Asalamu alaykum!
in sha Allah you are all having a beautifully rewarding Ramadaan.
This is an fantastic reminder.
Sheikh Navaid Aziz
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10 things that bring about the Love of Allah – Ibn alQayyim
Asalamu alaykum!
10 things that bring about the Love of Allah – Ibn alQayyim
1. Recitation of the Qur’an with reflection and understanding of its meaning.
2. Seeking closeness to Allah by performing voluntary deeds after obligatory ones, for that leads one to the highest levels of love.
3. Remembering Allah in every situation by one’s time, heart and deeds. One’s share of that love is to the degree of one’s share with that remembrance.
4. Preferring what He loves to what you love when your desires are strong.
5. Allowing your heart to reflect on His Names and Attributes.
6. Reflecting on His many favours and blessings both the apparent ones and hidden ones, for that leads to His love.
7. Having your heart soften as it is worshipping Allah.
8. Being alone with Him in worship when He descends during the last third of the night. To invoke Him, to recite His speech (Quran), to stand with all sincerity (in prayer) and with good manners and good submission (humility) and to end that with repentance and seeking His forgiveness.
9. Sitting with those who are truthful in their love of Allah.
10. Staying away from all that creates barriers between the heart and Allah.
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم to mankind): “If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Qur’an chapter 3 verse 31]
May Allah enable us to be of those whom He loves and is pleased with, and those who practise what we preach, ya Salam, ya Rabb al alameen! Allahumma salli wasallim alaa nabiyinaa Muhammad!
(Jazakallah khair, courtesy of Sheikh Musleh Khan)
Thurrock Muslims
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The 15th of Sha’ban, Nisf-e-Shaban- What is the significance?
The 15th of Sha’ban, Nisf-e-Shaban- What is the significance?
Asalamu alaykum
Watch this video to find out the truth about the middle of Shaban or shab-e-barat:
May Allah help us adhere to the sunnah of the beloved prophet Muhammad peace be upon him always! Allah bless our prophet Muhammad peace be upon him in abundance. Amin
Thurrock Muslims
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GET READY FOR RAMADAN! Thurrock Muslims -Ramadan preparatory reminders- Fiqh of fasting
Ramadaan preparatory reminders- Fiqh of fasting
Share this vital information with others! https://wp.me/p4GU3D-Cz
Let’s get ready for Ramadan in obedience to our Most Merciful Rabb, Allah!
It is hoped this will inform us of the primary reasons we fast, what is required of us and what to hope for.
May Allah, The Supreme Creator, permit us to fast for none but Him alone, may He reward us for our endeavours, and may He permit us to strive to avoid that which nullifies the fast, and strive to adhere to what maintains and perfects it, in accordance with the teachings of His final prophet peace be upon him. Ameen.
DISCLAIMER: This is for educational purposes and serves as an introduction to the issues pertaining to fasting. Parents/guardians are advised to supervise the following read as some issues which pertain to married adults have been mentioned. Please consult a knowledgeable Islamic scholar (and trustworthy medical professional) for details, particularly for questions and advice related to individual circumstances. We are not scholars and thus cannot issue fatwa, however we endeavour relate to you the words of the scholars who have studied the authentic teachings of Islam from the Qur’an and the Sunnah of prophet Muhammad upon him be peace. And ultimately, Allah knows best.
Fiqh of Fasting – Part 7 (adapted mainly from Sh. Yahya Adel Ibrahim with notes from others)
Summary of Siyam (Fasting) Essentials
What is the meaning of “Siyam?”
The word “siyam” comes from the root word “sowm,” which means “to abstain from.”
Did Muslims fast before 2 A.H.?
Yes, in fact the Prophet sala Allahu alihi wasSalaam and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to fast on various days, including:
1. Day of Ashura (the exodus) when Allah delivered Musa sala Allahu alihi wasSalaam and the Muslims of that time from the evil of Pharaoh. The Prophet (upon him be peace) taught us to fast two days—either the day before or after plus the actual day of Ashura.
