- Shared respect for Jesus should inspire Islam followers to celebrate the Christian holiday, according to historian of the Koran
- They should be able to send festive cards, decorate their homes in tinsel and wear Santa hats
GLASGOW – A Scottish Muslim author and historian has encouraged fellow Muslims to join Christmas celebrations, saying that shared respect for Jesus (peace be upon him) should bring people together.
“Muslims who truly understand the Koran should see Christmas celebrations as an opportunity to show that Jesus is mentioned and respected in the Qur’an,” Paigham Mustafa, a Pakistani-born publisher and businessman, told Scottish Sun.
“Believers share this respect with those who follow Christ.
“Muslims everywhere should focus on making a world community of peace and respect.”
Mustafa urged Muslims to send festive cards, decorate their homes in tinsel, and wear Santa hats.
“Sending greeting cards and wishing each other Merry Christmas should be an opportunity to foster and strengthen good community relations,” he said.
“Wearing a Santa hat or pulling a festive cracker isn’t going to weaken anybody’s beliefs.”
Last year, a Tesco Christmas advert featured a Muslim family holding Christmas gifts.
In 2016, the Muslim Council of Britain said that Muslims did not wish to ban Christmas, adding that Jesus is an important prophet for Muslims.
Christmas is the main festival on the Christian calendar.
Muslims believe in Jesus as one of the great Prophets of God and that he was born miraculously, conceived with no father, to his mother, Mary, but not that he was the Son of God.
While Muslims regard Jesus as a holy prophet, most do not celebrate his birthday, a date historians note could not have been in December at all.
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