# Can I say Merry Christmas to non-Muslims?

*Saying Merry Christmas to non-Muslims is permissible*

- URL: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/uecmazd-lxw/s/1/
- Date: 2015-12-27 · Kind: lesson · Transcript tier: machine · Recording: Fatwa on saying Merry Christmas - Mufti Abu Layth (0:00–3:20)
- Status: general teaching
- Watch from the start of the segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueCmAZD-LXw&t=0s
- Recording page: https://muftiabulayth.org/r/uecmazd-lxw/

**Topics:** Non-Muslim festivals and greetings; Christians and other faiths; Islam and modernity

**Summary (not a quotation; machine-made, unchecked):** Yes, saying Merry Christmas is permissible: old rulings against it came from a very different world, and in the UK Christmas is largely a winter festivity. Those who prefer another greeting may use it without feeling pressured.

**Checked position (checked by two independent reviews, not by the channel):** Mufti Abu Layth says it is permissible to say Merry Christmas to non-Muslims.

**Evidence, his words at 0:01:** “I've said it's permissible to say Merry Christmas to non-Muslims.” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueCmAZD-LXw&t=1s)

## Longer summary

Mufti Abu Layth says he has issued what he calls a Facebook fatwa that it is permissible to say Merry Christmas to non-Muslims, and comments on the responses. He says iman should be firm enough not to collapse over a greeting. He addresses those quoting ulama from centuries ago who held it haram to give a gift on a non-Muslim festival as an endorsement, saying he understands them but the world has changed, and compares their similar rulings against medical care from non-Muslim doctors in a world without diverse societies. He adds that in countries like the UK Christmas is more a winter festivity of gift exchange than an act of worship, and that the Quran permits marrying Christian women and building families with them, so a greeting cannot be what breaks Islam. He says those who prefer 'happy holidays' may choose that without feeling pressured, and closes by joking about a reply that called him an apostate and claimed his shoe had more tawhid than him.

## Sources and names cited

- fatwa
- iman
- haram
- Quran 5:5 (permission to marry women of the People of the Book): https://quran.com/5/5
- tawhid

## Transcript (machine tier, 0:00–3:20)

[0:01] Folks, it's that time of the year when I get those questions again about Christmas. So, I have released a Facebook fatwa. That's got a bit of a ring to it, hasn't it? Facebook fatwa. All right. Anyway, I've said it's permissible to say Merry Christmas to non-Muslims. So, I've had some crazy responses.

[0:23] Naturally, deleted and blocked. Don't know what the surprise is there, but But, I seriously don't know why people feel so threatened, like their iman will collapse just because they've greeted someone. Iman is something which should be much stronger than that. It's something which should have cemented itself in the heart.

[0:48] It doesn't just break down. Other people who are quoting to me ulama from hundreds of years ago, whether it's 400 to 800 to 1,200 years ago commenting on issue. So, those ulama would say things like, you know, it's absolutely haram to give a gift to a non-Muslim on his day of festivity. They would see that as a form of endorsement.

[1:13] And that you're saying that that religion is okay. Now, I understand where they're coming from 1,000 years ago, but the world has changed. Ulama would say the same thing on matters like medicine, that it's either haram or strongly discouraged to take any medical care from non-Muslim doctors. The world back then was incredibly different. You didn't have diverse communities and, you know, diverse societies like the way we do today.

[1:40] In addition to countries like the UK today, let's say, Christmas is more a a winter festivity where people exchange gifts. It's not seen as a sole religious practice of worship which the Christians conduct. It's not seen like that at all. In addition to if we look at the actual rulings of the Quran, we find that Allah permits to marry Christian women, to have families with them, to live with them, to care No need to get excited.

[2:15] Those of you watching this just had like a what? I I meant to prove a point. So, if Islam had tolerated all of that, would it simply break down by just responding to somebody by saying Merry Christmas? Some people had said, "Look, I just want to respond by saying cheers or happy holidays. I don't want to say Merry Christmas." And that is your choice, but just don't feel pressured or uptight.

[2:41] Other people had just responded by saying to me that look, I must be some kind of an apostate or a kafir. Yeah. One guy said to me that this is indeed is indeed me like a hypocrite or an apostate. That his shoe has more tawhid than me. I did ask him. I said, "How is that? I mean, why do you just have one shoe?"

[3:08] That was a good one. Come on. So, guys, in special dedication to that guy and his one tawhid-bearing shoe, you have a good one.

## Cite

Mufti Abu Layth Archive, segment ueCmAZD-LXw/s/1. https://muftiabulayth.org/r/uecmazd-lxw/s/1/

Not a fatwa: these answers were given to specific people at specific times. Ask a qualified scholar about your own situation.