What is Christmas? What is Christmas? Islam Explains Islam - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

What is Christmas? What is Christmas? Islam Explains Islam Explains

National Nasirat Team

Qudoos Bhatti, Sabahat Pall, Attiya Ghani Jaziba Bahri, Rabia Anwar, Amna Anwar

What is Christmas? What is Christmas?

Christmas

Christmas is the annual Christian festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ (as) The celebration is observed on December 25th Christians celebrate Christmas by visiting family, giving gifts, caroling, attending mass, and much more It is celebrated religiously by Christians and culturally by non-Christians Christmas Day is a public holiday in many parts of the world and is an integral part of the holiday season

The History of Christmas: Origins in Pagan Customs The History of Christmas: Origins in Pagan Customs

Originates with ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Dies Natalis Solis Invicti’

• r Yule (Northern European

festival) Dies Natalis Solis Invicti is the “Winter Solstice” festival that celebrates the shortest day and longest night of the year The winter solstice was celebrated by humans as far back as the Stone Age The winter solstice was celebrated with fire, lights,

• ffering gifts and sacrifices to

gods Instead of working, Romans spent Saturnalia gambling, singing, playing music, feasting, socializing and giving each other gifts During Saturnalia, Romans would close work, businesses, schools and courts Saturnalia started as a single day but eventually extended to a week starting December 17th and the winter solstice fell on December 25th Saturnalia was a pagan festival honoring the agricultural god Saturn Romans decorated their homes with wreaths and

• ther greenery

Christianity adopted the timing and the rituals of the Pagan traditions to make converting easier This is why most of the customs, symbols, and rituals associated with "Christmas" are actually linked to the Pagan/Roman festivals Today, all of these traditions and customs of Christmas have become a BIG money- making business and have little to do with the religion

The History of Christmas: Origins in Pagan Customs The History of Christmas: Origins in Pagan Customs

Mithra, originally an Indo-Iranian sun god that had a great mystery cult in the Roman empire Saturn, the Roman god of sowing

• seed. He is equated

with the Greek agricultural god Cronus

Saturnalia Dies Dies Natalis Natalis Solis Solis Invicti Invicti (‘Birthday of (‘Birthday of the the Unconquerable Unconquerable Sun”) Sun”)

The History of Christmas : Why December 25 The History of Christmas : Why December 25

th th?

In 350 AD, Pope Julius I

• fficially declared that the

birth of Jesus would be celebrated on December 25th The Pagan/Roman Festivals of Saturnalia and the Winter Solstice The Immaculate conception is accepted by Western Church to be March 25th (9 months later makes it December 25th)

Likely chosen based on two reasons Made converting to Christianity easier

Custom/Tradition Brief Description Nativity Plays and Church services Schools and churches have plays to reenact the birth story of Jesus Christ as in the

• Bible. Christians attend either a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day service at their

Church as an important part of the Christmas celebration. Music and Carols Christmas hymns appeared in 4th century Rome but songs or carols became popular and strong tradition by the 13th century Traditional Feasts Christmas feasts vary in different parts of the world but usually include a large bird like turkey or goose, gravy, potatoes, vegetables, sometimes bread and cider. Special desserts are also prepared, such as Christmas pudding, mince pies, fruit cake, Yule log cake and eggnog. In Europe, some countries have fish, lamb, beef, chicken or pork. Cards Christmas cards started in London in the 1800s and has since become a tradition where family and friends share cards the weeks before Christmas wishing each other a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Decorations Decorating houses and churches started in the 15th century. Today it includes lights, plants (Christmas tree, wreaths, holly, mistletoe), include bells, candles, candy canes, stockings, and angels. Santa Claus and Gift Giving (continued…) This was the practice of Romans during the Saturnalia festival and has been adopted by Christians. Santa Claus is the term referring to Saint Nicholas (born in 280AD in modern-day Turkey) who was known for his kindness and piety and became known as the protector of children, and his popularity spread around the world.

Christmas Customs and Traditions Christmas Customs and Traditions

More about Santa Claus More about Santa Claus

During the Holiday season, seeing a Santa Claus somewhere is unavoidable, so lets learn a bit more about him...

Santa Claus

His popular image is based on traditions associated with Saint Nicholas, a 4th-century Christian saint He is a legendary, mythical, historical figure who is the traditional patron of Christmas in America and other countries, who brings gifts to children He is said to bring gifts to the homes of the good children during the late evening and

• vernight hours of Christmas Eve, December

24th He is depicted as a portly, joyous, white- bearded man (sometimes with glasses) wearing a red coat with white collar and cuffs, white-cuffed red trousers, and black leather belt and boots

“Sinterklaas” was the Dutch depiction of Saint Nicholas. The figure of Santa Claus, and his role during Christmas, is largely based

• n the Dutch Sinterklaas. He was

“elegantly garbed in a bishop’s tall hat, red cape, shiny ring, and jeweled staff.” The modern day image

• f Santa also became

popular in the US and Canada during the 19th century due to the significant influence of Clement Clarke Moore‘s 1823 poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas”.

The Dutch settled in the Hudson Valley over 300 years ago and brought Sinterklaas with them to the U.S.

