1) Young Muslims - The Message

powers. Even the Ancient Egyptians celebrated this mid-winter inhonor of Horus, the son of Isis, born at the close of December.The Ancient Germanic tribes celebrated the pagan feast of the 12Nights from Dec. 25th to Jan. 6th. The conflicts between the activeforces of nature were represented as battles between the gods andplants. The winter was the Ice-Giant, cruel and unruly, anddarkness and death followed him. The Sun god and the South Windwere symbols of light and life. At last Thor, the god of theThunderstorm riding on the wings of the air, hurled his thunderboltat the winter castle and demolished it.In Scandinavian countries, great fires were kindled to defy the FrostKing. The followers of Mithra, throughout the Northern countries,called this period sol invictus representing the time of the victory oflight over darkness. Mithra, for them, was not only the Sun god,but the Mediator between mankind and the Supreme Being. Hisbirthday was celebrated on the 25th of December. Sunday, theseventh day of the week (for seven was his number) wasconsecrated to him, and known as the Lord’s Day long before theChristian Era.The roots of the Christmas observance, therefore, go deeply intothe folklore of the early pagan traditions. What we may read ofChristmas in ancient days finds its flower in the past and presentcustoms of Western Civilization. We should clearly understand oneimportant fact. Christmas is not the actual date of the birth of Jesus(Blessings and Peace be upon him), but a compromise withpaganism. The Gospels say nothing about the seasons of the yearwhen Jesus was born. On the other hand, they do tell us thatshepherds were guarding their flocks in the open air. Hence, manyof the early leaders of the Church considered it most likely that thenativity took place either in the late summer or early Fall.This and countless facts point to the conclusion that Christmas (Dec.25th) actually has nothing to do with Jesus (Peace be upon him.)Young Muslims, What they should know about Islam Page - 221