Sheikh Sameh Abdel Hamid Hamouda, a leader of Egypt’s Salafis, has issued a fatwa banning Muslims from congratulating Christians during their Christmas celebrations.
According to Hamouda’s fatwa, Muslims are permitted to greet Christians over more generic celebrations, such as birthdays or weddings. However, congratulating Christians over their religious celebrations—such as Christmas or Easter—renders a Muslim an infidel, or kafir.
Salafis are Muslims who pattern their lives after the literal words and deeds of Islam’s prophet Muhammad and his original companions.

Edgar Allen says
This is not new or controversial. This is standard Islam.
“Firstly:
Congratulating disbelievers on their religious festivals is undoubtedly prohibited. We have explained this previously in several fatwas and warned against it.
See: 947, 11427, 4528 and 1130
Secondly:
With regard to their personal occasions, such as marriage, success at school, getting a new job, recovering from sickness, having a child, returning from a journey, and the like, these are matters concerning which the scholars differed and there are three opinions – all of which were narrated from Imam Ahmad. Some of them say that it is permissible, some say that it is disallowed, and some say that it is permissible on condition that it serves a shar‘i purpose, such as softening their hearts towards Islam or calling them to the faith.
https://islamqa.info/en/127500
Note that even on NON_RELIGIOUS occasions, most, but not all, jurists agree that congratulations are only allowed in the context of serving Islam, “such as softening their hearts towards Islam.”
https://islamqa.info/en/947
https://islamqa.info/en/11427
https://islamqa.info/en/1130
Custos Custodum says
Interesting links, EA. Thanks for collating these.
Incidentally, these exegeses make it clear (if there was any doubt) that the prohibition against Muslims befriending kufar means what it says.
jack says
I hope it is ok for us Christians to wish mussies a happy Rama-Lama-Dingdong and wish them well when they do that circle-jerk in Mecca
Pig Jizya says
Thousands of people tampled to death just because 7th century arab murderer made up a story that some angel spoke to him and told him he had to walk around a black rock and throw pebbles at an imiginary devil. Stupid.
David says
Actually the Angel was a fallen angel.
Carolyne says
And further, the black rock is a meteorite. I guess I’d worship it too if it missed me.
mortimer says
Free Speech wrote: “Trudge around the yoni.” BINGO!
Many scholars claim the Kaaba represents the goddess Allat giving birth to the new moon. The Kaaba is covered with a black veil…as are Muslim women. In a hadith, Allah is covered by a veil…suggesting a female identity…has an old hadith about Allat been rewritten for a male deity?
Custos Custodum says
This is actually (relatively) good news.
A basic principle of historical research holds that the promulgation of a prohibition (such as this fatwa) is evidence that people were doing the prohibited acts.
Seen in this light, the promulgation of the fatwa indicates that a significant number of nominally Muslim Egyptians, many no doubt still suffering from PMT (post-Morsi trauma), actually go out of their way to congratulate Christian (Coptic) Egyptians specifically on the eponymous Christian festival of Christmas.
After a prolonged campaign of intimidation and murder, particularly in Upper Egypt, this phenomenon must seriously disconcert the Salafist and Muslim Brotherhood camps. Is it too much to hope that we are glimpsing faint glimmers of jihad fatigue?
mortimer says
CC wrote: ‘jihad fatigue’
The phrase that Muslims use is ‘Salafi fatigue’…rather ironic, isn’t it, that the Salafi Party is upset? Muslim youth become enthused with Salafism and after rigorously applying it, drop out in their late 20s or early 30s…when they get a job or career.
Custos Custodum says
Thanks for the interesting insight, Mortimer. Didn’t know that “Salafi fatigue” was “a thing,”
There have been many reports indicating that young Iranians have become cynical about Islam, having lived all their lives under the mullahs.
During the period of mass demonstrations against the mullah regime, Barry the Third World socialist revolutionary stood firmly on the side of the mullahs.
Carolyne says
Obama has told the Muslims that “If the winds should turn ugly, I will stand with the Muslims.” How much more plain can one get?
Custos Custodum says
Quite correct, of course, Carolyne.
Indeed, Barry’s “dog whistles” to his leftist and progressive base where always abundantly clear to anyone paying attention, starting with his ghost-written books.
The first loud “dog whistle” during the 2008 campaign reaffirming Barry’s anti-Christian, pro-Muslim allegiance was the NYT interview with “Rev.” Jeremiah Wright.
Wright, himself a “former” Muslim (who put Louis Farrakhan on the title page of his church news magazine), suggested in effect that he (Wright) made Christianity acceptable to Barry. This is not quite the conventional understanding of Christianity.
Paulina says
A Muslim friend once told me that Muslims are not allowed to greet Christian “Merry Christmas” because by doing so the Muslims are indirectly acknowledging that God has a Son and that is blasphemous. Islam claims to be descended from Abraham like Judaism and Christianity, thus believing in the same One True God, and this God does not have a Son.
Quran Chapter 17, verse 111:
And say, “Praise to Allah , who has not taken a son and has had no partner in [His] dominion and has no [need of a] protector out of weakness; and glorify Him with [great] glorification.”
Jay Boo says
Muslims also claim
That Jesus did not die on the cross and rise in three days.
That Muhammad was prophet above Jesus despite Muhammad’s sinful life.
Every time a Muslim shouts “Allahu Akbar” it is an attempt to assist and partner with their Allah.
Exodus from Medina
Desert spirits spoke in twisted verse, a dance of words to recite, to recite.
Medina’s false prophet this rehearsed in a dark cave near Mecca veiled by night.
But, the angel Gabriel saw his descent, and said “Pawn of Satan turn, repent, repent.”
Muhammad’s attempts to partner with Allah were dredged up from the lowest pit of his vanity.
Islam’s infected creed was fertilized by a sociopath’s made-up dream.
Bloodied hands are now washed before prayers that incite as hate speech to recite, to recite.
Jay Boo says
also Muhammad worshiped the three jinn daughters of Allah as his deen in 53:19
Jay Boo says
Islam is a desert.
Our planet Earth is mostly Water which has three forms, a trinity
Droplets of water as dew evaporate into thin air unseen and condense yet again way up high, falling as ice crystal of snow to cast out dark of night and blanket against the noise of Satan’s lies.
Water, this essence of life has three forms, a trinity now and forever (one the same).
duh_swami says
It’s not really a religious objection…It’s because Santa doe4s not drop off gift5s for Mahoudian children …The reasons for that are the gunfire and lack chimney…
SoCalMike says
This demonic clown needs a cap between his eyes.
Carolyne says
He also needs some dental work.
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
Wow. Given those teeth and that breath I’m awful glad he ain’t greetin’ MOI.
But to all the rest of the patriots here: Oh, I wish you God’s choicest blessings in the New Year! For no one is better than all of you, and with God’s help we’ll turn our beloved country around in 2016.
Shalom says
Shalom to you and blessings Kathy.
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
And to you and yours. Together, we can’t be beaten. From my mouth to God’s ear, yes?
Angemon says
I know, right? It’s like the Mouth of Sauron in there:
https://youtu.be/SN-5dTGFyNU?t=55
Kathy Brown, Esq. says
Hahahahahahahaha!!!! I’ve never seen/read any of the LOTR stuff, so that was a real shocker to me.
But uncannily apposite. Trust you Ange-