Blog Archives
Paganism and the Celebration of “Birthdays”
Source: missionislam.com
By: Muhammad ‘Abd al-Haqq
Bismillah. Alhamdulillah wa salatu wasallam ala Rasulillah.
The following is a list of quotes from writings and writers, ancient and modern, religious and secular, attesting to the Pagan origins and nature of celebrating one’s supposed day of birth. Of course many contemporary, secularized people will object and say that “birthdays” no longer have any religious significance(despite the fact that all the ancient pagan rituals are maintained and preserved in the modern celebrations). However if you profess to be a Muslim, a Jew, or a Christian, you should not be doing this; Especially after you become aware that the word “secular” has the same definition as `irjaa(separating beliefs from actions, i.e. separating public actions from privately held beliefs(religion)). Yet “religion” is, from the Latin “religare”, “that which binds”, thus making Secular Humanism a religion in its own right.
Mufti Ismail Menk – A True Celebration (Audio)
A short message on the true celebration of the Life of the Prophet pbuh. Harare Zimbabwe.
More Mufti Menk lectures…
The Surprising Origin of Birthdays
Source: triumphpro.com
By: William F. Dankenbring (Christian)
Almost everybody, today, celebrates birthdays. Around the world, friends and relatives hold birthday parties, give gifts to the one being honored, and wish “Happy birthday!” to the one whosebirthday is being celebrated.
But why?
CELEBRATING THE NEW YEAR
Source: blog.islamiconlineuniversity.com
By: Dr. Bilal Philips
Origins
January is named after Janus, the Roman god of doors and gateways. He was commonly depicted in statues, carvings and paintings as a two headed man with one head facing forward and the other head facing backwards. In 46BC Julius Caesar chose January 1st as the first day of the New Year as Janus symbolically represented the door to the New Year. Wild parties and orgies were held on the night before the New Year’s Day as a re-enactment of the chaos which Roman mythology depicted as preceding the cosmos or the ordered world whose organization was set by the gods. Furthermore, by that time, Janus had become, in practice, the highest god receiving the ritual sacrifices of Roman worshippers before the other gods, including the chief god, Jupiter.[1]
Thus, in its essence the celebrations of the New Year on January 1stand New Year’s Eve, the night before, are a part and parcel of pagan religious rituals based on idolatrous beliefs in false gods. Consequently, it is completely Haraam (sinful and forbidden) for Muslims to participate in or adopt any of its related rituals, customs and symbols.
If a non-Muslim greets a Muslim, “Happy New Year”, the Muslim is not allowed to respond in a similar manner or say, “Same to you.” Instead, in order not to offend or hurt the feelings of non-Muslim friends or acquaintances, one may say instead, “Happy holiday.”
As for celebrating the New Year according to the Islamic calendar which begins with the month of Muharram, this is also not permissible from a number of perspectives. First and foremost, if one does so believing that it is pleasing to Allah to do so, thereby transforming it into an act of worship, it becomes a Bid‘ah or cursed innovation in the religion about which the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Every innovation in religion is misguidance and all misguidance leads to the Hellfire.” If one does so merely as a custom, it is still impermissible as it falls under the prohibition of imitation of pagan customs about which the Prophet (pbuh) said, “Whoever imitates a people becomes one of them.”
[1] Pope Gregory 13th who set the modern calendar, the Gregorian calendar, also officially fixed the first day of the year for ChristianEurope as January 1st in 1582.
ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS (VIDEO)
The celebration of Christmas as we know it today stems from the traditions of several different cultures.
Click here to watch…
http://player.history.com/pservice/embed-player/?siteId=hist&tPid=21117263
Yasiin Bey aka Mos Def – Umi Says (Video)
An epic night to say the least. Mos Def back stage with a glint in his eye, seeing so many people from diverse backgrounds coming together on Chicago’s South Side in celebration of humanity and civic action. The event, hosted by the Inner City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), Taking it to the Streets, was held is Marquette Park, a place where Dr. King would talk to the people and was met with racism in the past, now the park is becoming a place where people of all races can come in celebration of diversity and our shared humanity! Amazing! We’ve come a long way but have a long way yet to go.
Mos Def was the highlight of the night and his music brought the crowd together and inspired us all. Thank you, good sir, for respecting the deen and for being a gentleman, an artist, and an activist always!
And thank you IMAN for being a pillar of Chicago’s South Side activist community dedicated to social change in all the right directions. You are all inspirational and I am proud to call you family.
Muslim Superheroes: IDC Eid al Fitr Hospital Visit (Video)
On Eid al-Fitr 2014, members of the IDC Team visited three local hospital 1. RVI Newcastle 2. Royal Infirmary Sunderland 3. James Cook Middlesbrough as the Muslim Superheroes! Eid is a time of celebration and see young children enjoying this blessed day! So what better way than sharing it with the children who are in hospital!
PASS THE KNOWLEDGE (LIGHT & LIFE) 