The Simple Life of Muhammad (PBUH)
If we compare the life of Muhammad
(pease be upon him) before his mission as a Prophet and his life after he began
his mission as a Prophet, we will conclude that it is beyond reason to think
that Muhammad (pbuh) was a false Prophet, who claimed Prophethood to attain
material gains, greatness, glory, or power.
who is muhammad (pbuh) {Introduction}
Introduction:
In the name of Allah, the most-merciful, the most-gracious and peace be upon Allah's Messenger
Why this book:
Muhammed (pbuh) came more than 1400 years ago and said that he is receiving divine revelation from the almighty Allah and that he is assigned to spread this message throughout all earth, unrestricted by time, place, race or color claiming that his message is the last between heaven and earth and that he is the last of Allah's messengers and Prophets.
Who is he? is he that terrorist that newspapers are circulating pictures of? or is he the organized military man who was victorious in almost every battle he joined against his enemies?
Some books that dealt with Mohammad (pbuh) had talked about the person who, through the course of 25 years only which is the period of his da'wa (the call), was able to change the face of the earth and his call spread everywhere, such books dealt with his political and military genius. Other books dealt with the military or jihad side of his life in defense of his call. Most of the books have overlooked a very important aspect of his life (pbuh), which is his being a human, a father, a brother and a husband.
Muslims believe that what took place in Muhammed’s (pbuh) life regarding the aspects of social relations is not something that he invented, but that is part of the divine revelation. this is the reason why we have focused on this invisible or suppressed aspect of his life (pbuh). Muhammed (pbuh) when he first started his message (call) he did not fight against his folk, on the contrary he and his companions were patient and they have suffered great adversity from them. During such hard times, Allah's Messenger (pbuh) was raising his companions on such manners that made them become kings and leaders in spite of having no interest in such wealth.
The reason behind showing the life of Muhammed (pbuh) in this way as represented is because of all what is said about him (pbuh) from those who don't really know him.
So let us be objective; if you want to judge someone you have to do the following:
1) Hear from him personally.
2) Review his thought with sound logic.
3) If you approve of his logic, then see if his actions go in line with such logic.
4) If that happened, then all you have to do is to believe him. that is what Allah's Messenger (pbuh) said "obligation is dependant on the mind"……so whoever is mindless has no obligatIion.
These are four logical steps which you are supposed to use to judge Muhammed (pbuh). All you have to do is read the following few papers with an objective unbiased mind and finally you would be able to answer these confusing questions
· Is Muhammed (pbuh) truly a terrorist?
· Iis he really a Prophet as he used to claim?
· is Islam a true religion?
This book is divided into two chapters
Chapter one: fundamental definitions:
In order to read and understand everything about Muhammed (pbuh), we had to find common grounds to start from, so we have dedicated this chapter to show fundamental definitions & meanings related to our subject like: the religion, the Messenger, Allah, and Islam. To start with such definitions is very important to understand the essence of this book.
Chapter two: Excerpts from Allah's Messenger (pbuh) sayings & actions:
In which we have cited many sections dealing with Mohammed (pbuh) in various positions in a very simplified manner. Each section is divided in two parts; the first part is entitled from the sayings of Muhammed (pbuh) and the other is entitled from his actions. This we've done in order to make you compare his words with his deeds, and we might be adding some simple comments to focus on the essence of some of his sayings( Hadith) or for more explaining of meanings.
Judge by Yourself
By Yusuf estes, former christian preacher
Muhammad Ibn Abdullah Ibn Abdul Muttalib born 570 c.e. (christian era); died 633 c.e.
The following is based on books, manuscripts, texts and actual eyewitness accounts, too numerous to mention herein, preserved in original form throughout the centuries by both Muslims and Non-Muslims.
Many people today are discussing Prophet Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention. who was he exactly? what did he teach? why was he loved so much by some and hated so much by others? did he live up to his claims? was he a holy man? was he a Prophet of God? what is the truth about this man? you be the judge.
Here are the facts as narrated by thousands of people, many of whom knew him personally.
- He was born to a noble tribe to the lineage of the leaders of Makkah.
- His name comes from the Arabic root "Hamd " and literally means "praised one." People at his time and until this very moment, praise him many times per day, may Allah exalt his mention.
- He never fell into the common practice of his tribesmen to worship statues, idols or man-made "Gods."
- He believed that God was truly one God, and as such, he was to be worshipped alone, without any other "Gods" beside him.
