I have returned to the UK for a few days, and the experience has been intriguing. Each time I visit the UK, it feels like a completely different country compared to the Netherlands, where I now reside. The Dutch are predominantly Christian, with one in six having some form of ethnic heritage. In the Netherlands, I mostly focus on my work and interact minimally with friends or colleagues outside my immediate circle.
Now that I’m back in Birmingham, my birthplace and where I spent most of my life, I haven’t had much opportunity for activity. Consequently, I have turned to social media for entertainment and discovered an intense debate among Muslim influencers regarding whether Muslims should celebrate Christmas. Some argue it should be avoided as it is foreign to Muslims’ religious and cultural experiences. However, I find this notion disconcerting.
As a child attending Catholic primary school, it was customary to purchase and exchange inexpensive packets of Christmas cards featuring various festive images. This practise was lighthearted and aligned with the holiday spirit. Christmas was inescapable, as it was part of the consumer landscape. The religious ethos around charity, faith, tradition, and community was expressed through various religious content, like carols and mass, which brought people together to celebrate Jesus’ birthday.
When I was younger, Christmas was a time for family bonding and enjoying special television programmes geared towards children. Although we have matured and become wiser, it seems some communities have developed a closed worldview. Despite the ongoing debate about Jesus Christ’s birth date, it is essential to understand the origins of Christmas and Easter as climate-related pagan festivals with Christian traditions overlaid. Muslims should not be surprised, as the Hajj is also an important pagan festival upon which Islam was built.
There was never any intention of making the holiday a religious festival. For me, it was simply about enjoying the spirit of the season. As a teenager, it was an excellent time for studying during the quiet period. Christmas was not about complete immersion in religious and cultural framing. My attitude softened over time because Jesus, an essential prophet in Islam, had valuable teachings. So, why does this bother some Muslims so much?
Today in Birmingham, there are distorted views about valuing and respecting this time of the year, and some hypocrisies must be exposed. Regardless of the debate surrounding Jesus Christ’s actual birth date, what matters is the significance of the day for Christians. While recent statistics suggest a decline in Christian religiosity, many strongly held Christian values and norms still exist in Britain. These values, centred on humility, humanity, community, and charity, are something Muslims should embrace throughout the year.
Many Christians and other religious groups participate in Ramadan, sharing food and cultural awareness. If Islam and Muslims emphasise charity, community, tolerance, and coexistence as core messages, why is there such intolerance and borderline bigotry towards Christian symbolism? Muslims should use this time of year to challenge prejudices instead of accusing the majority culture of intolerance.
A Christmas tree or halal meal on Christmas Day will not diminish one’s Muslim identity. Those who chastise others out of a sense of cultural and moral superiority should examine their own prejudices. Although the spiritual message of Christmas has been diluted due to excessive consumerism, it remains if one seeks it, and one can avoid the consumerist frenzy.
My message to Muslims is to relax and enjoy the time off with family, friends, and children. Food is an opportunity to bring people together to discuss, share, learn, and connect. There are numerous television programmes, theatre performances, and activities focused on children that can teach tolerance, coexistence, and the value of human life. In a world prone to polarisation and division, these lessons are essential for unity.
I am preparing to enjoy a variation of the Christmas meal with my family, and to all my Christian friends and colleagues, I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!