>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: Mon, 7 Jan 2002 23:42:52 EST > >Matarr, > >My ex-husband's family are all Christians. He is the only muslim in the >family, and he converted before we got married. We have 4 children, and they >interact and love his relatives. They visit with their grandparents and the >extended family. > > His parents send a check at christmastime to all the grandkids, ours >included.The family makes a big deal of Christmas. We have a good >relationship with them, and my ex-mom-in law still calls to chat. >Howevwer, this family knows that we are muslims, and we do not celebrate >Xmas, and all of them have always respected that. The rest of the family does >not send us gifts because they know we do not celebrate the holiday, but the >grandparents wanted to give our kids something at Xmas and asked if they >could do that, and we said if this makes them happy, then no problem. > >When people have forwarded anything that says non-muslims are non believers, >it is not something that was coined deliberately to make anyone feel bad. It >is the exact words that the Qur'an uses. > >On my part, I am telling people what Islam is, and i relay what is in the >Qur'an. The same Qur'an also says that the directives to the muslims is >clear, and that even they are free to accept it and practice it as stated, >or they are free not to do so. This is very clear, so there is no need for >anyone to feel threatened because what is said in the Qur'an is relayed, and >it is in poor taste for some of us to try to get some milage out of this >issue. >Life gets complicated sometimes, and people practice many things that are >contrary to what the scriptures tell us we must do, and this is not just >unique to Muslims. Just because one does not live your life according to what >the scriptures say does not mean that how they live their life is right and >the scriptures are wrong, or that they have to try to force everyone to >conform to their way of life, and neither can those who want to follow the >way of life laid out by the religious laws force these people to adopt >their's. It is all a matter of choice, but it does not mean that one can >silence people just because what they relay makes you feel insecure, guilty, >angry, or whatever feeling it invokes. People need to be ready to just accept >their choices, and live with it, Period. >My personal view is that Malamin Johnson sent that posting to the list as >information to the muslims on ths list concerning the celebration of >non-muslim holidays, and maybe I am wrong about that, but that is how i saw >it. The words were right out of the Qur'an, and that's it. One can take it or >leave it, no compulsion there. > >The point is missed when it comes to Islam and the Qur'an> As far as those of >us who believe are concerned, it si the word of God, and so if one wants ot >debate, reform or change it, you need to get in touch with the man upstairs >as the rest of us definitley cannot help. >We just practice the deen and try to teach others about it, so they are >educated about it and this avoids misconceptions such as are prevalent these >days. This does not constitute the direction of hatred towards anyone, or >that one should not be nice to your neighbours or interact with other people. >If those who are quick to jump on that bandwagon for their own purpose just >stop to think about it, and learn about the religion, then there is no >possibility of arriving at this conclusion, but more often that not, what we >have is the same panic that has gripped the majority of people who know >nothing about Islam, do not really want to learn, but have a lot of senseless >commentary that bespeaks their ignorance, even if they were born into this >religion. >Enough of this insecurity. > >No hard feeling Matarr, and I am not directing all of this personally at you, >but just commenting in general. > >Jabou Joh > >Jabou Joh > >In a message dated 1/7/2002 8:11:12 AM Central Standard Time, >[log in to unmask] writes: > > > > > > 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 > > > > > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<> > >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] > ><>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>//\\<>