2. On the day of Arafat, if not making Hajj
3. The first 9 Days of dhul-Hijjah
4. Mondays & Thursdays through out the year
5. The middle three days of each lunar month (13th, 14th & 15th) when he moon is at its brightest
6. There are some proofs by way of Khadija (May Allah be pleased with her) who reports that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to fast before the prophethood—but we do not know the exact days.
Why was Siyam ordered?
The answer to this question lies only with Allah. However, we can find that there are many benefits and bits of wisdom behind this pious and sincere act.
1. Increases one’s Taqwa (remembrance of Allah in daily affairs), as is stated in the Quran: Surah Baqara verse 183.
2. Trains the body, mind and spirit to bear hardships while remaining patient.
3. Trains the body, mind and spirit to hold back from the natural desires of the human: food, drink, anger, lust, etc.
4. To help one understand what the impoverished go though.
What is the importance of the month of Ramadan?
This is the month in which the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed. This is the month where every dua’ reaches Allah. This is the month where the Muslims are protected from the evil whisperings of the shayateen. This is the month where one plants the seeds of worship, the seeds of taqwa in the earth and harvests the good deeds for sustenance throughout the year. And most importantly, this is the month in which the Quran was revealed—more specifically, on the night of Lailat-ul-Qadr.
Who must fast?
1. One who is Muslim
2. One who has Aql (mental faculties are sound and understands the responsibility of fasting)
3. One who has reached the age of puberty (signs include: growth of pubic hair or nocturnal emissions, emitting maniy, or reaching 15 years of age, occurrence of menses)
4. One who is Kaadir (able to maintain the fast)
What is the requirement for the fast?
Very simply, the fast begins with the niya (intention-this need not be verbal, rather intention resides in the heart)—this is a pre Requisite/ Shart—and then refraining from food, drink and things that break the fast, until the time for Maghrib has arrived.
It must be noted by the reader that one cannot just wake up in the morning and proclaim his fast for that day. This was only allowed for the Prophet sala Allahu alihi wasSalaam. Rather, for the followers, there needs to be mental recognition of the fast BEFORE FAJR in other than the month of Ramadan.
What breaks the fast?
1. Eating
2. Drinking
3. Sexual relations/intimate acts of any type that leads to male or female sexual discharge,
4. Haid (menstrual bleeding)
5. Nifas (post natal bleeding)
6. Intentional vomiting
7. Needles that give you nourishment
For further clarification on some issues:
a. Blood testing is okay
b. If one needs to take Insulin then that person cannot fast
c. Using the puffer for asthma patients is okay—the respiratory type only.
(in sha Allah, see more detailed article on things which nullify the fast)
What happens if a couple has intimate relations during the fast?
• If the couple have intercourse intentionally then they have to make up that day and they have to fast 60 days consecutively, or if unable feed 60 people or Kafarah
What is Kafarah?
This is given only as expiation for sexual infractions during the fast. There are three methods of expiation:
1. Freeing of a slave
2. Fast for 60 consecutive days. If one day is missed then you would start from the beginning again
3. If you are unable to fast, for a legitimate reason (sick, old,etc.) then you may feed 60 miskeen (poor) people. They have to be Muslim people and it can happen on one day as a feast. Also, one can just give the money to feed 60 people. This is considered a debt for that person and they should fulfil it before their death. If they do die then the relatives can either fast for them or feed the miskeen.
What about those that cannot fast, but are of age?
Of those who are excused from the fast are those who have a long-term sickness, the pregnant woman, the woman who is breast-feeding and the traveller. For the traveller, the fast is to be made up. But for the others, they are to pay the Fidya (please note, there is a scholarly difference of opinion regarding who can pay fidyah instead of making up fasts- please consult a scholar for your own case, see the links below). Fidya is to pay for a meal for one miskeen person for everyday that is missed. Like the Kafarah, one can arrange to give 30 days worth of money at one time, or arrange a feast for 30 miskeen people on one day.
PLEASE NOTE however, regarding pregnant and nursing mothers and sickness, please ask a highly knowledge Islamic scholar for individual cases. see this and this-is fidyah enough for pregnant women/sick people or not & should they make up the fast?) . Regarding pregnant and nursing mothers and sick people whose illness goes away and making up missed fasts, see these (who is exempt) and (how to make up fasts for ladies/mothers) and (how to make up missed fasts- sickness and all else)
Confused about your case? Contact a knowledgabe Mufti (try calling up on the Ask the Sheikh programmes on Eman Channel, or similar.)