- He held the name of God in the highest of reverence and never took God's name in vain or for any vain glorious purpose.
- He despised false worship and all of the complexities and degradation to which it leads.
-He adhered to the commandments of almighty God, just as Prophets of old had done in the past.
-He never committed adultery, and he forbade others from doing it.
- He forbade usury and interest on money lending, as jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, had done centuries before him.
- He never gambled and did not allow it.
-He never drank alcohol or strong drink; even though it was a very normal thing for people of his time and place.
-He did not engage in gossip and used to turn away from hearing anything related to it.
- He fasted for days at a time to be closer to almighty God and away from the narrowness of worldly attractions.
-He taught that jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was the immaculate conception and miracle birth of Mary, and that she was among the best creation of almighty God.
- He insisted even to the jews of Medina, that jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was the Messiah, the Christ, the one predicted to come in their Torah (old testament).
- He said jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, did many miracles by the permission of almighty God, curing the lepers, restoring sight to the blind and even bringing a dead man back to life.
-He stated clearly that jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was not dead, rather almighty God had raised him up.
- He foretold that jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, is going to return again in the last days to lead the true believers in a victory over the evil and unrighteous people, and he will destroy the anti-christ.
- He commanded the payment of charity to the poor and he was the defender and protector of widows, orphans and the wayfarers.
- He ordered people to unite with their families and honor the ties of kinship and he restored relationships between family members.
-He required his followers to engage only in lawful marriage relationships with women, and forbade sex outside of almighty God's ordinance.
- He insisted on giving women their proper rights, dowries, inheritance and property.
-His patience and humble attitude were exemplary and all who knew him had to admit to these virtues.
a. He never lied, never broke a trust never bore false witness, and he was famous with all the tribes in Makkah and was known as: "The truthful" (Al-Ameen).
b. He never once engaged in sex outside of marriage, nor did he ever approve of it, even though it was very common at the time.
c. His only relationships with women were in legitimate, contractual marriages with proper witnesses according to law.
d. His relationship to Ayesha was only that of marriage. Their relationship is described in every detail by Ayesha herself in the most loving and respectful manner as a match truly made in heaven. Ayesha is considered as one of the highest scholars of Islam and lived out her entire life only having been married to Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention. she never desired any other man, nor did she ever utter a single negative statement against Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention.
e. He forbade any killing until the orders came from Allah. even then the limits were clearly spelled out and only those engaged in active combat against the Muslims or Islam were to be fought in combat. And even then, only according to very strict rules from Allah.
f.Killing any innocent life was forbidden.
g. There was no genocide of jews. He offered mutual protection and forgiveness to the jews even after they broke their covenants with him many times.They were not attacked until it was clearly proven they were traitors during time of war and tried to bring down the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and the Muslims at any cost. Retaliation was only to those jews who had turned traitor and not others.
h. Slaves were common in those days for all nations and tribes. It was Islam that encouraged freeing of the slaves and the great reward from Allah for those who did so. Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, gave the example of this by freeing slaves and encouraging all of his followers to do the same. Examples include his own servant (who was actually considered like a son to him) Zaid Ibn Al Haritha and Bilal the slave who was bought by Abu Bakr only for the purpose of freeing him.
i. While there were many attempts of assassination made on Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, (most famous was the night that Ali took his place in bed while he and Abu Bakr escaped to Madinah), he did not allow his companions to slaughter any of those who had been involved in these attempts. Proof for this is when they entered Makkah triumphantly and his first words were to command his followers not to harm such and such tribes and so and so families. This was one of the most famous of his acts of forgiveness and humbleness.
j. Military combat was forbidden for the first thirteen years of Prophethood. The desert Arabs did not need anyone to tell them how to fight or do combat. They were experts in this area and held feuds amongst tribes that lasted for decades. It was not until the proper method of warfare was instituted by Allah in the Quran, with proper rights and limitations according his commandments, that any retaliation or combat was sanctioned. Orders from Allah made it clear who was to be attacked, how and when and to what extent fighting could take place.
k. Destruction of infrastructures is absolutely forbidden except when it is ordained by Allah in certain instances and then only according to his commands.
