Saying Words Of Another Religion
Question
A Christian teacher gave words and sentences to her class to verbally rehearse and to verbally say for a Christmas/Nativity assembly. For example words such as ‘Jesus is born, Jesus is son of God’ etc.
A Muslim parent, of one of the students, told the abovementioned Christian teacher that his child cannot say the above explained words and sentences, so he asked her to give his child different words and sentences.
The Christian teacher asked a Muslim teacher regarding the above explained words and sentences. The Muslim Teacher verbally replied/said to the Christian teacher that Muslims believe in God as one and alone, and cannot say words such as ‘Son of God’ etc.
The Christian teacher also verbally asked the Muslim teacher is it ok (for Muslims) to say the other words such as ‘Jesus is born’ etc as it’s just talking about another religion and not their own. The Muslim teacher verbally replied that she could base these words (‘Jesus is born’, ‘Son of God’ etc), mentioned above, according to the Christian faith/belief. For example the Muslim teacher meant and intended to put across and verbally say to the Christian teacher that she could get the class to verbally say the abovementioned words as, “Christians faith or Christians believe that Jesus is born and Jesus is son of God’ etc.
The Christian teacher verbally said to the Muslim teacher that there’s nothing wrong with verbally saying ‘Son of God’ or ‘Jesus is born’ etc, if it is talking about another religion and not your own. The Muslim teacher verbally replied to the Christian teacher to ask the parents if they will be happy with these words or ask the parents if they are happy with these words (i.e. if the parents will be happy for their children to say these words e.g. “Jesus Son of God’ , ‘Jesus is born’ etc) OR he said that it is best to ask the parents if they will be happy or are happy with these words (i.e. if the parents will be happy for their children to say these words e.g. “Jesus Son of God’ , ‘Jesus is born’ etc).
The abovementioned Muslim teacher felt very uncomfortable verbally talking to the Christian teacher as he did not want to say something about Christianity and what Muslims believe, that she might find offensive or not like, as well as he did not want to end up verbally saying something that might take him out of the fold of Islam.
Does doing any of the above explained cause the Muslim to be a kaafir?
Answer
A Muslim should not refer to Eesa Alaihi Assalaam as the Christians refer to him as “Jesus, the son of God”. Allah Ta’ala is above having children. Allah Ta’ala is beyond any assimilation to the creation. Such a belief contradicts the verses of Surah Ikhlaas.
Say, “The truth is that Allah is One. Allah is Besought of all, needing none. He neither begot anyone, nor was he begotten. And equal to Him has never been any one.”
(Surah Al Ikhlas)
If a person says these types of words (Jesus is son of God etc.) knowingly that with these words a person will be come out of the fold of Islam. He will become a Kaafir, but if he says it by mistake and he does not know that with such word a person becomes a kaafir, he will not lose his Imaan. In the case mentioned it would not be permissible for the students to say such words.
- Approved by
- Mufti Muhammed Saeed Motara Saheb D.B.
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