Christmas Celebration: what is its exact date?

Christmas celebration comes to us yearly but what is its exact date?

Celebration of Christmas is one of the most renowned and large religious festival of the world. It is to be assumed that the Christianity preacher Jesus Christ was born on 25^th of December. Though the exact year of the birth was not recorded by the ancient people of his time. Obviously, the date of his birth is also an unclear matter to remarkable portions of the Christianity.

We all know that there are many divisions in Christianity. In fact, it is divided into many branches and denominations. The reasons can be for doctrinal debates, and language difference religious observance. They can be mentioned as:

 

1.     Catholicism: which is a denomination with regional councils & congregations.

2.     Orthodox Christianity: which is a branch divided into Eastern orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy and Church of the East.

3.     Protestantism: is a branch with groups like: Baptists, Anabaptists, Anglicans, Methodists, Adventists, Unitarians, and more.

4.     Monophylies: which is a branch that believes Jesus had only one divinely nature and that was totally supplanted his human nature.

5.     Restorationism: also known as Christian primitivism which hold the belief that the early practices and belief of Jesus’s followers were lost or corrupted after Jesus’s death. The followers think that New Testament model should be practiced in the churches to restore the real ways.

6.     Oriental Catholic Churches: often called as “Uniates” which at various times have rallied with Catholic Church.

7.     Waldenses: in the early 16^th century they joined the Protestant reformation.

8.     Hussite trends:  Introduced in late Middle Age with some mission and trends like: punishment of sinners, Bible literacy for all women & children, rejection of luxuries, imagery, non-violence's & shedding of bloods, etc.

There are obviously many more branches and groups that I haven’t mentioned above. It’s also not the topic of my discussion for today. That’s why I described those in a very simple and plain way. Let’s discuss about our main topic and how the different groups or branches think about the birthday of Jesus Christ.

 For which basis a remarkable portion of the Christianity celebrate the 25^th December as his birthday? -is our today’s discussion. Let’s explore this debate and find the conclusive answer below:

• Catholics normally celebrate the Christmas day on 25^th December. They believe that 25^th December is the first day of Christmastide.

• To Orthodox Christianity in Central & Eastern European countries & other regions in the world the Christmas celebration date is on 7^th January every year.

• To protestant Christians, this celebration date is on 6^th January (Armenian Apostolic Church & Armenian Evangelical Church)

• Oriental Orthodox & some Eastern Orthodox Churches follows 7^th January (Julian calendar)

• Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrate it on 19^th January.

• Waldensians and Hussite believers also have different dates to celebrate the Christmas date.

 

Now the question can be arisen that how 25^th December became Christmas day?

The celebration of Christmas on December 25th has roots in both Christian tradition and pre-Christian practices. The choice of this date is not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, but it became widely accepted in Christianity over time.

One of the primary reasons for December 25th was its alignment with Roman pagan festivals, notably the "Dies Natalis Solis Invicti" (the "Birthday of the Unconquered Sun"), which celebrated the winter solstice and the rebirth of the sun. This festival, celebrated around December 21st or 22nd, marked the return of longer days after the shortest day of the year. Early Christian leaders, particularly in the 4th century, sought to Christianize these popular pagan celebrations, establishing December 25th as the birth date of Jesus Christ.

In 336 CE, under the reign of Emperor Constantine, who had converted to Christianity, the Church in Rome officially recognized December 25th as the date for the celebration of Christ's birth. This decision was part of the broader effort to unify Christian practices and distinguish Christianity from other religious traditions. The date’s symbolic connection to the solstice made it a fitting choice to represent the arrival of the "Light of the World" (Jesus) into a darkened world.

Over time, the celebration of Christmas spread across the Christian world, with various countries adding their unique customs and traditions. In the 19th century, Christmas became more secularized, incorporating elements such as gift-giving, Christmas trees, and Santa Claus, which were influenced by older European traditions and commercial interests.

Thus, December 25th became Christmas Day as a combination of religious significance, cultural adaptation, and the desire to transform pagan celebrations into Christian observances.

Since Jesus Christ was not born in December 25, then how can it be a Christmas day? Even it is found that around 200 A.D. it was thought Jesus’s birth took place on January 6^th. In spit of all the debatable dates the Early Christians didn’t even celebrate Jesus Christ birth day. The widely celebrated date of 25^th of December also lacks the historical concrete validations & proof. The Bible omits the specific birth date, on the contrary the shepherds’ presence spoke about a wormer season instead of winter. 25^th of December might be emerged from the pagan celebrations that was merged strategically by the Early Christians in the history.

The most significant matter is about the presence of Jesus Crist in human history. Though many of the Christians or non-Muslims think that Islam has come as the latest religion in human history, it is not correct in any way. Jesus Christ is not the influencer or preacher of Christianity in Christian community only. The Muslims also keep faith on him in their religion. In Islam Jesus Crist is called Isa Masih ibn Marium. Marium was his mother whom Christians call her as Merry. Anyway, Isa was also one of the nominated messengers from the only one creator Allah who came just before the last and final messenger of the Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) arrival with Qur’an. All the messengers were selected by Allah and they preached the same religion which was Islam. But with times, people were mis-leaded by some changed, deviated, vicious, unacceptable verses of Allah from ere to era. Allah vows in Qur’an that Qur’an will be the only holy book which will the unchanged and unique till the doom’s day. No one will be able to change it even by a single word or a line because Allah guarantees about its purity will be preserved by Himself. 