I. cursing and invoking evil actually came to the Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, from his enemies, while he would be praying for their guidance. Classic example is that of his journey to At-Taif where the leaders would not even hear him out nor offer so much as the normal courtesy called for and instead they set the children of the street against him, throwing rocks and stones at him until his body was bleeding so much, blood filled his sandals. He was offered revenge by the angel gabriel, if he would give the command, Allah would cause the surrounding mountains to fall down upon them destroying them all. Instead of cursing them or asking for their destruction, he prayed for them to be guided to worship their lord alone, without any partners.
m. Prophet Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, claimed every person who is born in a state of Islam (submission to God), as a Muslim (Mu-Islam means; "one who does Islam" i.e.; submits to God's will and obeys his commandments). then as they grow older they begin to distort their faith according to the influence of the prevailing society and their own prejudices.
n. Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, taught his followers to believe in the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, jacob, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus, peace be upon them all, and to believe in them as true Prophets, Messengers and slaves of almighty Allah. He insisted on ranking all the Prophets up at the highest level without any distinction between them.
o. He also taught the Torah (old testament), Zaboor (psalms) and Injeel (gospel or new testament) were originally from the very same source as the Quran, from Allah.
p. He prophesied and foretold of events to come and they happened as he had said. He even predicted something from the past that would come true in the future, and it has.
Q. the quran states Pharaoh was drowned in the red sea while chasing after moses and Allah said he would preserve pharaoh as a sign for the future. Dr. Maurice Bucaille in his book, "Bible, Quran and science " makes it clear this has happened and the very person of Pharaoh has been discovered in egypt and is now on display for all to see.
r. This event took place thousands of years before Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, and it came true in the last few decades, many centuries after his death.
There has been more written about the Prophet Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, than any other person on earth. He has been praised very high even by famous Non-Muslims for centuries. One of the first examples we quote from is from the encyclopedia britannica , as it confirms (regarding Muhammad(Pbuh)” ". . . A mass of detail in the early sources shows that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were likewise honest and upright men." (vol. 12).
Another impressive tribute to Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention is in the very well written work of Michael H. Hart, "the 100: a ranking of the most influential persons in history." He states that the most influential person in all history was Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, with jesus in the third place. examine his actual words: "my choice of Muhammad(Pbuh) to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular level." Michael H. Hart , the 100: a ranking of the most influential persons in history, new york: hart publishing company, inc., 1978, page. 33.
While we are reviewing statements from famous Non-Muslims about Prophet Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, consider this: "philosopher, Orator, Apostle, Legislator, Warrior, Conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad(Pbuh). As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he? " lamartine , histoire de la turquie, paris, 1854, vol. ii, pp. 276-277.
George Bernard Shaw, a famous writer and Non-Muslim says: "He must be called the savior of humanity. i believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness." (the genuine Islam, singapore, vol. 1, no. 8, 1936) .
k. S. Ramakrishna Rao, an indian (hindu) professor of philosophy, in his booklet "Muhammad(Pbuh) the Prophet of Islam" calls him the "perfect model for human life." professor ramakrishna rao explains his point by saying: "the personality of Muhammad(Pbuh), it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. only a glimpse of it i can catch. what a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes. there is Muhammad(Pbuh) the Prophet. there is Muhammad(Pbuh) the warrior; Muhammad(Pbuh) the businessman; Muhammad(Pbuh) the statesman; Muhammad(Pbuh) the orator; Muhammad(Pbuh) the reformer; Muhammad(Pbuh) the refuge of orphans; Muhammad(Pbuh) the protector of slaves; Muhammad(Pbuh) the emancipator of women; Muhammad(Pbuh) the judge; Muhammad(Pbuh) the saint. all in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."
Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the character of Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, says in 'young india' : "i wanted to know the best of one who holds today undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind... i became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. it was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. these and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. when i closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), i was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."
Thomas Carlyle in his 'heroes and hero worship' , was simply amazed as to:
"how one man single handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades."
Diwan Chand Sharma wrote in "the Prophets of the east ": "Muhammad(Pbuh) was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him" . (d.c. sharma, the Prophets of the east, calcutta, 1935, pp. 12).
Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, was nothing more or less than a human being, but he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of one and only one God and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God. he always described himself as, a slave and Messenger of God' and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be.
Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India, Sarojini naidu says: "it was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the Mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: 'God alone is great'... I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother."
(S. Naidu, ideals of Islam, vide speeches & writings , madras, 1918, p. 169).
In the words of professor hurgronje: "the league of nations founded by the Prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations." He continues, "the fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the league of nations."
