Saying "Happy Easter"

[kayra]

:salam:

My non-Muslim, devout Christian mother is coming for a very short visit next week, and I'm praying and hoping that I will manage to plant another dawah "seed" in her.

Easter has always been the religious holiday she finds the most meaningful, and it was always a family day, and one of great holiness for her.

We speak every day on the telephone and via email. I feel that it would break her heart if I didn't say "oh and I hope you have a happy Easter" during our conversation on Easter Sunday. She already feels that I have distanced myself from the family (not true inshaAllah!) and she is unable to grasp that rejecting Easter has absolutely nothing to do with rejecting my upbringing or her love.

Would it be very wrong to wish her a happy Easter? If inshaAllah my intention is to avoid even the smallest "wedge" between us at a time when I need her to feel totally comfortable with me, so I can casually slip in a few more dawah "seeds"?

JazakAllah Khayr for your thoughts. Please make duaa for my mother's hidayah.

:ws:

[Nomadic]

Bismillah
In my humble opinion talk of Isa (AS) and Mariam (AS) in the light of Islamic tradtion. She will inshallah will see Islam bestows greater love and respect for one of Allah Subhanahutalas creation and will be moved by it. No point saying this is and this is not permissible. Appeal to their heart and the heart will inshallah be opened if Allah wills. You don't have to say happy Easter. Attaching sometime is that thing one should do as it makes them more firm in their disbelief. Hence do not get into debate but rather present Oneness of Allah with wisdom. Just be nice and attend the family gathering.
Masalam

[seeker_ikb]

:salam:

My non-Muslim, devout Christian mother is coming for a very short visit next week, and I'm praying and hoping that I will manage to plant another dawah "seed" in her.


JazakAllah Khayr for your thoughts. Please make duaa for my mother's hidayah.

:ws:

May be , you should encourage her to read Gospel of Barnabas as shown in the following link.

http://barnabas.net/home.html

[student of deen]

:salam:
if its not permissable or you dont feel right then look at alternatives like
may god keep you as happy everyday as you are on easter.
maybe other people have some wise suggestions.
:salam:

[True Life]

:salam:

I agree, you can mention easter in another respectful and casual manner without directly congratulating or expressing happiness.

[Nafs Zakiyah]

Bismillah
Assalamu Alaykum,

As to why anyone would point someone to an obvious forgery like the "Gospel of Barnabas" perplexes me. Not only a forgery, but the author (most likely a Muslim) even failed to make it agree with established Islamic beliefs.

As for "Easter", the Pesach(Passover) is in itself one of the Eids of Bani Isra'il, and has been since long before the time of Sayyidina Al-Masih (as). In matter of fact he(as) most likely celebrated it himself. So I don't see the need to stress it, let Ahlul Kitab celebrate their Holidays.

wassalam

[yas245]

:salam:

Isn't wishing 'Happy Easter' similar to wishing someone 'Happy Christmas' ? The same way we would avoid the greetings of Christmas as it is a season/festival/day characteristic of the Christians, maybe the same principle for Easter greetings could apply here. Perhaps you could greet her in an alternative or more suitable way, without appearing to outwardly conform to the spirit of Easter. Something like 'Happy Seasons Greetings' is one approach you could take, though i think that may lack the 'full effect' you may want to achieve with your mother.

[kayra]

:salam:

May ALlah reward you all for your suggestions.


:salam:
if its not permissable or you dont feel right then look at alternatives like
may god keep you as happy everyday as you are on easter.
maybe other people have some wise suggestions.
:salam:


:salam:

I agree, you can mention easter in another respectful and casual manner without directly congratulating or expressing happiness.

Could somebody possibly give me some sample wording? Because when my mother calls up and chirps "Hello, Happy Easter darling!" she will be expecting something like "Oh hello Mother, happy easter to you too. How are you?"

If I were to say, for example, "Oh hello Mother, and may every day you live be full of happiness for you," it would kind of stop her in her tracks, and offend her a bit at such an obvious refusal to return her cheerful greeting. Do you see what I mean?

Specific suggestions extremely welcome.

:ws:

[True Life]

:salam:

How about something along the lines of "The best thing about easter times is meeting/seeing you!"

[seeker_ikb]

Bismillah
Assalamu Alaykum,

As to why anyone would point someone to an obvious forgery like the "Gospel of Barnabas" perplexes me. Not only a forgery, but the author (most likely a Muslim) even failed to make it agree with established Islamic beliefs.

wassalam

Would you please provide an evidence in support of your claim ? May be, this issue can be discussed in a separate thread.

[kayra]

:salam:

How about something along the lines of "The best thing about easter times is meeting/seeing you!"

:salam:

Absolutely staggeringly brilliant! Except, we're currently in different countries, and I won't be seeing her until 4 days AFTER easter (and we talk to each other every day on the phone anyway, so it would sound a bit odd if I said "The best thing about easter times is talking to you!"). But I am definitely going to file that one away for the next end-of-the-year family gathering. Genius!

:ws:

[MusLiMah64]

:salam:

If she rings and says "Happy easter" maybe you can reply something along the lines of "I hope you have a happy day too!" or "I hope your day goes as well as mine!".

[maryam135135]

say "i know mother! i can't wait to see you!" you're not congratulating but she might feel you are really happy to see her in a few days more than any time before.

[True Life]

:salam:

Well, then in that case you could either become a little melancholic and say "What is easter worth without you here?" or become totally hyped and say "Wow, easter?! I'm so excited about you coming, that I almost forgot about easter. Can't wait you know..."

[kayra]

:salam:

SubhanAllah. Yesterday (easter, according to Google News), the following lines of communication were cut: my mobile, husband's mobile, my mother's landline (which she uses for calling me) and my mother's internet. JazakAllah khayr for all your duaa! Please make duaa with exactly the same sincerity for my mother's acceptance of Islam!!!


:salam:

Well, then in that case you could either become a little melancholic and say "What is easter worth without you here?" or become totally hyped and say "Wow, easter?! I'm so excited about you coming, that I almost forgot about easter. Can't wait you know..."

Brother, this is beyond genius. MashaAllah. My own pathetic attempts at tact and careful wording always sound so fake and clumsy when I'm deliberately trying. Why don't you start a new thread called something like "Brief tactful answers to common tricky non-Muslim questions"?!

There are some questions which I get a lot - the typical things fixated on by non-Muslims - and my answers always seem to dissatisfy the questioner, or, worse, actually put them off.

For example: "Why do you wear that thing on your head?" Sample answer from me: "Because Allah commanded it." Sample reaction: pity and scorn.

Or, "Did Allah really command/ condone jihad in the Quran?" Sample answer from me: "Yes." Sample reaction: hasty backing away from me, eyes darting around in search of hidden explosives.

Or, "Do you honestly believe that really pious, sincere, kind, devout Christians who devote their entire lives to good deeds will be denied Paradise?" Sample answer from me: "If they die believing that Jesus was the 'son of God' then yes." Sample reaction: indignation, anger, dispute.

May Allah bless all Muslims with tact and the ability to tell the truth without offending people, ameen.

:ws: