Muslim World League Leader Supports Christmas Greetings
Mohammed Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, Secretary General of the Muslim World League and a prominent contemporary Islamic scholar, has said that offering Christmas greetings to Christians is permissible in Islam, emphasizing that such gestures reflect the faith’s values of compassion, coexistence, and goodwill toward others. Speaking in recent comments shared publicly, he noted that Islamic teachings contain no explicit text prohibiting expressions of goodwill toward people of different faiths, provided that these interactions remain social in nature and do not imply religious endorsement.
Al-Issa is widely known for his role in promoting interfaith dialogue and peaceful engagement. As head of the Muslim World League, a global Islamic nongovernmental organization headquartered in Makkah, his work has centered on countering extremism and fostering cross-cultural understanding. His international outreach has included participation in peace forums, dialogue with Christian and Jewish leaders, and symbolic gestures such as his visit to Auschwitz, which he said represented Islam’s duty to stand firmly against hatred. He has frequently stated that Islam’s humanitarian principles should guide relations between communities in a world that is more interconnected than ever before.
While many scholars today agree with the view that congratulating Christians on Christmas is permissible as a matter of social courtesy, differences in interpretation continue to exist historically across the Muslim world. Some traditional schools of thought have held more conservative views, cautioning against interactions that might resemble participation in non-Islamic religious rituals. However, contemporary voices such as Al-Issa frame the matter as part of everyday social interaction, particularly in societies where Muslims and Christians live together as neighbors and colleagues.
Practices around Christmas vary among Muslim-majority countries. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation, representing 57 member states, does not issue theological rulings on such matters, leaving decisions to local authorities and social norms. In places such as Iraq, government officials have publicly attended Christmas Mass in Baghdad as a gesture of unity with Christian citizens. Other countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Lebanon, and Bahrain, recognize Christmas in public spaces as part of cultural life. Meanwhile, more conservative regions may take a reserved approach, limiting public observance out of caution or longstanding tradition.
Muslim-Christian interaction has deep roots in history. One of the earliest moments of interfaith respect in Islamic tradition is the migration to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), where early Muslims found protection under a Christian ruler. Historical accounts also point to periods of coexistence under Islamic rule in Andalusia and the Ottoman Empire, where Christians and Jews lived alongside Muslims within legal frameworks that recognized different communities and protected places of worship. Al-Issa and other contemporary scholars often reference such examples as reminders that coexistence is not a modern invention but originates from Islam’s earliest principles.
As Christmas is celebrated globally, Al-Issa’s remarks have received attention for highlighting a growing emphasis on respect and harmony between different communities. His perspective reflects an ongoing conversation within the Muslim world about how historic teachings and modern realities intersect, especially in countries and societies where diverse faiths are part of daily life. The conversation continues, but the message emerging from the Muslim World League’s leadership underscores a theme increasingly echoed across global religious relations: that courteous recognition, when rooted in sincerity and respect, can help bring communities closer rather than divide them.
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