Can I give Christmas presents to Muslim friends?

CAN I GIVE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS TO MUSLIM FRIENDS?

Of course you can! Your friends will be happy to receive your gifts.

What to give Muslim friends at Christmas

Biscuits and sweets are always welcome, especially if homemade.

Calendars are always a popular gift and we pray that the words printed on them will give spiritual life to those who receive them. ‘Hope’ calendars are available here in many different languages.

Duncan Peters’ modern, Muslim-friendly translation of Luke also makes a lovely gift for some friends.

N.B. Not currently available online

What to avoid giving Muslims at Christmas

But avoid sweets with gelatine and remember most mince pies have suet or similar, so check for halal ingredients.

Anything else to be aware of with Muslims at Christmas?

Be aware that your friend might or might not give you a gift in return.

Is it a sin in Islam to give Christmas presents?

A Mahabba member posed this question on our discussion site:

I had a wonderful time of sharing over Christmas with my Muslim friends. I visited one friend who told me that the mosque is saying it is sin to give Christmas presents. This is the first she has heard of this and is very confused. She feels that this could be very divisive. Have you heard of this teaching?

For some persuasions in Islam it is not accepted practice

This may not necessarily be a teaching that you have come across, but for some persuasions in Islam it is a logical conclusion. If you say Christmas is not something that Muhammad celebrated, it is therefore not sunna (accepted practice). Indeed, Wahabi and Deobandi (strict sects within Islam) teach that celebrating birthdays is haram (forbidden). That includes Jesus’ and, sadly, the little girl’s who lives round the corner. However, it was nice that she gave you a present, and often the fun of parties and presents is more powerful than dull doctrine.

It may be seen as heretical, participating in something un-Islamic

Given that Christmas is also a celebration of the incarnation of God in human form on earth, it is a particularly severe heresy in Islam. Therefore, giving Christmas presents is seen as participating in, and affirming, something that is un-Islamic and wrong.

Are Muslims offended by Christmas?

No, as a general rule, Muslims are not offended by Christmas. They tend not to be bothered by Christians celebrating Christmas or others participating in it generally. Most do not mind you saying Happy Christmas, and you may find they even enjoy an odd Christmas song or two too.

Overall, Muslims are not trying to cancel your Christmas!

On the other hand, there are those who are trying to cancel Christmas, such as Zakir Naik, and a lot of people listen to him. Again, the Muslim community is a ‘broad church’, so avoid assuming one way or the other.

What can I talk about with Muslims at Christmas?

‘Christmas culture’ in a broad sense drives much of Christmas for the majority of society, including many Muslims.

Conversations with Muslims that remind them of the difference between the Bible, Christians and cultural-Christians or just white people who are non-believers is a possible way forward.

The key to remember is that a Muslim is an individual with varied views, so if we are close to a Muslim, they might happily join in. This would be a great opportunity to share more of the hope we have in Jesus.

For those who don’t, we pray the Lord will inspire us to share our hope in another way.

Remember links to Muslim festivals like Eid - Christmas is a great way to tell a story about something theologically significant and enjoy a meal together.

It doesn't matter what background the people are, it’s an opportunity to explain why we believe the incarnation story is important.

Find out more by checking out our Resource of the Month

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