Dear Mr Camara,
I wish to thank you for your referrence to a very important distinction
cited in the Holy Quran between the people of the book or scriptures
(Ahlil-kitab) and disbelievers (Al-kafiruun). It is my understanding that
the holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) never referred to the Christians and Jews
with whom we Muslims believe in the one Al-mighty God (Allah)as Al-Kafiruun
or disbelievers but instead he use to refer to them as people of the book as
they are known in the holy Quran. I therefore believe that it is a
deliberate or uniformed departure by some moslems from the traditions of the
holy Prophet Muhammad to consider our Christian and Jewish kinsfolk as
disbelievers.
From my perspective, current Middle Eastern politics in the form of
Western-backed Israeli confiscication of Arab lands and the ensuing
animousity between the Arabs who are predominantly moslems on one hand and
their western-sponsored Zionist cousins on the other hand could be
attributed as largely responsible for the mis-classification of the Jews and
Christians as disbelievers by some moslems. The word 'disbeliever' has also
been adopted  both in the past and contemporary times by some mis-guided
muslems and Christians to justify the killings of innocent men, women and
children in the name of crusade and Jihad. No wonder President George Bush
had to refrain from further use of the sensitive word 'crusade' because of
its gruesome reminder to Moslems of the genocide committed against in the
past in the name of Christianity against Moslems in history. Although, in
their respective true meanings both Jihad and crusade means the quest for
righteousness and justice and not the false notions nowadays attributed to
their meanings by adventurists. No unjust person can embark upon a jihad or
crusade.
The fact of the matter is if there were no distortion of the teachings of
God revealead through his holy prophets; and Jews, Christians and Moslems
were to strive to emulate the conducts of the holy prophets Musa (Moses),
Essa (Jesus, and Muhammad (Pbut), our world would be nearly or virually rid
of most of the prevailing injustices, hatred, hypocrisy, conflicts,
starvation, ignorance, etc of evil. Every innocent life is sacred to God and
should not be taken except on the conditions stipulated by the creator of
the earth and the heavens, that is none other than Allah. There is nothing
that can legitimise injustice against another person, irrespective of his or
her faith, ethnicity, gender or skin or eyes colour.
In conclusion, i believe that we, moslems can celebrate occasions with
Christians or Jews as long as their such occasions are not in contravention
of the directives of our faith. If above is the case, we must not also
violate the prescribed Islamic teachings, for instance  by eating pork or
taking intoxicants during our acts of celebrating with them.
A moslem cannot for example participate in a Christian occasion of
rememberance or celebration about the holy prophet Essa's (Jesus) alledged
crucifixion because we do not share this believe with the Christians, as
simple as that.
As for XMas, which is Essa's birthday occasion, we can exchange gifts with
Christians and even eat turkey with them.

This is what i learnt on this issue so far but wish to learn more.

The yoke of oppression must be shattered!

BMK

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