Would Jesus Celebrate Christmas Thus?
The Messiah, Likely Born in the Summer, Lived a Minimalist Life
Lights blinking everywhere, stores filled to the brim with items
on top of items. Houses are filled with gifts under the tree and wallets
getting lighter by the second. The smell of peppermint tea and hot chocolate in
the cozy winter nights. “‘Tis the season to be jolly!”
Christmas and December have now almost become synonyms. Yes, it
is true that only Christians celebrate Christmas, but consumerism has made it a
nationwide phenomenon. But would Jesus (peace be on him) himself celebrate
Christmas like us?
Jesus Christ is a figure present in all three Abrahamic
religions. He was born a Jew to Virgin Mary. His earliest followers were Jews.
He said he had come to gather the lost sheep of Israelites. However, Judaism
does not accept him to be the Messiah whereas, Islam, the third Abrahamic
religion, agrees with Christianity that Jesus Christ was sent as the Messiah
and Prophet of the time. Jesus (“Isa” in the Arabic language) is mentioned in
the Holy Qur’an many times, so much so that his mention is recorded as more
than that of the Holy Prophet Muhammad of Islam himself. An entire chapter is
dedicated to the story of the Virgin Mary (Maryam, chapter 19) and Jesus. Now
the question arises that if Islam and Christianity both agree on the birth of
Jesus Christ from the Virgin Mary and agree on him being the messiah of the
time, then why don’t they celebrate Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ?
