yourself.

This is just some stuff which I thought I should post.  As usual, go ahead to the ever useful Islam-qa.com article:

http://www.islam-qa.com/topics/Christmas.shtml

Wassalam-u-Alaikum
Uzer
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
bhat
11/13/00 at 14:56:55
Assalamualaikum Warrahmatullah,
Many thanks for your correction Br. Arsalan. Well point noted for future. And yes this is one of the best forums on the net. And please call me Riyaz. Looks like I need to give a little introduction in the Bebzi stand.
Wassalam.
NS
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
kiwi25
11/13/00 at 20:12:05
assalamu alaikum everybody,

i hate christmas time soo much, one is because u constantly see it and taste, two is becasue since my birthday is on christmas , i get asked the  dumb questions, like do i get twice the presents, can i drink? because its christmas AND my birthday (they suppose since christmas is my brithday i celebrate it) im also asked if i want to come to parties and like the brother said yes alcohol is served, and all? so point is i guess i really hate this holiday, salam nouha:)
NS
Re: Its nearly Xmas and YOU are invited!
Malika
11/14/00 at 13:13:00

[quote]

 Subhan-Allah, how can we dare show our face on the Day of Judgement knowing that we once celebrated his birth?  

[/quote]

For many re-birthed Muslims we once did celebrate this custom but Allah (swt) who is full of Mercy guided us to the straight path.  And has forgiven us for our erring ways regarding this. So for these muslims they can be proud to show their face.


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