Sister Jabou,
I think that is what makes it difficult. When i came to Norway i was married
to a Norwegian who was a christian and We have 2 beautiful girls together
Neneh and Mariama. She participates fully whenever we our Islamic activities
even though she was not a muslim.
When my girls were born we had a naming ceremony as we are used to back
home. When it is christmas we normally have a christmas tree at home and we
exchange gifts. My in laws were christians, they give me and my family
christmas presents and my children give them presents as well.
They are their grandparents despite the fact that they are not muslims.
This is the very thing i was trying to explain when i gave the Ustass as an
example in my first posting on this issue but unfortunately everything was
focused on Pork eating and alcohol drinking. The Ustass received gifts such
as money etc. from a christian teacher at school but when this particular
teacher lost his father the Ustass refused to offer prayers for him and his
reason was that he was a non-muslim. I was trying to portray the double
standard of the Ustass.
We go The Gambia, most of the people drinking alcohol are are muslims but
still we associates with them in every way possible.
As musa Famara said "Matarr this is a very sensitive issue and it seems your
islamic knowledge is very limited" but the fact is that i dont need a wide
range of islamic knowledge to be able to reason outor see things.
Sister Jabou with all due respect this is just a comment i have to make

May God bless you and your family

Matarr


>From: Jabou Joh <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Celebrating Holidays of the Disbelievers/Ginny
>Date: Sun, 6 Jan 2002 21:35:35 EST
>
>Ginny,
>
>Sitting with your friends as you described, or even visiting with them
>during
>the holidays, sharing goodwill with neighbours is really not what is
>forbidden. I think that when they talk about participating in the
>celebations
>of non-muslim holidays, what is meant is that muslims should not engage in
>the rituals of putting up christmas trees, exchanging gifts among the
>family
>members etc.Interacting with neighbours, treating them as you want them to
>treat you is enjoined in Islam, regardless of their faith.
>The Prophet (SAS) said that the angel Gibril used to admonish him about the
>proper treatment of nwighbours so much so that he thought that when he
>died,
>he should make his neighbours his heirs, instead of of his family.
>It is also said that when he and his family were having hard times, his
>neighbours who were Christians would give him milk and the ydrank this
>milk.
>Personally, I think a bigger deal than what ti si worth is being placed on
>this.
>As muslims, we are supposed to celebrate those holidays that have some
>connection to our deen, and celebrating the birthday of Jesus is not
>something that even prophet Essa did, and the 25th of December used to be
>the
>date that the Romans celebrated the birthday of one of their gods. It is
>said
>that this day was chosen as a compromise to make Christianity more
>acceptable
>for them since they were used to celebrating on this date. It actually has
>no
>bearing on the life of Prophet Jesus. (hopefully, we will get to this
>discussion in the series on Islam.) except as a way for Christians to
>honour
>him.
>The Prophet Muhammed did not celebrate his birthday, and so even that
>celebration is not something that is recorded among his Sunnah.
>As muslims, our holidays are the two EIDS, and that is what we actively
>celebrate. Other people's holidays are theirs, and we can wish them
>goodwill
>and interact with them as good neighbours, but we do not celebrate the
>holidays within our families and household.
>
>Jabou Joh
>
>
>In a message dated 1/6/2002 4:23:30 PM Central Standard Time,
>[log in to unmask] writes:
>
>
> > Hello, everyone.  I hate to seem stupid or anything.  But as a new
>Muslim,
> > the debate of what to celebrate and what not to celebrate is very
>confusing
> > to me.  While I do not want to seem disrespectufl or intolerant of my
> > non-Muslim friends and family, I do not want to do anything that is
>going
> > to
> > negate my faith and practice of Islam.
> >      For example, this Christmas, my roommate's family came over to my
> > house.  Since they are my friends as well, I sat with them and watched
>them
> > unwrap their presents.  I wasn't gong to go hide in my room, that would
> > have
> > seemed extreme to me.  I also went over to my roommate's mom's house for
> > New
> > Year's Eve.  Maybe I should not have done that, but these are people I
>have
> > known for years.  As long as I am not doing anything that contradicts
>the
> > teachings of Islam, then I think it is OK.  Also, I think it gives them
> > opportunities to ask any questions of me, and I think by me just being
> > there
> > it sets a good example of how Muslims can coexist.
> >     If I would have totally cut off all relations with them on becoming
> > Muslim, I think that that would have left a very bad impression of Islam
>on
> > them.  By me continuing to have a friendship with them, I think it
>allows
> > them to get a more balanced picture of Islam.
> >     These are just some thoughts.  I hope I didn't offend anyone.  As a
>new
> > Muslim, I still have a lot to learn, and maybe my approahces toward some
> > things may not be correct.  But I am trying.
> > Ginny
> >
>
>
>
>
>Regards,
>Mrs Jabou N.Joh,
>President/ceo,
>Cumberland Investment Group,
>557 Holt Valley Rd,
>Nashville, TN, 37221
>Tel: (615) 269 6949
>Mobile: (615) 573 1785
>Efax: (240) 371 5557 / (702) 995 0969
>
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