The Islamic Ruling on Celebrating Christmas for Muslim Communities

4. Does Celebrating Christmas for Muslim Imply Religious Endorsement?

For Muslim individuals, celebrating Christmas cannot be regarded as a purely cultural or neutral gesture. Rather, participation constitutes an implicit endorsement of religious beliefs surrounding the divinity of Jesus (ʿĪsā عليه السلام)—beliefs that the Qur’an explicitly and unequivocally rejects.

Islamic scholars have clarified that congratulating disbelievers on their religious holidays is prohibited because it entails approval of the rituals and symbols of disbelief and contentment with them, even if one does not personally accept such beliefs. A Muslim is not permitted to approve of, affirm, or congratulate others for religious practices that contradict Islamic creed.

Allah, the Exalted, says:

 وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ (113)

“And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire, and you would not have other than Allāh any protectors; then you would not be helped.”
(Sūrah Hūd 11:113)

Likewise, Allah commands:

وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ (2)…..

“……..And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allāh; indeed, Allāh is severe in penalty.”
(Sūrah al-Māʾidah 5:2)

While Islam commands profound respect, honor, and belief in Prophet ʿĪsā (peace be upon him), it firmly upholds the following foundational truths:

• He is not the son of God

• He is not divine

• All worship belongs to Allah alone

Accordingly, engaging in Christmas celebrations—whose very essence is rooted in beliefs that contradict these principles—stands in direct opposition to the foundations of Islamic faith and Tawḥīd.

5. Why Is Shirk the Greatest Sin of All?

Shirk—associating partners with Allah—is the greatest and most serious sin of all. It is the only sin that Allah has declared He will not forgive if a person dies upon it without repentance.

It places a weak, created being—one who eats, sleeps, forgets, and dies—on par with the Lord of the seven heavens, the Owner of the Mighty Throne, and the One whose Kursi encompasses the heavens and the earth.

Allah is the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Sustainer of every atom and every galaxy. The observable universe stretches across billions of light-years in precise order, while beyond human perception exist realms smaller than the atom and even the electron—all submitting perfectly to His command. To associate any human, idol, or concept with Allah is to deny His absolute perfection and sovereignty. For this reason, shirk stands as the highest and unforgivable sin, a direct violation of tawḥīd, the very foundation of faith and existence.

On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

“Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, says: ‘The son of Adam denied Me and he had no right to do so. and the son of Adam reviled Me and he had no right to do so. As for his denying Me, It is his saying that I will not resurrect him as I created him in the beginning, but resurrecting him is not more difficult for Me than creating him in the first place. And as for his reviling Me, it is his saying that Allah has taken a son, but I am Allah, the One, the Self-Sufficient Master, I beget not nor was I begotten, and there is none co-equal or comparable unto Me.”(Sahih Source1,  Source 2)

In this hadith, it specifically means the disbelievers’ denial of Allah’s ability to resurrect them after death. As for reviling, it refers to cursing or falsely accusing someone. Here, it specifically refers to what the disbelievers say in attributing a son to Allah Almighty.

Allah The AlMighty Says in Surah Maryam:

وَقَالُوا اتَّخَذَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ وَلَدًا (88) لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمْ شَيْئًا إِدًّا (89) تَكَادُ السَّمَاوَاتُ يَتَفَطَّرْنَ مِنْهُ وَتَنشَقُّ الْأَرْضُ وَتَخِرُّ الْجِبَالُ هَدًّا (90) أَن دَعَوْا لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ وَلَدًا (91) وَمَا يَنبَغِي لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا (92) إِن كُلُّ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ إِلَّا آتِي الرَّحْمَٰنِ عَبْدًا (93) لَّقَدْ أَحْصَاهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدًّا (94) وَكُلُّهُمْ آتِيهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ فَرْدًا (95)

88. And they say, “The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.” 89. You have done an atrocious thing. 90. The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation 91. That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son. 92. And it is not appropriate for the Most Merciful that He should take a son. 93. There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant. 94. He has enumerated them and counted them a [full] counting. 95. And all of them are coming to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone. (Maryam, 88 to 95)