Muslim Celebrate Christmas Or Not – Who Are You To Decide?

Do Muslims celebrate Christmas? Just Google it, some do and some don't. Depends on the country of residence too, perhaps. There's one incident that I was pretty dismayed to learn today. It actually infuriated me initially, but now I realise this is probably how it reflects the society we live in.

Nadiya Is Told 'You're A Muslim, What Do You Know About Christmas?'

Nadiya Hussain, who won Great British Bakeoff two years ago as 14.5 million audience tuned in, and is now a BBC presenter and a columnist, was featured in a Mail Online article titled "Bake Off's Nadiya Hussain reveals her husband does ALL the chores at Christmas as she shares her tips for a stress-free day - including three ways to entertain children of any age" - what a long title, but you know what the article is all about.  

It goes "The mother-of-three, who is Muslim, explained that her family does not celebrate Christmas in the 'traditional sense' but that they still enjoy sharing in the 'warmth' and goodwill that the day brings."

The Mail Online readers didn't like that! Over a thousand comments were left within a day, and many of them are basically saying "Since when Muslims know about Christmas? We, Christians, don't want you to tell me how we celebrate our holidays."

The DM Reporter tweeted to put it cleverly;

The only thing Mail readers hate more than a Muslim not integrating into British culture is a Muslim integrating into British culture.

The reactions are so ugly. I take it this is how British-British generally see the ethnic minorities of this country. You might say, these are just the opinions of tabloid readers, they're not representing a typical British community. Well...are they not? I think national tabloid readers who bother to write in comments do represent the majority of British households. It's hurtful to see them refuse to see Nadiya as a talented, unique individual. Hurtful to see their lack of imagination - branding her anything but "just a Muslim woman". Nadiya Hussain is a fabulous cook - who was born & raised in Britain and is raising 3 kids with her husband - in Britain. 

As mentioned above, the article clearly says that Nadiya's family "does not celebrate Christmas in the traditional sense". But they do spend the Day just like every other household does. Preparing the dinner is usually the chaotic event of the day, so Nadiya's shared her tips to manage it in her BBC Goodfood magazine column. That's all it is. When they rant "Muslims are not supposed to celebrate Christmas!", I can't help but think, what do you lot actually do to celebrate it? 

By spending a fortune on computer electronics for the children. By decorating the house as crazy as one can imagine. By consuming gallons of alcohol and stuffing your faces with sickeningly sweet pies, cakes and puddings... Basically being extravagant and wasteful is your way to celebrate the birth of Jesus, but you don't want people from other religions to copy what you do?

Nadiya's advice is not about how to pray to Jesus nor is about getting hammered to cheap Christmas Prosecco. Whatever you do to spend the holiday period, her advice is about how to make things productive & organised.

I mean, what do these Mail Online readers expect Nadiya to do? Tell her kids to go to school on a Christmas Day? Ban them from participating in any Christmas stuff that other kids do?

I am officially British but I wasn't born in this country, I didn't grow up in a religious family. But when in Britain, do as the British do. I've naturally grown to believe in Christian God as I live in this country. But I don't go to the church. I embrace the holiday by doing all the Christmassy stuff just like any other British do. But I can hardly sing Christmas carol... Where do I stand? Am I entitled to talk about Christmas because I'm not engaged with another religion like Nadiya, or not entitled because I wasn't born in a Christian country?

While each reader's comment is just a personal opinion, it can be transformed to a bully or harassment as a whole when all is added up. This is how Nadiya responded graciously.

Nadiya's extremely good & adventurous at not just baking cakes but all sorts of family cooking. One comment to the Mail Online article says “for some unknown reason the media have put Nadiya on a pedestal” - well, there is a clear reason. The media picked the fact that she's warm, funny and just natural. And beautiful. No surprise her new career as a TV presenter and her first cooking programme "Nadiya's British Food Adventure" are proven to be successful.

Another comment reads “She’s attempted to take us on a culinary tour of Britain. Most of us learn our cooking/baking recipes and skills from our mothers/grandmothers.” YES! That's why British food is notoriously bland. We'll never move forward without a help from people like Nadiya. So learn from her culinary tour of Britain. Be open-minded!