>From: Matarr Amadou Sallah <[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: Mon, 7 Jan 2002 07:13:37 +0100 > >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 >> >><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> >> >>To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >>at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >>To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >>[log in to unmask] >> >><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: >http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > >To view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>