Christmas Eve brings together Houston Jews, Muslims

Kate Shellnutt, 12/21/11, Houston Chronicle (blog)
Kate Shellnutt is the web producer for HoustonBelief.com.

Extract:

About 50 Jews and Muslims will pray and light a menorah for Hanukkah during their interfaith Christmas Eve gathering.

...On Christmas Eve, Jews and Muslims may find themselves with nothing to do while Christian neighbors plan fancy dinners and special church services.

For the past two years, the Jewish and Muslim communities in Houston have taken advantage of their free schedules to gather together to learn about each others’ traditions and find commonalities as minority faiths. continue reading

[Info courtesy: Amin H Karim MD, WorldMemons@yahoogroups.com]

On the same shelf:

A Muslim Imam's Plea to Jesus Christ (Peace be upon him), by Imam Syed Soharwardy
[Info courtesy: Haider Ashraf Group: HaiderAshrafGroup@yahoogroups.com]

Dallas Morning News - How did your faith shape you in 2011. THE JOURNAL OF PLURALISM, December 20, 2011

For Muslims celebrating Christmas, it's a holiday, not a holy day, Los Angeles Times - 12/23/11

Extract:
At a time when Christmas is being pulled in different directions, it's not unusual for Muslims to use the occasion as an entry into American culture — no different from signing up their kids for Little League. But most clerics frown on the practice. ...

Sahira Traband, here with her sons Teo, 10, left, and Mikail, 6, is a Muslim who decorates her house for Christmas, hangs stockings and puts gifts under the tree. She views the holiday as a happy time that doesn't conflict with her faith in Islam. “The magic of Christmas is the part we celebrate,” said Traband, 45. “We didn’t get into the whole religious thing.” (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times / December 19, 2011)

Jews, Muslims continue volunteer alliance, WDIV Detroit - 12/23/11

Christmas fading in the Holy Land, Salon - 12/23/11
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Ottawa: Jews and Muslims present Comedy Show for Christmas‎ Canadian National Newspaper

A Christmas Greeting From a Muslim Daughter

By: Kari Ansari
The Huffington Post @ IslamiCity 12/22/2010

Extract:

When I became a Muslim thirteen years ago this month, I left behind the Christmas traditions my family celebrated every year of my childhood. My mother was able to transform our Southern California home into a Winter Wonderland as soon as we walked in the door; it may have been 75 degrees and sunny outside, but inside we felt we were in a Currier and Ives world of red velvet beribboned pine boughs, twinkling lights and beautiful music. I loved it. The Christmas season and our small traditions remained the same no matter how many years passed. My mother worked extremely hard to build warm, and loving holiday memories, and I sincerely cherish them.Like many American homes, there wasn't much Christ in my family's Christmas. There would always be some discussion surrounding the reason for our celebration, but we didn't attend church services or talk too much about what my parents believed. The beautiful nativity on the mantle, hand-painted by my grandmother, was flanked by tasteful, secular decorations. This led to a kind of vague confusion between the miraculous birth of Jesus, and the magical feat of Santa Claus zipping around the world in one night.

Nostalgia not withstanding, thinking about Christmas is now far more meaningful to me on a spiritual level than it was when I was young. The fact that Muslims accept and believe in the virgin birth of Jesus has been a golden thread that links my childhood Christmas memories to my very fulfilling adult life as a Muslim. continue reading @ IslamiCity

93 pc of Britons to skip the church on Christmas, says Opinion Matters

London, Dec 25 : A new survey has revealed that almost 93 per cent of Britons would be skipping the church on Christmas Day.

They would either be spending Christmas eating turkey, drinking champagne or opening presents - but will not attend the church.

The study by Opinion Matters only 11 per cent had the intention of attending Midnight Mass last night on Christmas Eve, while 86 per cent said they sent Christmas cards.

Daily Express columnist Ann Widdecombe told Express.co.uk: "If you''re not going to church on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day then why are you celebrating Christmas?" continue reading

Christmas a time for bridge building, Abdul Malik Mujahid

[Audio]
 Treating Christmas with Respect:

"Christmas is an annual Christian religious holiday commemorating the birth of Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him. For many Muslims who do not even celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, it becomes an issue of what stand they should take."

continue reading Christmas a time for bridge building
12/10/2009 - Interfaith Religious Social - Article Ref: IC0612-3182
Number of comments: 14
By: Abdul Malik Mujahid
IslamiCity* -