Celebrating Christmas in Kashmir

By Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander, New Age Islam 30 January 2023 Christian Missionaries Have A Huge Role In Positive Awakening And Nation Building Of Kashmiri Society. The Christian Missionaries Were The Pioneers In Establishing Hospitals, Dispensaries And Modern Day Schools In Kashmir Valley. ----- The biggest mass in the Valley was held at the Holy Family Catholic Church at Maulana Azad Road in the heart of the city, where hundreds of Christians, including women and children. (Image Credit: Twitter) ------ This year the Christmas in Kashmir had altogether new vibes that resulted in controversy over social media with half baked Maulanas, mullahs and social media preachers jumping the band wagon of condemnation. The event got highlighted more because a bunch of exoteric Muslims who always wear their identity on their sleeve joined the Christmas celebration in main church of Srinagar. Soon the pictures of these exoteric Muslims with long beards, shaved mustaches and completely niqabi hijab clad girls started doing rounds over social media. Hence common people, laymen, illiterates, educated literates all started condemning their actions. They quoted the Quranic verse, which goes like this, “O people of the Book! Do not go to extremes regarding your faith; say nothing about Allah except the truth. The Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger of Allah and the fulfillment of His word through Mary and a spirit created by a command from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers and do not say, ‘Trinity’ Stop!-for your own good. Allah is only one God. Glory to be Him! He is far above having a son! To him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And Allah is sufficient as a Trustee of Affairs.” (4:171) This is a very correct factual position of Islam as it denies Trinity. But how does celebrating birth of Jesus Christ be synonymous with acceptance of trinity? To add more insult to injury, Televangelist Dr Zakir Naik’s clips condemning celebration of Christmas began to circulate, whereas his mentor Ahmad Deedat allows and calls for the celebration of Christmas like many Muslims except the Wahhabis of Saudi celebrate Meelad on the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Dr. Zakir Naik, instead of promoting Dawah and interfaith Dialogue is responsible for creating more antagonism with non Muslims while fueling sectarianism among Muslims. He could not differentiate between Dawah and Debate. Dawah is not an arena where the opponent is to be defeated to claim victory over him. The Peaceful spread of Islam, stands in contrast to debating as a tool of Dawah. Dawah is a slow process of reaching to the hearts and minds of non Muslims, and clearing them from any prejudices and stereotypes against Islam. Later that paves way for anyone to embrace Islam. Muslims did earlier participate in the Christian celebrations, but the exoteric Muslims highlighted the issue, that again gave rise to rumors about them being used by clandestine hands to achieve a political charade. Such rumors keep making rounds, but joint prayers and joint celebrations certainly are a great way to build interfaith relations, but our half baked Maulanas and mullahs seem to be quite unaware about its essence. They just need some event to hop into limelight otherwise they remain in oblivion about the real big issues confronting Muslims. The Christian missionaries have a huge role in positive awakening and nation building of Kashmiri society. The Christian missionaries were the pioneers in establishing hospitals, dispensaries and modern day schools in Kashmir valley. They were the ones who in fact documented the history of Kashmir in English. Due to their efforts numerous lives were saved, education became acceptable to the common Muslims particularly education of the girl children. A campaign against prostitution of Kashmiri women was initiated by Muhamnaad Subhan Hajam and this campaign was well aided by a missionary C E Tyndale Biscoe. These efforts cannot be undermined. These mullahs still could not establish a good primary school and the school established by Biscoe still continues to function in the heart of Srinagar. The failure to understand the fact that greeting and celebrating Christmas does not mean to believe in the doctrines of Christianity. Enrolling in Christian schools, being admitted to a Christian hospital or working in a Jewish corporation does not render one as non muslim. Similarly participating in religious functions like Christmas does not make one believer in Trinity. This trend is something similar to what the Kharjis upheld, about whom Caliph Ali (RA) observed, they recite the Quran correctly but juxtapose it on wrong circumstances because Quran cannot interpret itself. These wrong interpretations are responsible in building wrong images about each other. Quran in a verse observes, “Verily ….you will find the nearest in love to the believers (Muslims) those who say, We are Christians! That is because amongst them are priests and monks, and they are not proud” (5:82) So when Quran reiterates it so why quote selectively and use verses out of context while exploiting their meaning? The Christians of Najran stayed in the mosque of Prophet (pbuh) in Medina and no fatwas or allegations of being believers in Trinity were hurled at Muslims not even by hypocrites and non Muslims. Then another hadith is quoted out of context that observes that “one who adorns the garb of others or imitates them is among them.” This is something that was contextual to the first generation of Muslims as a new distinct community was being created so it was essential that some identity markers be guarded and some certain aesthetics be temporarily banned like art of making sculptures and painting. There was apprehension that some Muslims may fall back on old ways and start worshipping them, but today there is nothing wrong about it. So many times we falter while understanding the spirit and message of hadith, thus render lawful and legitimate things as unlawful and sinful. So unless we do not possess a tinge of Ijtihad, we cannot undertake Dawah and Dialogue, while assuming the power of declaring something as forbidden whereas Allah has allowed and made it legal. If we are able to separate the domains of God and man in Islam, numerous problems will get resolved naturally, thus saving human and material resources of Muslims from getting dissipated in futile exercises. ----- Mushtaq Ul Haq Ahmad Sikander is Writer-Activist based in Srinagar, Kashmir URL: https://newageislam.com/interfaith-dialogue/celebrating-christmas-kashmir/d/128991 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism