Imam Sheik Yahya Safi of Lakemba Mosque in Sydney. |
THE
Lakemba Mosque has issued a fatwa against Christmas, warning followers it is a
''sin'' to even wish people a Merry Christmas. The religious ruling, which
followed a similar lecture during Friday prayers at Australia's biggest mosque,
was posted on its Facebook site on Saturday morning.
The head
imam at Lakemba, Sheikh Yahya Safi, had told the congregation during prayers
that they should not take part in anything to do with Christmas. Samir Dandan,
the president of the Lebanese Muslim Association, which oversees the mosque,
could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
The
fatwa, which has sparked widespread community debate and condemnation, warns
that the "disbelievers are trying to draw Muslims away from the straight
path". It also says that Christmas Day and associated celebrations are
among the "falsehoods that a Muslim should avoid ... and therefore, a
Muslim is neither allowed to celebrate the Christmas Day nor is he allowed to
congratulate them".
The
posting of the fatwa has shocked many Muslim leaders. The Grand Mufti of
Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, said the foundations of Islam were peace, co-operation,
respect and holding others in esteem. "Anyone who says otherwise is
speaking irresponsibly," he said.
Lakemba Lebanese Mosque in Sydney, Australia. |
The fatwa
quotes the teacher Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim as saying that congratulating
disbelievers for their rituals is forbidden, and if a "Muslim who says
this does not become a disbeliever himself, he at least commits a sin as this
is the same as congratulating him for his belief in the trinity, which is a
greater sin and much more disliked by Almighty Allah than congratulating him
for drinking alcohol or killing a soul or committing fornication or adultery”.
Dr Rifi
and Sheikh Youssef Nabha, the imam of the Kingsgrove Mosque, are travelling to
Nauru on Sunday night with priests from the Maronite and Melkite churches in Sydney
to attend Christmas celebrations with the asylum seekers held there. Dr Rifi
said he and Sheikh Youssef would be distributing Christmas cards during the
visit.
Imam Sheik Yahya Safi. |
Keysar
Trad, a former official with the Lebanese Muslim Association, said in his time
with the organisation they used to regularly greet people with merry Christmas.
"I don't know what has changed," he said. "But now as a
representative of Australia's peak Muslim body, the Australian Federation of
Islamic Councils, I would like to wish all your readers a merry Christmas and a
happy new year."
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