The Sunnan of Fasting
1. The sahoor and iftaar should be done with the family. If the family is not available then one should make an effort to never break the fast alone.
2. To hurry up with breaking the iftaar—not to delay it. But the sahoor can be delayed right up until the time for Fajr enters.
3. To break the fast with dates, or at least 3 sips of water.
4. To make dua’ of breaking the fast. (“Dhahaba al-zamau’a, wa abtallat al-‘urooq wa thabata al-ajr insha Allah (Thirst has gone, the veins are moist, and the reward is assured, if Allaah wills).” see Arabic below )
5. To increase in acts of ibada (recitation of the Quran) and this should continue after the month of Ramadan has passed.
6. To give more sadaqa (charity).
7. To offer the tahajud prayers and the tarrawih prayers (in congregation).
8. To feed other Muslims, even if they are not needy—meaning to invite people to your house for the iftaar. In fact, when you invite people the host receives the reward that his guest earned on that day (while the guest retains his own reward). This is true even for the one who finances an iftaar, or one who prepares the food.
The Makrooh (hated things) of Fasting
1. To be excessive in rinsing with water, during wudu or other times. Having too much water in the mouth might cause a person to swallow some.
2. To unnecessarily taste food. There cannot be any swallowing and the tongue should be cleaned of any residual taste.
3. Kissing your spouse.
4. To sexually excite/touch your spouse.
5. To lie, to make ghiba (back biting), to do nameema (telling lies to cause two parties to fight). In fact, those who practice nameema do not enter paradise with the first set of Muslims.
6. To not pray the tarrawih or tahajjud in the last 10 days.
What are some the Voluntary Fasts that one may do?
1. The fast of the Prophet Dawood (peace be upon him) was mentioned by Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) as the best. It includes one day of fasting and one day of resting, continuously.
2. The best months for fasting include: Sha’ban, Muharram, Ramadan,Dhul Hijja.
3. The 13th, 14th & 15th of every Islamic month. The reward of fasting these three days is like having fasted an entire year.
4. Mondays and Thursdays—for these are the two days that the angels rise and descend with your deeds; i.e. the gates of heaven are open.(This refers to Maghrib time)
5. The 9th day of Dhul Hijja (for the ones not performing the hajj).This is the day of Arafat and fasting on this day ensures that the minor sins for the previous year and the coming year are forgiven.
Allah knows best!
May Allah make this benefit us, and this advice is to us before it is to you our beloved readers.
May Allah allow us to succeed this Ramadan and may He forgive us for He is the Oft-Forgiving, The Forbearing! May Allah forgive us for any errors in this and grant us correctness. Wasallallahu alaa nabiyina Muhammad.Amin
Thurrock Muslims
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4 LESSONS TO LEARN FROM CHRISTCHURCH – Thurrock Muslims
4 LESSONS TO LEARN FROM CHRISTCHURCH – Thurrock Muslims
Asalamu alaykum
May Allah bring peace to you all.
One week ago, a tragic event unfolded in Christchurch, New Zealand. There occured a gruesome and ruthless attack and murder of 50 worshippers at two Mosques in New Zealand, at the hands of a hater whose name is not worth mentioning. That day, the killer, a 28-year-old militant, far-right, supremacist, extremist, terrorist, did not hesitate to bare arms against a peaceful congregation of Muslims gathered for the weekly Friday Prayers, at their local Mosque. To add insult to injury, the strategic terrorist broadcast his calculated and callous crime to the world without any guilt, shame or fear of consequences.
It was a day a great grief, not just for the families of those who were killed and injured, but for the rest of us who too worship Allah alone, the entire Muslim community around the world. We lost a limb. And it wasn’t the first.
The final prophet of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said:
The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection, fellow-feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever. (Sahih Muslim)
What happened in Christchurch on March 15 2019, was a wakeup call.
This, and many other past and on-going atrocities around the world where innocent lives are being lost by ill-intending criminals, must be shunned by all. And indeed, any human being with an ounce of mercy would agree.
At present, it almost feels like the Makkan period all over… When the early Muslims of Arabia at the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) were persecuted on account of believing ‘laa ilaha illAllah, MuhammadurRasoolullah’. (There is no true god worthy of worship except Allah alone (whom has no associates), and Muhammad is the final prophet of Allah).
This is the peaceful, pure message which every prophet (peace be upon them) preached, ‘la ilaha illAllah’ (There is no true god worthy of worship except Allah alone ).
It is a wise message which makes sense, the message that everyone is inherently inclined to, the message our forefather Adam (peace be upon him) proclaimed and practiced. We are all the children of Adam, ultimately. Why hate each other for no good reason?
For too long, the headlines have been criminalising the broader Muslim community by associating us with the acts of some misguided individuals who claim to be following Islam. This mass criminalisation tricks the lay person into misinterpretting the true message of Islam as apparent in the authentic scriptures. The remedy to this ignorance is for every person to study Islam for themselves, from the authentic texts, The Qur’an and the Sahih Hadith. Please contact us for more, you can get started here : Islam Explained.
We have, will and must condemn anyone who teaches other than what Allah revealed and what the Last prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught. Murder is murder, never mind who the perpetrator is. Islam teaches that murder is one of the major sins. May Allah protect us from major and minor sins, Ameen.
Of course, most of the world’s Muslim population wouldn’t dream of blowing up anything or anyone, let alone themselves. But the unfortunate truth is, that we still get hated on because the naive, ignorant and lazy folk don’t bother to enquire about the true message of Islam. They don’t want to talk to us to dispel their misconceptions on Islam, they just want to hate!
Well, we won’t be your punching bag, and we’re not sorry. Because that dark Friday noon, the world witnessed that horrific incident. One thing that fuelled it was the lack of willingness to learn what Islam really teaches, the desire for hatred and destruction was dearer to the Christchurch Killer than was his desire for peace and reconciliation.
The killer planned to eradicate New Zealand of Muslims. He killed 50, injured 50 more. But following this, hundreds and thousands arround the world have come to realise Islam is not a religion of terror…it has opened for them their path to seeking the truth. Thank you to all the wonderful people who, out of compassion, contacted us with kind words. May Allah always guide you and us to the right path and bring us all true peace. Ameen
…Peace will prevail and may Allah have mercy on us all. Those worshippers who were murdered came to the Friday prayer and were in peaceful submission to Allah. The detestable killer wanted to snatch their peace away, so he did what he did. But in sha Allah (God willing), in the hereafter, those who were treated unjustly, those killed by the criminals, will taste true peace and justice.
Alhamdulillah Allah has given us a chance thus far to turn back to Him alone, and to submit to Him. Allah gave us everything, Alhamdulillah (All praise and thanks belongs to Allah). We should always be grateful to Allah. Indeed, in today’s Friday sermon in Madinah (The city of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him), the Sheikh reminded us to be grateful to Allah.
The pure, peaceful, beneficial message of Islam will reach people however Allah wills. Allah, The Most Merciful God will gather us all in the hereafter, and no one will be dealt with unjustly. We will reap what we sowed in this world. Let’s plant seeds of peace, mercy, unity and justice, let us humble ourselves to Allah in sincere submission.
Let’s work on bettering ourselves and the world. The world has enough hate, let’s bring more peace to it, shall we?
Lesson 1- Remember Allah at all times and worship Him alone, because we will certainly return to Him.
Lesson 2- Be grateful to Allah always. Alhamdulillah for everything. We have been blessed with a lot ma sha Allah. Don’t allow fear, persecution and trials to make us forget the blessings of Allah.
Lesson 3- Hatred and terrorism has no religion. Don’t misjudge a faith or group on account of the actions of a few criminals.
Lesson 4– Ignorance is harmful. But ignorance, coupled with extreme hatred, plus a will for destruction proves deadly. We welcome everyone to learn what Islam really teaches at our Islam Explained page
Please share this with everyone and attribute back to www.ThurrockMuslims.wordpress.com
May Allah forgive our mistakes, in this and beyond, and may Allah grant us guidance, peace, mercy, unity and paradise. May Allah grant peace and safety everywhere. Wasallallahu alaa nabiyina Muhammad Amin.