Why Muslims do not Celebrate Christmas Why Muslims do not Celebrate Christmas

Why Muslims Don’t Celebrate Christmas and Associated Customs It is SHIRK! Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ (as) as the SON OF GOD born to save the world! The whole Christian belief system behind Christmas is a fabrication. We know this because Allah tells us so in the Holy Qur’an in Surah Al-Kahf. Even though we know Jesus Christ (as) was a Prophet, Muslims still do not celebrate the birth of Prophets because the Prophets didn’t celebrate birthdays and we follow their examples. Most traditions and customs during Christmas originate in Pagan festivals (or were just created in recent history) and have nothing to do with the Christian faith itself. As Muslims, we know for sure that Jesus Christ (as) was not born in the winter season and the date of December 25th was just chosen by a man 350 years after Jesus’s (as) birth. The Holy Prophet (saw) said, “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (Abu Dawood), and we are Muslims, so we should not take part in any Christian customs that go against our Islamic teachings.

اًدَﻟَو ُﱣ َذَﺧﱠﺗا اوُﻟﺎَﻗ َنۡﯾِذﱠﻟا َرِذۡﻧُﯾ ﱠو ﴿٭۵﴾ ۡتَرُﺑَﮐ ؕ ۡمِﮩِﺋٓﺎَﺑِٰﻻ َﻻ ﱠو ٍمۡﻠِﻋ ۡنِﻣ ٖہِﺑ ۡمُﮩَﻟ ﺎَﻣ َنۡوُﻟۡوُﻘﱠﯾ ۡنِا ؕ ۡمِﮩِﮨاَوۡﻓَا ۡنِﻣ ُجُرۡﺧَﺗ ًۃَﻣِﻠَﮐ ﴿ ﺎًﺑِذَﮐ ﱠﻻِا۶﴾ “And that it may warn those who say, ‘ Allah has taken unto Himself a son.’ No knowledge have they thereof, nor had their fathers. Grievous is the word that comes from their

• mouths. They speak

naught but a lie.” (Surah Al-Kahf, 18:5-6)

Ahmadi Beliefs on the Conception and Birth of Jesus (as Ahmadi Beliefs on the Conception and Birth of Jesus (as

Hadhrat Maryam (ra) and the Conception & Birth

• f Jesus Christ (as)

Hadhrat Maryam (ra), mother of Jesus was an extremely righteous woman and so was chosen by Allah to be the mother of Jesus Christ She was chosen to be part of a miracle which would prove to be a great trial for her (as it would be for any young woman of that time) Hadhrat Maryam (ra) was in isolation when an Angel appeared. She was scared because he was in the form of a man, but he told her he was a messenger of God and gave her glad tidings of a pious son She was in shock because she wasn’t married so she replied, ‘How can I have a son when no man has touched me, neither have I been unchaste?” (19:21) The Angel said, “Thus it is.’ But says thy Lord, ‘It is easy for Me…” meaning Allah has the power to do

• anything. (19:22)

She couldn’t explain the miraculous conception and pregnancy to anyone, “So she conceived him, and withdrew with him to a remote place” (19:23) When Hadhrat Maryam (ra) was in childbirth, she sat under a palm tree and was told (by an Angel) that there was a stream below for water she needed and to shake the tree for fresh dates to eat. The Angel told her to avoid talking to anyone about the baby, “if thou seest any man, say, ‘I have vowed a fast to the Gracious God; I will therefore not speak this day to any human being.’”

Our Belief on the Conception and Birth of Jesus (as) Our Belief on the Conception and Birth of Jesus (as)

Additional Explanations and Facts:

According to the Qur’an, Hadhrat Maryam (ra) was instructed to eat the fresh dates. Fresh dates are found on palm tress in Judea in August and September, NOT in December. The Bible states, “And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son…And there were shepherds residing in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks by night.” (Luke 2:7-8) This could not happen in the extreme cold winter nights of December. Hadhrat Maryam (ra) was told to wash in the streams below her. Again, this would not have been possible as the streams would have icy cold in December. Unlike Non-Ahmadi Muslims that believe Hadhrat Maryam (ra) returned home with a baby Jesus (as) who literally spoke to the elders about who he was, Ahmadi Muslims believe that Joseph took Hadhrat Maryam (ra) and Jesus (as) to Egypt for many years. They returned to Nazareth when Jesus (as) was already a Prophet. When the elders taunted Hadhrat Maryam (ra) about her unlawful son and tried to embarrass her, she pointed to Jesus (as) who spoke and told them who he was to prove her innocence.

NOTE: “How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle” (Surah Al-Maryam, 19:30), does not mean Jesus (as) spoke as a

• baby. To the elderly,

young to middle age adults are still children to them.

Do’s and Don'ts of Christmas for Ahmadis Do’s and Don'ts of Christmas for Ahmadis

Do’s and Don'ts during Christmas

When someone you know says Merry Christmas, use that as an opportunity to tell them you don’t celebrate it and explain your beliefs. When someone you don’t know says Merry Christmas, reply with something nice like Happy Holidays or Have a Happy/Blessed New Year There is no harm in sharing “Seasons Greeting cards” and gifts with friends, teachers, and

• neighbors. We

should also give charity Study the life of Hadhrat Maryam (ra) and Jesus Christ (as) and continually be grateful to Allah that you have been blessed with the TRUTH. Write an article (for Al-Hilal, school or newspaper) about what Christmas means to you and share your Islamic beliefs about it. Do not attend Christmas parties or partake in any of the associated customs and traditions even if you think it’s harmless and just for fun. If invited, explain you do not celebrate Christmas but could attend another Church service as an interfaith activity for future Tabligh efforts. Never offend anyone

• r put someone

down for their

• beliefs. Our job is to

educate them about

• urs, not to

embarrass them about theirs.

Sources Sources

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• rigin.html

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Image Sources Image Sources

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