My boss is a catholic christian from Ireland. Christmas is coming soon. All my muslim colleagues will wish him – merry Christmas. I know the fuqaha are very clear that we can’t wish them merry Christmas but given the above situation is there a slight chance that i can wish him just to make him happy and thats all. Because all my muslim colleagues are liberals and they take deen verybeasily leaving me as an extremist and narrow minded individual. Also he is the boss. That makes me more worried.
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
We are Muslims. We believe in Tawheed, the Oneness of Allah. Islam is our religion and Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam is our prophet.
As Muslims, we preserve our Islamic values and do not compromise in that. Christmas in particular is about the perceived birth of Eesa (Jesus) Alaihis Salam, and in general about Christian beliefs and ideologies which is based on Kufr[1] (polytheism).
Allah says[2].
لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِلَّا إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ
Translation: Certainly they are unbelievers who say: “Allah is one of three in a Trinity.” There is no god except One Allah.
It is clear that from the above that we are at clear variance from Christian believes and ideologies. Whilst we tolerate practices of diverse religions, it is prohibited to show reverence to believes and practices of Kufr. It is thus not permissible for you to wish your boss merry Christmas as that is an expression of reverence and joining them in the joy of Christmas.
You may consider wishing him a good holiday, etc. without reference to anything of Christianity.
You may refer to our article in dealing with non-Muslims.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Muhammad Yaasir Iunus Hussen
Student Darul Iftaa
Mozambique
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
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[1] البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (8/ 555)
قَالَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – (وَالْإِعْطَاءُ بِاسْمِ النَّيْرُوزِ وَالْمِهْرَجَانِ لَا يَجُوزُ) أَيْ الْهَدَايَا بِاسْمِ هَذَيْنِ الْيَوْمَيْنِ حَرَامٌ بَلْ كُفْرٌ وَقَالَ أَبُو حَفْصٍ الْكَبِيرُ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ – لَوْ أَنَّ رَجُلًا عَبَدَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى خَمْسِينَ سَنَةً ثُمَّ جَاءَ يَوْمُ النَّيْرُوزِ وَأَهْدَى إلَى بَعْضِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بَيْضَةً يُرِيدُ تَعْظِيمَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ فَقَدْ كَفَرَ وَحَبَطَ عَمَلُهُ وَقَالَ صَاحِبُ الْجَامِعِ الْأَصْغَرِ إذَا أَهْدَى يَوْمَ النَّيْرُوزِ إلَى مُسْلِمٍ آخَرَ وَلَمْ يُرِدْ بِهِ تَعْظِيمَ الْيَوْمِ وَلَكِنْ عَلَى مَا اعْتَادَهُ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ لَا يَكْفُرُ وَلَكِنْ يَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ لَا يَفْعَلَ ذَلِكَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ خَاصَّةً وَيَفْعَلُهُ قَبْلَهُ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ لِكَيْ لَا يَكُونَ تَشْبِيهًا بِأُولَئِكَ الْقَوْمِ، وَقَدْ قَالَ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – «مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ» وَقَالَ فِي الْجَامِعِ الْأَصْغَرِ رَجُلٌ اشْتَرَى يَوْمَ النَّيْرُوزِ شَيْئًا يَشْتَرِيهِ الْكَفَرَةُ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ لَمْ يَكُنْ يَشْتَرِيهِ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ إنْ أَرَادَ بِهِ تَعْظِيمَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ كَمَا تُعَظِّمُهُ الْمُشْرِكُونَ كَفَرَ، وَإِنْ أَرَادَ الْأَكْلَ وَالشُّرْبَ وَالتَّنَعُّمَ لَا يَكْفُرُ.
[2] لَقَدْ كَفَرَ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَاثَةٍ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَهٍ إِلَّا إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ} [المائدة: 73]