{"id":1587,"date":"2017-12-22T09:37:20","date_gmt":"2017-12-22T15:37:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/commonwordcommonlord\/?p=1587"},"modified":"2017-12-22T12:57:20","modified_gmt":"2017-12-22T18:57:20","slug":"merry-happy-christmas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/commonwordcommonlord\/merry-happy-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"As A Muslim At Christmas, \u201cHappy Holidays\u201d Is A Little Annoying"},"content":{"rendered":"

In the Name of God: The Exceedingly and Everlastingly Loving and Caring<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/em><\/p>\n

I know people mean well. I realize they don’t know whether or not I celebrate Christmas and do not want to offend me. I figure that they believe “Happy Holidays” is safe and encompasses all faiths – or no faith at all. I get it.<\/p>\n

As a Muslim at Christmas, however, it’s still a little annoying.<\/p>\n

Now, as a Muslim, do I celebrate Christmas as a religious festival of the birth of the Son of God? No. That does not mean that I don’t try to spread cheer and joy with others during this time of year.<\/p>\n

My family and I send Christmas cards to our friends and neighbors, and we love receiving them in return. We give gifts to our friends, neighbors, and our children’s teachers. And we appreciate receiving them as well.<\/p>\n

And we enjoy telling everyone “Merry Christmas” (although I like better the “Happy Christmas” greeting our British cousins give each other).<\/p>\n

There was one time in my life – while I was suffering from the fires of fanatic stupidity – when I believed it was “forbidden” to say “Merry Christmas” to others, that doing so would betray my Muslim identity and faith. Then, I grew up.<\/p>\n

Now I understand that there is nothing wrong – as a Muslim – with saying “Merry Christmas” to everyone I meet. There is nothing in that statement – “Merry Christmas” – that betrays my Muslim identity and faith. In fact, saying “Merry Christmas” is wholly consistent with my Muslim faith.<\/p>\n

The Prophet (pbuh) said, “Spread Peace to one another.” Saying “Merry Christmas” is nothing if not spreading peace. It is being a good neighbor, a good friend, a good colleague, and a good citizen. Islam demands that I be all of those people, and so what could possibly wrong with saying “Merry Christmas”?<\/p>\n

“Happy Holidays” just doesn’t do it for me. It’s so vanilla and devoid of meaning. Yes, in this time of year, there are multiple holidays bunched together in very close proximity. Thus saying “Happy Holidays” conveys three greetings at once: “Happy Thanksgiving,” and “Merry Christmas, and “Happy New Year.”<\/p>\n

Still, to me at least, it does not seem heartfelt. When I say “Merry (or Happy) Christmas,” I am saying: “I pray you and yours have happiness and joy this Christmas.” It is a sincere prayer to God for peace for you. What could possibly be wrong with this?<\/p>\n

“Happy Holidays” feels to me like “Salamu alaikum” in the Muslim world. When I was there in 2006, everyone said “Salamu alaikum,” which means “Peace be with you.” But it had no meaning. It felt like “hey,” or “yo,” and it betrayed what it really means to pray for peace for someone else.<\/p>\n

Of course, I do not doubt anyone’s sincerity when they say “Happy Holidays” at all. Like I said in the beginning, I know they mean well. For this Muslim, however, during this time of year, I like to say “Merry Christmas.” It just feels right to me, and it’s a small way that I can help spread peace in a world that is tragically devoid of it.<\/p>\n

From my family to you and yours, a very Merry and Happy Christmas.<\/p>\n

I’d be honored if you joined me on Twitter @GodFaithPen<\/a> and on Medium<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For this Muslim at Christmas, I like to say \u201cMerry Christmas.\u201d Saying \u201cHappy Holidays\u201d just doesn\u2019t do it for me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":175,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[250,254,880,770,251],"class_list":["post-1587","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-a-common-word","tag-christmas","tag-greetings","tag-happy-holidays","tag-holiday","tag-merry"],"yoast_head":"\nAs A Muslim At Christmas, \u201cHappy Holidays\u201d Is A Little Annoying - Common Word, Common Lord<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/commonwordcommonlord\/merry-happy-christmas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"As A Muslim At Christmas, \u201cHappy Holidays\u201d Is A Little Annoying - Common Word, Common Lord\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"For this Muslim at Christmas, I like to say \u201cMerry Christmas.\u201d Saying \u201cHappy Holidays\u201d just doesn\u2019t do it for me.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/commonwordcommonlord\/merry-happy-christmas\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Common Word, Common Lord\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-12-22T15:37:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2017-12-22T18:57:20+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/commonwordcommonlord\/files\/2017\/12\/img_0208.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Hesham A. 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Hassaballa","description":"Hesham A. Hassaballa is a Chicago doctor and writer. He has written extensively on a freelance basis, being published in newspapers across the country and around the world. He has been a Beliefnet columnist since 2001, and has written for the Religion News Service. He is also a columnist for Patheos. His articles have been distributed worldwide by Agence Global, and he was also a guest blogger for The Chicago Tribune and has blogged on ChicagoNow\" . In addition, Dr. Hassaballa has appeared as a guest on WTTW (Channel 11) in Chicago, CNN, Fox News, BBC, and National Public Radio. Dr. Hassaballa is co-author of The Beliefnet Guide to Islam (Doubleday), and his essay, \u201cWhy I Love the Ten Commandments,\u201d was published in the award-winning book Taking Back Islam (Rodale). His latest book, Noble Brother, is the story of the Prophet Muhammad told entirely in poetry, and it is now published in its second edition. In 2007, his blog \"God, Faith, and a Pen\" was nominated for a Brass Crescent Award for a blog that is \u201cthe most stimulating, insightful, and philosophical, providing the best rebuttals to extremist ideology and making an impact whenever they post.\u201d \"God, Faith, and a Pen\" has also received an award for being one of the \"Top Muslim Blogs for 2010\" by Awarding The Web. In addition to writing, Dr. Hassaballa helped found the Chicago Chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations and currently serves on their board of directors. He also co-founded the Bayan H. 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