Thurrock Muslims
Post event review: Coffee Morning for Muslims in Thurrock! by Taleem Institute
Post Event Review: Thurrock Muslims
Coffee Morning for Muslims in Thurrock! by Taleem Institute
Asalamu alaykum!
Alhamdulillah for the opportunity to serve Allah and gather in His remembrance, with our neighbours and community and a good cup of tea and tasty treats!
JazakumAllahu khairan to our guest speaker, Imam Khidir, to our host brother and to the Taleem Management, teachers, supporters, parents, students , our friends, family and everyone who attended! We won’t list all your names but appreciate all your attendance and support, may Allah accept it from you and us and keep us together always on the Truth. Wasallallahu ala nabiyyina Muhammad. Amin!
Top Lessons:
1- Parenting is a huge responsibility, we will be accountable before Allah , how we raised our children, if we taught them proper Islamic education and upbringing, good manners etc.
2-Anger is an emotion, you must learn to control. If excessive and expressed in the wrong way, you can do more harm than good.
Sheikh’s top advice from the talk:
“One moment of patience in anger is better than a 1000 regrets that follow it”
3- Be kind and gentle with your kids and discipline them appropriately. If you are always harsh and angry, they won’t be comfortable around you, and it might make them resent you when they’re older. Be merciful like the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Discipline them, especially in regards to devotion to Allah and prayer, we need to practice Islam and set a good example for the children’s benefit in both worlds.
4- Be together as an ummah, a community, help each other in the community. Support each other! (sign up to Thurrock Muslims blog here and get involved/volunteer with us here)
5-If culture conflicts with religion, hold onto the true message from Qur’an and Sunnah and leave out the questionable parts of culture.
May Allah accept it from us, forgive us and grant us an entrance in Alfirdaus. Wasallallahu ala nabiyyina Muhammad Amin
Thank you all soo much.
With peace
Thurrock Muslims
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www.ThurrockMuslims.wordpress.com
Thurrock Muslims
(see organiser information and past event info at this page click here)
‘Will you be my Valentine…’- Do Muslims celebrate Valentine’s Day? What to do if someone asks you out, as a Muslim…
Do Muslims celebrate Valentine’s Day?
‘So will you, won’t you, would you be my Valentine’ he asks…
“Erm,…” she says…
“Sorry” she utters, “but no… I hate to be a heartbreaker…but that’s just not how I roll.”
Feel sorry for the guy? Or the girl?
Perhaps you’ve been in the position of the one pursued…or the one rejected.
Either way, you have your opinions and experiences, but let’s try and understand things from each other’s perspectives.
If you’re wondering whether or not Muslims celebrate Valentine’s day, you’re in the right place. There’s not a great deal of positive press on Islam and Muslims, partly due to our own shortcomings, partly due to misrepresentations and misreporting in mainstream media. It’s high time to reveal the TRUTH. Please read this objectively and share it with your friends 🙂
WHAT IS VALENTINE’S DAY?
In a nutshell, Valentine’s Day was a Roman, Pagan tradition, which was Christianized and associated with Saint Valentine who was killed for a cause he believed in, namely marriage in lieu of celibacy, as one legend suggests. Today, it has come to be known as the festival of “love” (whatever that means!), and has become heavily commercialised. It’s a day where “romantic love” or “lust” is glorified and advocated, as are casual relationships, pre-marital relationships and extra-marital affairs. It can be argued that it is a day where people indulge in their desires.
Do Muslims celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Drawing from the above, Valentine’s Day is a festival unfound in the authentic Islamic texts. Particularly due to the nature of the festival, Valentine’s Day contradicts some of the main principles of Islam. Other world religions such as Christianity an Judaism denounce relationships outside of marriage, but many followers of these religions have adopted liberal and secular values instead.
On the contrary, followers of Islam understand that the primary purpose in life is to worship Allah (The One True God) alone, with sincerity and with an unrivalled love. Acts of worship in Islam are only acceptable if they are done solely for Allah, and in accordance to the ‘Sunnah’ or teachings of the final prophet Muhammad (upon him be peace).