Edward Gibbon and simon ockley, on the profession of Islam, writes in "history of the saracen empires" : "I believe in one God, and mahomed, an apostle of God' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." (history of the saracen empires , london, 1870, p. 54) .
Wolfgang Goethe, perhaps the greatest european poet ever, wrote about Prophet Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention. he said:
"He is a Prophet and not a poet and therefore his koran is to be seen as divine law and not as a book of a human being, made for education or entertainment." (noten und abhandlungen zum weststlichen dvan, wa i, 7, 32).
People do not hesitate to raise to divinity and even make 'Gods' out of other individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, accomplished. and all his striving was for the sole purpose of uniting mankind for the worship of one God on the codes of moral excellence. Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity – but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God.
Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of Muhammad(Pbuh), may Allah exalt his mention, have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. they offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad(Pbuh)’s, may Allah exalt his mention, followers, but the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.
now it is up to you.
you are a rational thinking, concerned human being. as such, you should already be asking yourself:
"Could these extraordinary, revolutionary and amazing statements, all about this one man, really be true?
What if this is all true?
_____________________________________________
[1] Mmichael h. hart , the 100: a ranking of the most influential persons in history, new york: hart publishing company, inc., 1978, page. 33.
[2] Lamartine , histoire de la turquie, paris, 1854, vol. ii, pp. 276-277.
[3] George bernard shaw , the genuine Islam, singapore, vol. 1, no. 8, 1936
[4] D.c. sharma , the Prophets of the east, calcutta, 1935, pp. 12
[5] S. naidu , ideals of Islam, vide speeches & writings, madras, 1918, p. 169
[6] Eedward gibbon and simon ockley , history of the saracen empires, london, 1870, p. 54
[7] Noten und abhandlungen zum weststlichen dvan, wa i, 7, 32
Who is Prophet Muhammad?
Prophet
Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, is the man beloved by
more than 1.2 billion Muslims. He is the man who taught us patience in the
face of adversity, and taught us to live in this world but seek eternal life in
the hereafter. It was to Prophet Muhammad that God revealed the Quran. Along
with this Book of guidance God sent Prophet Muhammad, whose behavior and high
moral standards are an example to us all. Prophet Muhammad’s life was the Quran.
He understood it, he loved it and he lived his life based on its standards. He
taught us to recite the Quran, to live by its principles and to love it. When
Muslims declare their faith in One God, they also declare their belief that
Muhammad is the slave and final messenger of God.
When a Muslim hears Muhammad’s name mentioned they ask
God to send blessings upon him. Prophet Muhammad was a man, a human being just
like any other man, but it is his love for humanity that sets him apart. Muslims
love Prophet Muhammad, but it is his love for us, that makes him a man like no
other. He longed for Paradise not only for himself but also for all of us. He
wept tears not for himself but for his Ummah[1],
and for humanity. He was often heard to cry "O God, my Ummah, my Ummah".
Muslims also believe in the same Prophets mentioned in
Jewish and Christian traditions, including Noah, Moses, Abraham and Jesus, and
they believe that all prophets came with the same message – to worship God
alone, without partners, sons or daughters. There is a difference, however,
between all other prophets and Prophet Muhammad. Before Muhammad, prophets
were sent to particular people in particular places and periods. Muhammad
however, is the final Prophet and his message is for all of humankind.
God tells us in the Quran that He did not send Prophet
Muhammad except as a mercy for humankind. "And we have sent you O Muhammad,
not but as a mercy for humankind and all that exists." (Quran 21:107) God
did not say Muhammad was sent to the people of Arabia, or to men, or to the
people of the 7th century. He made it clear that Prophet Muhammad
was a prophet like no other, one whose message would spread far and wide and be
applicable in all places for all times. Muslims love him, respect him and follow
him. They hold him in such regard that for many it is emotionally painful to
see or hear their beloved mentor ridiculed or disrespected.
Throughout history and around the world non-Muslims have
shown great respect and honour to Prophet Muhammad and he is considered
influential in both religious and secular matters. Mahatma Ghandi described
him as scrupulous about pledges, intense in his devotion to his friends and
followers, intrepid, fearless, and with absolute trust in God and in his own
mission. Prophet Muhammad taught Islam as a way of life, founded an empire,
laid down a moral code and instituted a code of law focusing on respect,
tolerance and justice.
