Sunday, December 23, 2012
Australia: Imam tells Muslims 'should not have anything to do with Christmas'
It appears the [Fatwa] post is no longer on the page and the Lebanese Muslim Association says the fatwa isn't valid. The original post came from text copied and pasted from the internet by junior members of staff and the mosque did not endorse the message....
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | AU Desk
Source/Credit: News Limited Network
By NLN | December 23, 2012
Christmas message written in sky above Lakemba Mosque in response to fatwa claims
THE LEBANESE Muslim Association claims it organised for a festive message be written in the sky above Lakemba Mosque following reports of a fatwa being declared on Christmas.
The message, written in white in the sky above the nation's biggest mosque reads : Merry Xmas, the ABC reports.
The sky message comes after an Imam at Australia's biggest mosque reportedly issued a fatwa against Christmas, warning followers it is a ''sin'' to even wish people a Merry Christmas.
The ruling, which followed a similar lecture during Friday prayers at Lakemba Mosque, was posted on its Facebook site on Saturday, according to media reports.
It appears the post is no longer on the page and the Lebanese Muslim Association says the fatwa isn't valid. The original post came from text copied and pasted from the internet by junior members of staff and the mosque did not endorse the message, the association said.
"These types of comments, unfortunately, do nothing to promote unity, and I'm glad they've been taken down," the association's spokesman Keysar Trad told the ABC.
The head imam at Lakemba, Sheikh Yahya Safi, reportedly told the congregation during Friday prayers they should not have anything to do with Christmas.
The fatwa reportedly warned: ''Disbelievers are trying to draw Muslims away from the straight path.''
It said Christmas Day and associated celebrations are among the ''falsehoods'' for a Muslim to avoid.
''Therefore a Muslim is neither allowed to celebrate the Christmas Day nor is he allowed to congratulate them,'' it said.
The fatwa has been condemned by other Muslim leaders. The Grand Mufti of Australia, Ibrahim Abu Mohammad, was quoted by Fairfax media as saying the foundations of Islam were peace, co-operation, respect and holding others in esteem.
"Anyone who says otherwise is speaking irresponsibly," it quoted him as saying.
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