In Islam, we have the concept of ‘Halal’ (permitted) and ‘Haram’ (forbidden), which are ultimately derived from the Islamic sources of legislation, namely The Qur’an and The Sunnah.These laws are still valid from the time they were revealed and thus, we don’t change certain principles as time goes on. Islam governs everything we do, from worship, to food laws, to dress code, to interactions with others and relationships.
Valentine’s day, as mentioned above, encourages fornication & adultery among other forbidden deviances regarding carnal desires. Fornication and adultery are among the major sins in Islam, since Islam teaches that people’s honour and lineages are to be protected. As Muslims we must maintain God-conciousness in our lives and avoid wronging or oppressing ourselves and others. We have to resist our long-term Enemy, the Satan, and fight his insinuations to worship our desires.
What relationships are allowed in Islam?
Islam recognises a man’s natural inclination to need a woman and vice versa, but there are legislated guidelines to adhere to in this respect. Essentially, the only permissible outlet to satisfy the natural desires in man, would be through the institution of marriage. Marriage is highly regarded in Islam, and many factors have to be considered before initialising this great contract. Islamic tradition advises people to choose their spouse for their children, that is, choose someone who would be a good father/mother for your future children (since children are a usual consequence of relationships).
Relationships in Islam, are ultimately formed to achieve the primary purpose, to worship Allah. Marriage entails rights and responsibilities, and as Muslims we don’t do the short term flings, it’s all about the long haul. We believe in accountability, that we will be questioned in the afterlife about what we have done, so we take these things seriously. A relationship is something you commit to for life, not for your own convenience until you find something ‘better’.
So please don’t be offended if a Muslim turns you down if you ever pop them the question, it’s likely the response is standard for everyone that comes their way seeking a casual relationship. Please try to understand and respect that, and you need not take it personally. Feel honoured that they had the courage to be genuine and honest.
What to do if someone asks you out, as a Muslim?
It’s simple, if someone asks you out on a date or whatever, as a Muslim, remember
T-R-U-T-H.
Taqwa of Allah, have God-conciousness and don’t be tempted.
Respectfully reject
foster Understanding
by Teaching them the basics of Islam with evidence,
and be Honest, just let them know what Islam’s stance is on the matter.
And Muslim men and women, ponder over these beautiful ayat in the Qur’an…
May Allah guide us all to the straight path, perfect our belief and worship of Him, allow us to follow the sunnah, and protect us from fornication, adultery, major sins and may Allah save us from the enemy Satan. Allah make us the true believers with the ten characteristics at the beginning of Surah Muminoon that cause us to inherit jannat al firdaus. Wasallallahu ala nabiyyina Muhammad, wa ‘alaa Aalihi wa saHbihi aj’maeen. Amin
Until next time, keep smiling 🙂
Thurrock Muslims
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Why don’t Muslims celebrate Christmas?
Why don’t Muslims celebrate Christmas?
In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious The Most Merciful.
Peace people!
Guess what, it’s December again and we’re fast approaching the holiday period.
So we’re all dazzled by the funky lights, surrounded by lofty pine trees, bombarded with special offers and advertisements and perhaps even, confronted by some big old man in a red hat and suit… and ho, ho, how has this got anything to do with this post? Well, I’m getting to it : ]
Now since we are in Britain, and it has traditionally been known as a Christian country, Christmas day, i.e. 25 December is considered a national holiday. You can argue all you want that its been commercialised and it’s no longer a religious thing, but my friend, that’s not the point.
Let’s have a look at the history of Christmas:
According to Britannica Encyclopaedia, Christmas has become a Christian festival where Christians believe they are celebrating the birth of Christ, or Jesus. Historically, however, the date coincides with pagan Roman festivals which celebrated the winter solstice. It is believed that early Christians wanted to celebrate the 25th to coincide with the pagan festival. There is no clear statement in the New testament supporting the celebration of Jesus’ birth on the 25th. Nevertheless, it is still widely celebrated in that manner.
So basically in a nutshell, Christmas day has pagan origins!
And did you know, there are many groups and sections of society who do not celebrate Christmas, such as Jewish people, some atheists, and even some Christians (trust me, I googled it…)!
