“And (in the footsteps of earlier Prophets) We sent Jesus, the son of Mary, confirming the law that had come before him. And We sent him the Gospel, therein was guidance and light and confirmation of the law that had come before him: guidance and an admonition to those who are conscious of God.” — Quran 5:46
It was narrated that ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Actions are only done with intentions, and every man shall have what he intended. Thus, he whose emigration was for Allah and His Messenger, his emigration was for Allah and His Messenger, and he whose emigration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to take some woman in marriage, his emigration was for that which he intended.’” — Sunan an-Nasa’i.
The context of the above hadith is that when Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the earliest converts to Islam faced persecution, deprivation of food, and various forms of sanctions, the Almighty Allah commanded the Prophet to migrate to Madina, about 400 km away from Makkah, where some tribal leaders had embraced Islam and were willing to accommodate them.
About 80 percent of the Muslims in Makkah fled to this new city of Islam, leaving their families, properties, and loved ones behind for obvious reasons. Others, however, chose to stay in Makkah out of fear of losing their families who had not converted to Islam.
Some of the Muslim migrants went to Madina because the women they loved had embraced Islam, and the only chance of being with them was to migrate and settle together in the new city.
It is therefore established by divine ruling that the reward and benefits of migration to Madina would correspond to one’s intentions.
In other words, you are as good as your intentions.
“Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood.” — Quran 2:256.
It is noteworthy that some Christian denominations do not celebrate Christmas, believing it to have pagan origins linked to the celebration of the winter solstice. Indeed, it is well-documented that before Christianity, pagans celebrated the end of December as a time of longer days and more sunlight. However, Church officials later adopted December 25 as a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Ghanaians and other cosmopolitan communities worldwide have cultivated strong feelings of communal relationships and good neighborliness, living in peace and harmony regardless of one’s beliefs, ethnicity or social status.
In Ghana, for instance, Christians and other communities of faith often extend greetings to Muslims during Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha, offering food items, cash and acts of kindness in solidarity with Muslims during their festive seasons.
It is therefore befitting for Muslims, in accordance with Islamic teachings on promoting peaceful coexistence and interfaith relations, to reciprocate by showing solidarity with non-Muslims during their festive occasions, just as they do for us.
Let it be clear: showing solidarity with non-Muslims or people of other faiths does not make one a Christian, nor does it imply belief in the Trinity or the doctrines of the beneficiary religion.
Solidarity simply means, “I care and value our relationship as human beings.”
Moreover, a Muslim neither breaches any law nor commits any act of haram by wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy New Year.
“The Messenger has believed in what was revealed to him from his Lord, and [so have] the believers. All of them have believed in Allah and His angels and His books and His messengers, [saying], ‘We make no distinction between any of His messengers.’ And they say, ‘We hear and we obey. [We seek] Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the [final] destination.’” — Quran 2:285.
It was reported by Tabarani that a group of Christians once came to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to learn about Islam. During their session, they requested a place to pray according to their tradition, and the Prophet consented, granting them a space in his mosque.
“Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and fairly with those who have neither fought nor driven you out of your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are fair.” — Quran 60:8-9.
In the spirit of peaceful coexistence and interfaith relations, I pray to the Almighty Allah to grant all of us long lives filled with good health, peace, and prosperity, as our Christian brethren celebrate Christmas.
“The example of Jesus, as far as GOD is concerned, is the same as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, ‘Be,’ and he was.” — Quran 3:59.
Happy New Year 2025 in advance.
Alhaji Khuzaima Mohammed Osman,
Eminent Member and Chairman of the Finance and Fundraising Committee of the Greater Accra Regional Peace Council, National Peace Council of Ghana (NPC).
Executive Secretary of the Tijjaniya Muslims of Ghana.