What is it about Prophet Muhammad that inspires such
devotion? Is it his gentle and loving nature, his kindness and generosity or
is it his ability to empathise with all of humanity? Muhammad was a selfless
man who devoted the last 23 years of his life to teaching his companions and
followers how to worship God and how to respect humanity. Prophet Muhammad was
acutely aware of just how much responsibility had been thrust upon him by God.
He was careful to teach the message just as God had prescribed and warned his
followers not to adulate him the way Jesus, son of Mary was praised.[2]
Muslims do not worship Prophet Muhammad; they understand
that he is only a man. However, he is a man worthy of our utmost respect and
love. Prophet Muhammad loved humanity so much that he would weep out of fear
for them. He loved his Ummah with such deep and profound devotion that God
remarked on the depth of his love for us in Quran.
"Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad) from
amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or
difficulty. He (Muhammad) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent
to God, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, in order that you may
enter Paradise and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-fire), for the
believers he is full of pity, kind, and merciful." (Quran 9:128)
Prophet Muhammad taught us to love God and to obey Him.
He taught us to be kind to each other, to respect our elders, and care for our
children. He taught us that it was better to give than to receive and that
each human life is worthy of respect and dignity. He taught us to love for our
brothers and sisters what we love for ourselves. Prophet Muhammad taught us
that families and communities are essential, and he pointed out that individual
rights although important are not more important than a stable, moral society.
Prophet Muhammad taught us that men and women are equal in the sight of God and
that no one person is better then another except in respect to his or her piety
and devotion to God.
Who is Prophet Muhammad? Quite simply he is the man who
will stand before God on the day of Requital and beg God to have mercy on us.
He will intercede for us. Muslims love him because he is the slave and
messenger of God, he is a mercy to humankind and his gentleness, and devotion
to humanity is unprecedented.
Footnotes:
[1] The translation of the Arabic word Ummah is
nation. However, it means more than a country with borders, it is a fellowship
of men women and children united in their love for One God and their admiration
for Muhammad, the Prophet of God.
[2] Saheeh Al-Bukhari
I am not crying because ….
A man reached 70 years of age and he faced a terrible disease; that he could not urinate. The doctors informed him that he was in need of an operation to cure this disease. He agreed to have the operation done as the problem was giving him much pain for many days.
When the operation was completed, his doctor gave him the bill which covered all the costs. The old man looked at the bill and started to cry! Upon seeing this, the doctor told him that if the cost was too high then they could make some other arrangements.
The old man said ‘I am not crying because of the money, but I am crying because Allah SWT let me urinate for 70 years and He never sent me a bill.”
Allah SWT says: “…and if you try to count the blessings of Allah, never will you be able to count them…” (Surah Ibrahim)
Allah SWT states that the servants are never able to count His blessings, let alone thank Him duly for them. In Sahih Al-Bukhari it is recorded that the Messenger of Allah (Peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate;
«اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ غَيْرَ مَكْفِيَ وَلَا مُوَدَّعٍ وَلَا مُسْتَغْنًى عَنْهُ رَبَّنَا»
O Allah ! All praise is due to You, without being able to sufficiently thank You, nor ever wish to be cutoff from You, nor ever feeling rich from relying on You; our Lord!
It was reported that Prophet Dawud peace be upon him, used to say in his supplication:
‘O Lord! How can I ever duly thank You, when my thanking You is also a favor from You to me”
Allah the Exalted answered him, ‘Now, you have thanked Me sufficiently, O Dawud,” meaning: when you admitted that, you will never be able to duly thank Me...
Ameen..!
Do Muslims Celebrate Easter and Christmas?
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by Dr. E. Ahmed Tori
Introduction
In these
days of excess entertainment and consumption, it is easy to get caught up in
the so-called "holiday season", rarely stopping to consider its
significance. I say so-called, because the very word holiday is
derived from the two words holy and day. However,
under closer scrutiny from the Judeo-Christian and Islamic perspectives,
these days are anything but holy. Celebrations such as Easter, Christmas, All
Saint's Day, and Halloween all find their roots in pagan traditions, alien to
the prophets (may peace and blessings be upon all of the prophets). Proof of
this lies in the lack of historical evidence that the prophets ever
celebrated their birthdays, decorated eggs, placed ornaments on trees, or
dressed up in costumes. Through an examination of these holiday myths as
religious innovation, or bid'ah, this article is a small attempt
at warning people of the dangerous implications and subtle attitudinal
changes that come with such celebrations.