Now I’m going to tell you WHY MUSLIMS DON’T CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS, with due respect and no offence intended my friend. : )
In Islam, the MOST IMPORTANT belief is that of Islamic monotheism. That is, we are commanded to submit to and believe in Allah (The One True God), and attribute complete Oneness to Allah as He deserves in His Lordship, Names and Attributes and right to be worshipped alone.
Consequently, as a Muslim, i.e. one who submits to Allah (The One True God), we believe that we must abandon and turn away from anything that contradicts the principles of Islamic monotheism. Polytheism, idolatry and ascribing partners to Allah are MAJOR SINS! The biggest sin which Allah will not forgive, is ascribing partners to Him !
‘Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah in worship, he has indeed invented a tremendous sin.’ [Qur’an, chapter 4, verse 48- English interpretation]
Allah is so self-sufficient, it does not befit His Majesty to take a son or wife, or to beget or be begotten. He does not resemble His creation, for He is the uncreated Creator, and there is no similitude to Him.
In fact, a remarkably concise description of Allah can be found in chapter 112 of The Noble Qur’an, which is the verbatim words of Allah, and Allah’s final revealed book to mankind.
Have a listen to this chapter here:
Regarding Jesus (peace be upon him), in Islam we believe he was a mighty messenger of Allah. Jesus, or Isa in Arabic, was born a miraculous birth, from the virgin Mary. We refer to Jesus as ‘Isa ibnu Maryam, which means Jesus son of Mary. Jesus did not have a father, and he is not the son of God/Allah, because as we mentioned earlier, it does not befit the majesty of Allah to beget. Allah decreed that Jesus would be born miraculously without a father from the pure chaste virgin Mary. We respect them very much and we know that Jesus never claimed divinity, rather Jesus called his people to worship Allah alone, the same message each prophet and messenger of Allah called to. Jesus’ (peace be upon him) story can be found in the Qur’an in numerous places. (for more information, please see the upcoming post on chapter 19 of the Qur’an entitled Maryam!)
Incidentally, Paganism supports polytheism. Polytheism means worshipping multiple deities. Therefore, the Christian Trinity is essentially polytheism. And as previously mentioned in this blog, Islam means submission to the One True God, Allah, and our purpose in life is to acknowledge Allah’s complete Oneness, to uphold Islamic monotheism, and to attribute absolute Oneness to Allah in His Lordship, names and attributes and right to be worshipped alone.
I hope you understand now, why we don’t celebrate Christmas, why we don’t exchange Christmas greetings and why we don’t give or take cards and gifts on this occasion. It’s nothing to do with you personally, so please don’t take it personally! Because the truth is, as Muslims, the most important One to us is Allah, and the only reason we are alive is for Allah, to serve Him, to worship Him, because we need to worship Him and He doesn’t need us to do that. Whether or not we worship Him, it does not detract or add to His majesty at all. Rather He is The Self-Sufficient, The Majestic, The Rich, Free of all needs. The Lord of all that exists, He is Allah.
Besides, our kind behaviour and gifts to you is not supposed to be limited to a certain day of the year, as Muslims we are required to deal with everyone in a just manner at all times, exhibiting the best character. If we have fallen short in fulfilling our rights towards you as our neighbours, please do forgive us. We make mistakes, after all we are human. Although, we endeavour to follow the best example of excellent moral conduct,as taught to us by Allah’s final prophet and messenger, Muhammad peace be upon him.
I’ll leave you with a verse from the Qur’an to get you thinking.
‘Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): “I am only a man like you. It has been revealed to me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God – i.e. Allah). So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.” ‘
[Qur’an, chapter 18: v110, english interpretation]
Thanks for reading.
Peace.
Thurrock Muslims
MUSLIM WOMAN GATHERING THIS SUNDAY IN GRAYS(MOTHERS/ BABIES WELCOME IN SHA ALLAH)
MUSLIM WOMAN GATHERING THIS SUNDAY IN GRAYS
(MOTHERS/ BABIES WELCOME IN SHA ALLAH)
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Coffee Morning for Muslims in Thurrock! by Taleem Institute
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