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Opinion: Christmas spirit alive and well in my Muslim home

Being a Muslim in a predominantly Christian country, especially during Christmas, can be quite a daunting experience. In my neighbourhood, Christmas always starts early: every mid-November, neighbour Greg, dubbed “self-styled Santa,” sends a personal note, eagerly reminding everyone on our cul-de-sac that it was time to decorate for the festive season.
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Opinion

Being a Muslim in a predominantly Christian country, especially during Christmas, can be quite a daunting experience. In my neighbourhood, Christmas always starts early: every mid-November, neighbour Greg, dubbed “self-styled Santa,” sends a personal note, eagerly reminding everyone on our cul-de-sac that it was time to decorate for the festive season.

“When in Rome, do as the Romans do,” I told my family. So, in the spirit of good neighbourliness and in the spirit of Christmas, I would religiously – no pun intended – decorate our home. After all, we Muslims do not want more trouble than we already have. After 9/11, those “freelance terrorists” have smeared our reputation, bringing disrepute to our religion. I dare not aggravate the situation.

I recall our first Christmas in Canada in 1972. We were respectfully called New Canadians. It was a proud label. My son, who was two-year-old at the time, wanted a Christmas tree. We wanted to “Canadianize,” so I didn’t object, but some friends who heard that I, a Muslim believer, was going to put a Christmas tree in my house were outraged. “This is not in our religion or our belief?” they argued.

A Christmas tree has nothing to do with religion, was my reply. We were now in Canada, and we should appreciate Canadian traditions while acknowledging and not forgetting our religion and culture. My response didn’t satisfy them. I even went further and arranged for a picture of my son taken sitting on Santa’s lap which still adorns our living room.

I believe the message of Christmas is universal, bringing peace, harmony, and unity among all mankind. In today’s world, plagued with pandemic, wars, destruction, poverty and terrorism, such goodwill and unity in religion is necessary. Christmas is intended to create an atmosphere of kindness, brotherhood, and benevolence, thus energizing our society which is indifferent to caring values.

I always enjoyed watching the Canadian TV show, Little Mosque on the Prairie, shot in a fictitious town called Mercy, portraying a classic example of religious brotherhood where a Christian church offers space to Muslims to hold their services. What a superb gesture of religious co-operation, comradery, and non-denominational brotherhood. Little Mosque on the Prairie may be a fictional sitcom but its message — all religions working for everyone’s betterment in harmony — is universal and applicable to present-day Canada and the world.

Racism raises its ugly head in different Canadian cities from time to time. The incident of the 2017 Quebec City Mosque shooting that killed six people and injured 19 others is still vivid in many Muslims’ minds. A place of worship should be the safest place anywhere in the world.

Muslims are hated because of the terrorist attacks undertaken by the so-called jihadists who have no legitimacy or right to unleash a reign of terror in the name of Islam. They do not represent the religion, nor do they have any right to speak for all Muslims.

Muslims may look distinct, may pray differently, and may not eat the same food as the majority community, but underneath they are the same as anyone else. They are the same people who are our doctors and taxi drivers, computer specialists, lawyers, and cleaners. They contribute like anyone else to society and are trying hard to adjust to a different environment. They should be accepted and welcomed because they are also Canadians. And it’s this diversity, which is Canada’s greatest strength. It is for its diversity and pluralism that Canada is widely respected and applauded; this Canadianism and the Canadian way of life should be cherished and treasured.

We all are in this together and everyone must play a part in promoting diversity, tolerance, and acceptance of people of a different colour. All Canadians regardless of their religion should be able to live and move around freely in Canada in safety. Canada is renowned internationally for its record of welcoming immigrants and refugees. Let’s not tarnish Canada’s glittering image, which is the envy of the world, as a multiracial nation, portraying diversity and multiculturalism.

Christmas doesn’t come from a store or from under a tree; as Bob Hope said, “My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others.”

Mansoor Ladha is a Calgary-based journalist, travel writer and author of Memoirs of a Muhindi: Fleeing East Africa for the West and A Portrait in Pluralism: Aga Khan’s Shia Ismaili Muslims. His latest non-fiction book and novel are expected to be published in 2022.