An imam in British Columbia said this week that wishing Christians a “merry Christmas” is worse than murder.
The Muslim leader, Sheikh Younus Kathrada, made the comment during a sermon at the Muslim Youth of Victoria. He told congregants he feels “great sadness” when he observes his fellow Muslims’ casual treatment of Christmas, which he described a “false holiday.”
Canadian Cleric Younus Kathrada: Congratulating Christians for Christmas is Worse than Murder pic.twitter.com/1S73XPjfRk
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“There are those who will say to them ‘Merry Christmas,’” the cleric said. “What are you congratulating them on? Congratulations on the birth of your Lord? Is that acceptable to a Muslim? Are you now approving of their beliefs? By saying that you are approving of it.”
He continued, “If a person were to commit every major sin — committing adultery, dealing with interest, lying, murder… If a person were to do all of those major sins, they are nothing compared to the sin of congratulating and greeting the non-Muslims on their false festivals.”
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Kathrada, it should be noted, clarified his statements, noting he isn’t suggesting Muslims should treat non-Muslims “in a bad way or that we deal with them unjustly.”
“I’ve never said, ‘Go out and just kill them, and do this to them’ … No! Because Allah tells us not to allow the enmity that may exist between you and a people to cause you to be unjust towards them,” he explained. “Rather, be just.”