Bid'ah: Religious Innovation
Before any discussion on the origin of holidays such as Christmas and
Easter, it is important to define a term called bid'ah. A
bid'ah is any invention, creation or addition of any religious matter, which
was not found in the original teachings.
Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) said: "He who innovates something in this matter of
ours (religion), will have it rejected." (Bukhari and Muslim)
To illustrate the bid'ah involved in Christmas and Easter simple
questions beg asking. Did Jesus (peace be upon him) celebrate his birthday?
Did his mother, Mary (peace be upon her)? Did his disciples? The answer, of
course, is no. Did Jesus (peace be upon him) speak of an Easter bunny? Did he
decorate evergreens? Of course not.
To believe that Jesus
(peace be upon him) came with the truth, and to then add or delete from his
message is to mix truth with falsehood. The above practices find their
origins in pagan rites and rituals. I have heard with my own ears, Christian
learned men and leaders acknowledging the true origins of Easter and
Christmas, but putting it off as "all in good fun." So, I ask,
would Jesus (peace be upon him) approve of mixing his teachings with those of
the pagans?
Furthermore, to
illustrate the gravity of bid'ah and of immitating non-believers,
I refer you to the words of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who said
what translates as follows:
Whoever imitates a
people is one of them. (Related by Ahmad)
Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him) once saw the Ansaar celebrating a certain day. He
inquired about that and was informed: This is one of two days that we used to
celebrate in Jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic ignorance) and we continue to do so.
He replied: Nay! Allaah has substituted for you two better days: the day of
al-Fitr and the day of al-Adhhaa. (related by Ahmad, an-Nasaaee, and others)
Easter, Fertility, & the Origin of the Cross
While holidays like Christmas, New Year?s Day, and Valentine?s Day
have names which indicate either the holiday?s origin or its significance,
Easter stands out. Most people have no idea what the name Easter means.
It turns out that Easter is a corruption of Austre,
the name of the ancient pagan Scandanavian goddess of life and fertility.
As noted above, many
holidays celebrated today represent a synthesis between Christian doctrine
and pagan ritual. The basis for most of these "holy" days revolve
around natural phenomena such as the autumnal equinox, vernal equinox, summer
solstice, and winter solstice. With regards to the spring season and the
vernal equinox, pagans, especially the pagans of cold, northern
The use of these same
symbols in present day celebrations of Easter is quite obvious. Decorating
eggs, Easter egg hunts, and the Easter bunny are all familiar icons. These
things have carried over from pagan traditions via a synthesis with Christian
doctrine. In particular, the worship of the sun god has been incorporated
into the once monotheistic Christian teachings. The vernal equinox represents
a time in which the hours of daylight equal the hours of night. The days
following the vernal equinox mark an increase in the number of hours of
daylight over the night. This time, then became viewed as the time of sol
invictus or the unconquerable sun, demonstrating its supremacy by
conquering the night.
The synthesis with
Christian ideas was simple. Just as the sun conquered the night, the son
conquered death. Thus, the pagan holidays of fertility and life were replaced
with the Christian concept of the resurrection of Jesus (peace be upon him).
The Church adopted
spring equinox celebrations as Easter. As this time had already been one of
celebrating the sun?s resurrection and return to prominence, celebrating the
resurrection of the son of God required no great change in understanding. In
fact, the Easter celebrations were so similar to earlier celebrations -
particularly those which recognized the resurrection of the Babylonian
Adonis, the Greek Apollo, and the Roman Attis - that a bitter controversy
arose with pagans claiming that the Christian Easter celebration was a
spurious imitation of the ancient traditions. Vernal equinox bonfires,
originally prohibited by the Church, found their way as Easter fires into the
official liturgy of
Christmas
An extract from The
Paganism that is Modern Day Christianity by Misha'al Al-Kadhi
Let us now move on to
the "birthday of Jesus", Christmas. Jesus (pbuh) is commonly
considered to have been born on the 25th of December. However, it is common
knowledge among Christian scholars that he was not born on
this day. It is well known th at the first Christian churches held their
festival in May, April, or January. Scholars of the first two centuries AD.
even differ in which year he was born. Some believing that he was born fully
twenty years before the current accepted date. So how was the 25th of
December selected as the birthday of Jesus (pbuh)?
