* Merry Christmas! *
I am a Pakistani teenage girl. And of course a Muslim, believer of Mohammed, peace be upon him. Some time ago, I became friends with a foreign Christian on Facebook. The man is very kind, friendly, and quite religious. Whenever we talked, it was on a religious subject. This friend of mine is from the Mormon Christian community. There are 6 major Christian denominations worldwide, according to my knowledge:
Catholic
Protestants
Eastern Orthodox
Oriental Orthodox
Restorationists and Nontrinitarianists
Independent Catholic
The largest sect is Catholic. Those who believe that God gave birth to Jesus while there are some sects, including Mormons, who believe that we are all children of God and that God has not given birth to anyone but a miracle in the womb of Mother Mary, Jesus Christ sent by the angels is their Messiah.
Well, it was December, Christmas was near. I asked my friend just to increase my knowledge of what it means to be "Merry Christmas", I discovered that it means simply congratulating the joy of Jesus' birth. Then I thought this knowledge came to me from a Mormon friend named Nephi Jiovanni living in the Philippines.
I have always been seeking knowledge and information so I wanted to know more and when I looked at the foundations of Pakistani Christian religion, I found most Catholic Christians here. "Madam, we just say Christmas to wish Christ a birthday!" They told me. It made me realize that Christmas is just a celebration of Jesus' birth. And who gave birth to him or who was his father, these things are different not related to the phrase "Merry Christmas". This is the most important Christian faith and issue, but it has nothing to do with Christmas.
The last step of my research came when I discovered what Merry Christmas literally means ... Merry means Delightful, and Christ for Jesus, while Mess is the Old English word meaning any festival.
And finally I found out from Mark Harrison, an England resident, that no one claims that Christ was born in December, they just set a day of joy. ۔ December 25.
The conclusion of my research as a Muslim is that if it is okay to say Lord Mohammed and Lord Ali then it is also fine to say Lord Jesus. And if you say congrats on Eid Milad al-Nabi (the Birthday of Mohammed), then it is also permissible for you to say Merry Christmas. It's just a birthday wish.
"[Jesus said to the people]," Peace be upon me and on the day I was born and on the day I die and the day I will rise again. This is the truth of Jesus: son of Mary, in which people quarrel."
(Surah Maryam: Ayah 34-35 - Al Quran)
"While he was thinking of these things, the angel appeared to him in a dream and said," O Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary, your wife, because the one who is in her womb is by the nature of the Holy Spirit."
(Matthew 1: Verse 20 - The Bible)
[Joseph, son of David, mentioned in this Bible verse was a Carpenter, not mentioned in the Quran anywhere. I gave this verse from Bible, only because of its last sentence, because it is clear that Jesus is born with the nature of God in His power and is not His begotten son.]
And here, I complete my research!
Have a Blessed Christmas this year! Thank you!
Research article by Shahzana Zerishk Ghani