Jesus Crist was not any other person but Allah’s special messenger. He actually propagated and preached Islam during his tenure. The Jews and Christians believes that Jesus was killed in his preaching time. But In Qur’an Allah says

Surah An-Nisa (4:159):

"And [remember] when Allah said: 'O Isa, indeed I will take you and raise you to Myself and purify you from those who disbelieve and make those who follow you [in obedience to Allah alone] superior to those who disbelieve and make them superior to those who disbelieve until the Day of Resurrection. Then to Me is your return, and I will judge between you concerning that in which you used to differ.'"

This verse indicates that Isa (AS) was raised by Allah and that he will return before the Day of Judgment. Another hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also confirms the return of Isa (AS), where he will break the cross, kill the swine, and establish justice.

Also Read: Offerings from Islam: Has It offered security, freedom & safety in society?

 

Besides this, in the Gospel of John, where Jesus promises the arrival of the "Spirit of Truth" who will guide people into all truth and testify about Jesus.

John 14:16-17 states:

"And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever, the Spirit of truth... you know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."

John 16:7-13 further emphasizes that this Advocate will come after Jesus’ departure, guiding believers into all truth, and not speaking on his own but delivering God’s message. These verses are interpreted by many Islamic scholars as referring to Prophet Muhammad, who is seen in Islam as the final prophet and the one who brought the complete truth, the Qur'an.

Additionally, Deuteronomy 18:18 speaks of a prophet like Moses, which is often associated with Muhammad because of their similarities as leaders, lawgivers, and guides for their people. Jesus actually predicted the coming of Prophet Muhammad, who will fulfill the role of the final messenger.

Since, Islam & Qur’an synchronizes all the previous important incidents that held in human history and how Allah bestowed many holy books upon His nominated messengers like: Nuh (Noah) , Musa (Moses), Ibrahim (Abraham) , Daud (David) , Sulaiman (Solomon) alaihis sallam and many more; the Qur’an must be considered as a fulfilled and final holy book from only one almighty creator – Allah and Qur’an preacher Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) must be considered as the last and final messenger from Allah. The Bible ( Injil Sharif – as Muslims call it) was also a holy book from Allah which was bestowed upon Isa (Jesus Crist) Alaihis sallam. Allah informed Isa Alaihis sallam that after him (Isa Ibn Maryam) there was another last and final messenger still to come and that was Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and he would carry the last holy book “Qur’an”. That’s why he (Jesus Christ) indicated it in Bible accordingly.

In the Qur'an, Allah does not directly mention the birth season of Prophet Isa (Jesus). However, there is a verse that refers to his miraculous birth and the events surrounding it. The Qur'an does not specify the exact time of year for Isa’s birth, but it is generally believed by some scholars that his birth could have occurred in a warmer season but not in full winter based on historical and cultural interpretations, though the Qur'an does not state this explicitly.

Here are some of the verses from the Qur'an that discuss the birth of Prophet Isa:

Surah Maryam (19:16-26)

This chapter mentions the miraculous birth of Isa (A.S.) and the events surrounding his birth:

16. when she (Maryam) withdrew from her family to a place toward the east.
17. And she took in seclusion from them. Then We sent to her Our Spirit (Gabriel), and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man.
18. She said, "Indeed, I seek refuge in the Most Merciful from you, if you are fearing of Allah."
19. He said, "I am only the messenger of your Lord to give you [news of] a pure boy."
20. She said, "How can I have a boy while no man has touched me and I have not been unchaste?"
21. He said, "Thus it will be; your Lord says, 'It is easy for Me, and We will make him a sign for the people and a mercy from Us. And it is a matter already decreed.'"
22. So she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a remote place.
23. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm tree. She said, "Oh, I wish I had died before this and was in oblivion, forgotten."
24. But he called her from below her, "Do not grieve! Your Lord has provided a stream at the foot of you.
25. And shake the trunk of this palm tree toward you; it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon you."
26. So, eat and drink and be contented. And if you see from among humanity anyone, say, 'Indeed, I have vowed to the Most Merciful abstention, so I will not speak today to any man.'"

These verses describe the miraculous birth of Isa (A.S.) and his mother Maryam's (Mary's) seclusion before and after his birth, but the Qur'an does not specify the season or time of year.

According to Qur’an Isa Alaihis Sallam was born in Jerusalem. Now, please have a special verse no: 25 where Allah instructed to Maryum to shake the date tree to get the ripen dates to meet her hunger. In Jerusalem, then normal date ripening time is August to October whose temperature normally stay between 33-38 degree Celsius at daytime and in night it becomes 22-28 degree Celsius. But it starts ripen in full winter. So, it’s clear that Jesus was never born in the month of December. Then how do you celebrate it?

So, to sum up: 

since it is unclear in both the religions about the date of birth of Jesus Christ/ Isa Alaihis Sallam, we should not make a false date and celebrate it on a vague date. Instead, we should spend our time, energy, and money for researching the right way of life and religion and bring faith over it to be successful in the life after life if we are believers. May the almighty creator help us for it.