Grolier's
encyclopedia says:
"Christmas is the feast of the birth of Jesus Christ, celebrated on
December 25.... Despite the beliefs about Christ that the birth stories
expressed, the church did not observe a festival for the
celebration of the event until the 4th century.... since 274,
under the emperor Aurelian, Rome had celebrated the feast of the "Invincible
Sun" on December 25. In the Eastern Church, January 6, a
day also associated with the winter solstice, was in itially preferred. In
course of time, however, the West added the Eastern date as the Feast
of the Epiphany, and the East added the Western date of Christmas".
So who else celebrated
the 25th of December as the birth day of their gods before it was agreed upon
as the birth day of Jesus (pbuh)? Well, there are the people of
The Egyptians
celebrated this day as the birth day of their great saviour Horus, the
Egyptian god of light and the son of the "virgin mother" and
"queen of the heavens" Isis. Osiris, god of the dead and the
underworld in
The Greeks celebrated
the 25th of December as the birthday of Hercules, the son of the supreme god
of the Greeks, Zeus, through the mortal woman Alcmene. Bacchus, the god of
wine and revelry among the Romans (known among the Greeks as Dionysus) was
also born on this day.
Adonis, revered as a
"dying-and-rising god" among the Greeks, miraculously was also born
on the 25th of December. His worshipers held him a yearly festival
representing his death and resurrection, in midsummer. The ceremonies of his
birthday are recorde d to have taken place in the same cave in
The Scandinavians
celebrated the 25th of December as the birthday of their god Freyr, the son
of their supreme god of the heavens, Odin.
The Romans observed
this day as the birthday of the god of the sun, Natalis Solis Invicti
("Birthday of Sol the invincible"). There was great rejoicing and
all shops were closed. There was illumination and public games. Presents were
exchanged, and the slaves were indulged in great liberties. Remember, these
are the same Romans who would later preside over the council of Nicea (325
AD.) which lead to the official Christian recognition of the
"Trinity" as the "true" nature of God, and the
"fact" that Jesus (pbuh) was born on the 25th of December too.
In Decline and
Fall of the Roman Empire, Gibbon says: "The Roman Christians,
ignorant of his (Christ's) birth, fixed the solemn festival to the 25th of
December, the Brumalia, or Winter Solstice, when the Pagans annually
celebrated the birth of Sol " vol. ii, p. 383.
Christmas is not the
only Christian festival which was borrowed from ancient paganism and foisted
upon the religion of Jesus (pbuh). There is also Easter the Feast of St.
John, the Holy communion, the Annunciation of the virgin, the assumption of
the virgin, and many others have their roots in ancient pagan worship.
(borrowed
& edited from Helen Ellerbe's The Dark Side of Christian History,
permission pending)
Conclusions
The pagan roots of holidays celebrated in the name of Christianity
testify to its having been altered. Christianity, as it exists today, does
not represent the message of Jesus, the son of Mary (may peace be upon both
of them). And this is not merely a Christian issue. This is an issue for all
God-fearing people. We, as Muslims, must be aware of the pieces that make up
the puzzle that is Christianity, first to protect ourselves and our families,
then to warn others and to call them to the right way.
The Prophet (peace be
upon him) said, "You (Muslims) will follow the ways of those nations who
were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit (i.e., inch by inch) so much
so that even if they entered a hole of a lizard, you would follow them."
We said, "O Allah's Apostle! (Do you mean) the Jews and the
Christians?" He said, "Who else?" Sahih Al-Bukhari
Hadith, Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri
There is no "good fun" in displeasing Allah, the Most High.
So, we must provide alternative activities for our children; camping trips,
sporting events, halaqaat, field trips, etc. We should do our best to avoid
television, year-round. And if we find this difficult, we should at least
avoid it during these "holidays". If we have non-Muslim family
members that celebrate these days of bid'aa and shirk,
then we should avoid their homes at these times. Visit them the month before
Christmas, or the month after.
Most importantly,
however, we should study our deen and we should surround
ourselves with those who do. We should seek righteousness among the
righteous. We should seek the pleasure of Allah among those who please Allah.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that whoever imitates a people is one of
them. Let us imitate those who are on the straight path, not those who have
gone astray.
Allah knows
best.
Sources
·
The Bible, New King James Version
·
Ellerbe, Helen, The Dark Side of Christian History,
Morning Star Books, 1995.
·
Maier, Paul, In the Fullness of Time, Kregel
Publishing, 1998.
·
The Noble Qur'an, English Translation
·
Quick, Abdullah Hakim,
·
Wood, Forrest, The Arrogance of Faith, Alfred
A. Knopf, 1990
·
missionislam website
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