Question
Why don’t Muslims celebrate Christmas?
Bottom Line
Muslims don’t celebrate Christmas because it’s not in Islam.
Quick Answer
No, Muslims cannot celebrate Christmas. Jesus (ʿĪsa عليه السلام) is honored in Islam as a Prophet of Allah, but Christmas is a man-made festival. It was never taught by Jesus himself and contains elements of shirk and imitation of non-Muslim rituals. The Prophet ﷺ gave us two festivals, ʿEid al-Fitr and ʿEid al-Adha, and did not allow adding others.
Key Takeaway
- Muslims believe in and love Jesus (ʿĪsa) as Allah’s Messenger, but not through invented celebrations.
- The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions never celebrated birthdays, including his own.
- Christmas rituals are tied to false beliefs and imitating non-Muslim practices.
- True love is shown by obedience, not by borrowing from other religions.
Detailed Answer
Muslims Believe in Jesus
Belief in Jesus (ʿĪsa عليه السلام) is a pillar of faith. The Qur’an makes it clear:
“The Messenger believes in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. All of them believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers. They say, ‘We make no distinction between any of His Messengers.’”
Rejecting any Prophet is disbelief. But honoring them means following revelation not inventing practices.
Why Not Celebrate Birthdays of Prophets?
The Prophet ﷺ never celebrated his own birthday, nor did his Companions celebrate anyone else’s. Imam Malik said: “Whoever introduces into Islam an innovation, thinking it is good, has claimed that Muhammad ﷺ betrayed the message.”
If Mawlid (the Prophet’s birthday) is not allowed, then celebrating Christmas for Jesus is even more baseless.
Christmas as a Religious Festival
Christmas today is not about following Jesus; it is a mix of invented rituals, cultural myths, and theology that Islam rejects. The Prophet ﷺ warned:
“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
Ibn Taymiyyah explained that imitating non-Muslims in their festivals weakens Islam and strengthens disbelief. Ibn ʿUthaymīn said that congratulating or joining Christmas celebrations is haram by consensus.
Common Misconceptions
“But we celebrate Mawlid, so why not Christmas?”
Mawlid itself is an innovation. Using one bidʿah to justify another only doubles the mistake.
“It’s just culture, not religion.”
Christmas is rooted in religious beliefs about Jesus that Islam rejects. Even cultural versions stem from that origin.
“It’s about showing respect to Jesus.”
Respect in Islam is shown through belief and obedience, not through borrowed rituals. True love is following the Prophet ﷺ when he said: “Pray as you have seen me praying.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 631)
What This Means for You
Muslims respect and love Jesus, but they don’t celebrate Christmas. Our religion is complete and self-sufficient. Allah gave us ʿEid al-Fitr and ʿEid al-Adha, and adding other religious festivals distorts Islam.
And Allah knows best.
References
Primary Sources
Qur’an
- Al-Baqarah 2:285: Belief in all Messengers.
- Al-Ma’idah 5:51: Whoever takes them as allies is one of them.
Hadith
- Sunan Abi Dawud 4031: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”
- Sahih al-Bukhari 2697: Innovation will be rejected.
Secondary Sources
- Ibn Taymiyyah, Iqtida’ al-Sirat al-Mustaqim: On imitating non-Muslim celebrations.
- Ibn ʿUthaymīn, Majmuʿ al-Fatawa: Rulings on Christmas greetings and participation.
- Imam Malik, quoted in Al-Iʿtisam* of al-Shatibi: Innovation implies betrayal of the message.
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