Open Mosque to Host Christmas Unity Dinner

Arthur said:
Don't you mean deprecatory?

Since you ask, my answer is No. Whatever some moslems might aver, the term Mohammedan is not deprecatory or demeaning in my culture. Some might of course take offence, but that is their choice. Ponder has already posted a link showing perfectly benign contemporary usage by Mohammedans in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and elsewhere.
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No I meant depreciatory, meant to make something seem of little importance or value. But let's leave it at that, you carry on with mohammedans or moslems or whatever other term you feel acceptable.
 
From fatwa by Sheikh Ali Gomaa, the Grand Mufti of Egypt titled Cutting Kinship Ties in the Name of Islam?



I am nonetheless appalled by the unauthentic opinions of some self claimed scholars who equate spending time with one’s non Muslim family during Christmas and the like with shirk or polytheism! This opinion is a mere aberration of the true authentic teachings of Islam both in letter and spirit.

Islam is a religion of mercy and espouses all encompassing values which include all humans regardless of their religious affiliations, cultural differences and ethnic backgrounds and it encompasses plants, and animals along with inanimate objects as well. In other words, if the concept of mercy in Islam is so grand that it envelopes the whole universe, wouldn’t it fit one’s own mother too?

As a matter of fact God in the Quran did not only allow us to keep ties with one’s non Muslim family members, but He raised the level from recommendation to making it an obligatory act which Muslims should abide by and this is obvious in the Quran when God said,

”But if they (your parents) endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]… 31:15

In this noble verse, God commanded us to keep warm ties with our families even when they exert their utmost efforts and place pressures on us to leave our religion — so what about those who show respect to our religious choices and do not insult our belief in any way or form, should we not even be more eager to show extreme kindness and envelop them with mercy in our sayings and deeds, to be a real embodiment of what Islam is all about?

Muslims show utter love to God’s creation in general as a sign of reverence to their divine origin and Islam placed unprecedented importance to the concept of high morals and made a unique connection between good ethical standards and between faith and creed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said “The nearest of you to me in the Day of Judgment are the ones who have the highest morals”. Therefore we are commanded to show kindness to people irrespectively and to treat them with mercy and love and to refrain from discriminating against them based on their religious choices, cultural backgrounds or the like.

There is no legal impediment to participating in celebrating the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him). Islam is an open system and its followers believe, respect and honor all the prophets and messengers, and treat the followers of other religions with kindness in accordance to the words of God the Almighty:

And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except in the best way. [Al-‘Ankabut, 46]

Jesus the son of Mary, peace be upon him, is one of the Prophets who are characterized with determination, resolution and patience. Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] said: “I am more entitled to Jesus the son of Mary than anyone in this life and in the Hereafter; no prophet has been sent between us.” Every Muslim believes that Jesus is a human prophet who performed great miracles, such as reviving the dead and curing the sick by the will of God the Almighty.

This was not because he was a god or the son of God in the sense of physical procreation—God is exalted above this. Celebrating the day of the birth of Jesus is an act of belief regardless of Christian convictions in his regard. Therefore, participate in your friends and family’s celebrations, eat with them and refrain from eating pork and drinking alcohol with tact and civility. Do not pay any attention to anyone who wants to ruin the relation between you and your family and others in the name of Islam because Islam is free from all of this.
 
Thankfully our laws are not that retarded that we may no longer offend people... for us mere South Africans, here is the definition

§ 16 Freedom of expression
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of expression, which includes-
(a) freedom of the press and other media;
(b) freedom to receive or impart information or ideas;
(c) freedom of artistic creativity; and
(d) academic freedom and freedom of scientific research.

(2) The right in subsection (1) does not extend to-
(a) propaganda for war;
(b) incitement of imminent violence; or
(c) any advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion, and that constitutes incitement to cause harm.
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