25th of December

Before I continue; how do you model a steam reformer with cylindrical catalyst pellets? There are examples in the lecture notes of spherical ones, but do you do the same modelling steps for the cylindrical ones?

I’m stuck and I’ve got no one  to discuss about the mathematical modelling coursework (it’s in the middle of winter break now, remember?). T_T

That was when I turned to the internet and read the article written by Ustaz Hasrizal entitled Kad Krismas Saya Untuk ‘Anda’ in his website.

Happy Holidays!

I don’t wish people ‘Merry Christmas’.

Not that I’m being racist though. I learnt quite a long time ago that it’s not appropriate for muslims to wish ‘Merry Christmas’ to other people who celebrate Christmas.

It’s very related to our belief. Yes, we, muslims do believe in Jesus. We acknowledge that Jesus does exist and he is one of Allah’s messengers. BUT, it’s not part of our belief that Jesus was born on the 25th of December. Plus, we believe that there is no god but Allah only. We do not accept the concept of trinity.

I’m not an ‘ulama (Islamic scholar) to dictate the hukm (ruling – whether it’s right or wrong, permissible or not, etc.) of wishing ‘Merry Christmas’ but I think to be on the safer side, it is probably the best if we could avoid doing so.

Instead of wishing ‘Merry Christmas’, why don’t we just wish ‘Happy Holidays’ to our Christian friends?

Opportunities for Da’wah

With regard to what Ustaz Hasrizal wrote in that particular article, it’s  quite interesting though when he suggested that muslims could give Christmas card out with the verses of Quran in it which tell the story of Mary and Jesus (Maryam & Isa).

By having this common basic belief (i.e. Jesus as the messenger of Allah), it’s certainly an opportunity for us to show some verses of the Quran to the non-muslims.

Thus, I posted this on my Facebook wall:

"I'm a muslim and I believe in Jesus. There are verses of Quran that speak highly of him as one of the messengers of God. However, we don't celebrate 25th of December as the remembrance of the day he was born. Happy holidays my dear friends!"

Those were the ayahs from Surah ali-Imran which tell us the story of how Gabriel (Jibril) told Mary that she was going to have a baby named Jesus. The following ayahs describe more on the story of Jesus:

“And He will teach him writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel”[48]

“And [make him] a messenger to the Children of Israel, [who will say], ‘Indeed I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I design for you from clay [that which is] like the form of a bird, then I breathe into it and it becomes a bird by permission of Allah . And I cure the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead – by permission of Allah . And I inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses. Indeed in that is a sign for you, if you are believers.” [49]

“And [I have come] confirming what was before me of the Torah and to make lawful for you some of what was forbidden to you. And I have come to you with a sign from your Lord, so fear Allah and obey me.” [50]

“Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.” [51]

Surah ali-Imran

 

Concluding Remarks

Again, it might be debatable about the hukm of wishing ‘Merry Christmas’. But as I said, let us play safe and avoid wishing it to our Christian friends.

If somehow our friends wondered why; don’t you think that it’s actually an opportunity for us to explain to them on how we perceive Jesus in our life and share more of Islamic teachings with them?

May we live with Allah’s guidance and blessings till the end of our life. Allahumma ameen.

p.s. I must finish my coursework before I can travel out of Bath! InsyaAllah. Yosh, fighting!

Allahu’alam.