==> Pls visit new site at http://malaysia-today.net/ <==

Sisa Fajar,

May Allah bless you. Selamat Hari Raya Haji and Merry X-mas.

Despite the economic situation it does not/should not hinder us from celebrating these two major events in our religion.

report abuse

disagree 6

agree 64

A trully blessed wish of a MERRY CHRISTMAS for you and your family.
You make me feel that MALAYSIA has a chance to UNITE.
Thank you for being you.

report abuse

disagree 1

agree 74

That's the true Malaysian spirit -
We were one until someone came and told us there were bigger ones and smaller ones!
We lived in harmony until someone came and told us they were taller and we were shorter!
We were happy being one people until someone came and told us there's disparity and actions must be taken!
We liked one another until someone came and told us they were saying bad things about us and they must be silenced!
We felt proud to be one people until someone came and told us we were different from them!
And today, that someone is still telling the same old lies and living a life beyond filthy rich - but that someone forgot that he is not God and there is judgment after death!

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 49

Sisa Fajar,

This is the first time i heard a Muslim family decorating up their living hall with Christmas Tree. I am touching.

change is within the people heart. When will other follow suit?

report abuse

disagree 2

agree 55

Sisa

Bless you. You have shown that there is room to share each other's faith even it is just erecting a Christmas tree. Erecting a Christmas tree does not make you a lesser Muslim if your faith is strong just as a Christian fasting during Ramadan does not him a lesser Christian.

I only fear now that there will be a petty minded Fatwa on Christmas trees.

report abuse

disagree 2

agree 46

Don't worry Fartwa boys will think twice, no three time before they talk about it. If i am not mistaken one or two of the Royal class even celeberate this event with the turkey and presents thrown in! Please refer this event if any Muslim wants to celeberate as Xmas. The X means no Christ! So you can have Xmas tree with lighs in your house. You can even place the Muslim symbol the cresent moon on top of it. You can even hire the jolly Santa and Santarina to come to your house with presents for kids as a surprise! After all he is from the North Pole!
So Xmas is actually a universal celeberation.

report abuse

disagree 10

agree 12

Good on ya, Sisa! Another step towards closing ranks. Definitely the hallmark of a strong-minded person!

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 19

Dear Sisa Fajar,
Thank you Sisa. You have show us that we, Malaysians, can co-exist regardless of race and religion. My love to your family & happy Hari Raya Haji

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 28

We are ALL Malaysian....

we should share our JOY and laughter....

Happy holiday to all of us, and all of you.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 13

Dear Sisa Fajar,

To me you are still a muslim who just happens to have a christmas tree.

Yes from your example, I pray that non-muslims will be inspired to fast during Ramadan so that their own faith will be deepen thru' the experience.

May I wish you a Holy and meaningful Hari Raya Haji and may Allah continue to bless you every single day - including 25Dec.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 21

Christmas ain't 'bout trees, presents or santa.

Christmas is about Jesus Christ, celebrating His love for all of us.
Christmas is about Jesus Christ, who came in the flesh, took our place and died for us on the cross.
Christmas is about Jesus Christ, who rose again on the third day and now sits at the right hand of the Almighty Father.
Christmas is about Jesus Christ, and the hope and certainty of salvation ALL may have in Him.

And since Jesus is risen from the dead, EVERYDAY is Christmas.

report abuse

disagree 2

agree 34

written by Proarte, December 05, 2008 10:46:21

Well, well Muslims having a Christmas tree!... just like a Christian saying that he will eat satay over the Hari Raya period to share the Muslim experience.

... Sisa Fajar... should consider decorating the tree with a Christian symbol such as a cross which refers to Jesus crucifiction...

Let's get real; given the current mood of this nation if we can only get fellow countrymen to accept each other's differences and to join in each other's celebrations in any small way, i tink we can proudly conclude that is already major step forward for M'sians. No need to expect "hanging crosses on X'mas trees" to happen.

Let's start by winning small victories .... and learning to accept each other of who they are

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 20

My dear sister Sisa,
Tears came to my eyes when I read your little piece!
I am a Chinese female. I do not subscribe to any religious belief but I do very much believe in God. And I also respect and accept those who do; in fact some of my close friends are devout Muslims, Hindus and Christians. I am now retired. When I was working, I made it a point not to eat in front of my Muslim colleagues during the fasting month. Our little clique shared a common love for baking and we sometimes shared our homemade goodies with each other. But it was an unspoken understanding to curtail this practice during Ramadhan. When my good friend Reeka got married according to full Hindu rites, I surprised her by wearing a traditional saree to the ceremony. Her mother gave me a hug and applied a tilak on my forehead. "Now you look complete!" she said. Christmas had always been hard for one of my nieces cos she was the only Christian in her family. So I would "kidnap" her on Christmas eve and accompanied her to the midnight mass at her church. She would stay over for Christmas morning cos I had set up a Christmas tree for her, with presents to boot! One last experience to share: I have been a strict vegetarian for the past 20 years, still am..., for my birthday some years ago, my Muslim buddy at work actually took the trouble to learn how to bake a vegetarian cake for me!! How cool was that!!?? I still remember...
These are some of the many, many unforgettable experiences I've had the privilege of being a part of. Religion should not be a divisive factor. The common platform is our love for God, and this transcends to love for our fellow humankind.
So dear Sisa, I salute you for being so magnanimous in your attitude towards a religion and culture that is different from yours. Your generosity of spirit has done more to bring about harmony amongst us than you can imagine. Your daughter should be so proud and fortunate to have you as a mom!!

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 45

Dear Sisa Fajar, this is how God sees us... peace and love to one another, all men are brothers

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 15

You have my respect.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 9

What Christmas? Like as if there is freedom to celebrate. The price of turkey they increase like mad up to RM140 for a 3 and a half kilo bird making it impossible to buy the traditional bird. The price of imported pudding have gone up ridiculously high and even Tesco has stop selling Christmas stuff like they normally do the previous years. The reason being no permit to import. What else they wont do? I wish during their festivities some restrictions can be put on their traditional stuff and let them feel how it feels. Such practices and call themselves... fair to all. MUNAFIQ

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 12

"Let's start by winning small victories .... and learning to accept each other of who they are"

With due respect having a Christmas tree is not a victory. How can it be a victory for interfaith unity when what is being celebrated is the pagan aspects of Christmas? What does a fir tree with mock 'snow', crackers , baubles, rheindeer and Santa Claus got to do with celebrating the birth of Jesus?

It reminds me of UMNO during Pak Lah's early tenure when they wanted to show 'religious harmony' in Malaysia by attending a Christmas celebration but they instructed the Church leaders to make sure that no mention of the word 'Jesus' was made. In this context, does Muslim insistence on blanking out Jesus during Christmas a 'victory' for interfaith unity?

Get real!

report abuse

disagree 1

agree 7

Bet you those clowns will soon impose fatwa on christmas tree, pudding and turkey! Sisa Fajar I admire what you do to fostering relationship amongst all races. God Bless you

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 3

"Peace on earth and good will to all mankind" that is all this country need

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 6

Dear Proarte,
Christmas is about LOVE and HOPE for humanity.
It is also a time for FORGIVENESS, putting differences aside and coming together as ONE.

Sisa Fajar,
THANK YOU for demonstrating all of the above simply by setting up a christmas tree.

Here's wishing ALL Malaysians love, joy, peace and hope this Christmas season.

Pat Lu

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 9

written by Proarte, December 05, 2008 19:05:56
"What does a fir tree with mock 'snow', crackers , baubles, rheindeer and Santa Claus got to do with celebrating the birth of Jesus?"

Of course lah, it's a joyous occasion. It's a birthday party! - at full blast with all the frills and decorations, music and songs too known as Christmas carols. I'm sure you had a birthday party sometime in your life... bare minimum also got cake and candles.

Santa Claus... Christmas is also a time for GIVING. As we do at birthday parties too, CNY with ang-pows and so does the rest of the religions and cultures.

And yes, has anyone thought what the candles on birthday cakes really signify? Besides age, it signifies Love and Light - that you are. Think about it.

Pat Lu

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 6

Pat LU wrote:

'Santa Claus... Christmas is also a time for GIVING. As we do at birthday parties too, CNY with ang-pows and so does the rest of the religions and cultures.'


Pity others have 'gate-crashed' Jesus birthday party even to the extent that his name is not mentioned and Jesus has not been invited!

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 2

Dear Proarte and Alan Cheong, with due respect, I think the two of you are in the wrong forum... the issue here is nor about the true meaning of Christmas, nor is it a platform to show the knowledge of your faith... We are talking about tolerance among and unity of the people of Malaysia... Don't side-track the discussion and turn it into a 'better or holier than thou' argument!!

report abuse

disagree 3

agree 9

To Penang Laksa

You are not seeing the bigger picture.

The fundamental issue here is whether a fir tree, snow, Santa Claus , Rudolf the Rheindeer has anything to do with the birth of Christ?

As such, placing a fir tree decorated with baubles and flashing lights in your house is not a religious act. Santa Claus is a lie and a child's fantasy.

Let us not extrapolate this as being an act of religious solidarity when Christians witness offical supression and abuse in Malaysia.

In Malaysia Allah has been 'copyrighted' by Muslims making Santa Claus, Snow and Rheindeers comforting for Muslims because it denies Christ.

report abuse

disagree 1

agree 3

Dear Proarte,
You are unable to see the real picture and issue here. The forum is NOT about whether fir tree and Santa Clause has anything to do with Christ's birth...The issue here is tolerence is being practice by a multi-racial and multi-racial people... The "opression" you mentioned dose NOT come from Sisa Fajar or ordinary people like us... it comes from a corrupt and unjust government - Don't pick a fight with your neighbour, simply because they are trying to show tolerence or just happen to be of a different faith...That's is "Love Thy Neighbour as Thyself" in practice...Allah is NOT copyrighted by the Muslims, it is copyrighted by the UMNOputra government...read my lips - UMNOputra does not equal Muslims or Malays, no matter how much they lie to you that they do!

report abuse

disagree 1

agree 9

To Penang Laksa

My simple point is Christmas is not about Santa Claus and Fir trees. It is to commemorate the birth of Jesus.

Tolerance is to accept another persons faith and willing to be educated about it. The wise counsel which you quoted also said ' judge not lest ye be judged'. So please do not pre-judge my intentions.

I was just educating Sisa Fajar about Christmas which I am sure as a good person he or she is, would welcome. We do not need to be apologists for paganism or intolerance of Christianity purely because we want to appear to be tolerant. It is like throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

report abuse

disagree 4

agree 4

Bless all who speak about tolerance and goodwill.

Festivals are safety vents that take us away from a stressful world that we have to live in. It is a time to remember that we have friends and family around for those who forget. Unless we put back our fig leaves to cover our shame and hunt with bows and arrows ...... and spears, we have to live this life of stress to be alive. It is not us who have made life this way but those responsible for us, bless them too for they do not know or forget to know that we all will have to answer to what we have done to others; religion or not, causing harm to another in any way is a sin that will have to be answered in the finals whether at Wembley or the Bird's Nest, its the same.

Bless you Sisa

report abuse

disagree 1

agree 5

Happy winter solstice and its derivatives, stolen or otherwise...

xxx

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 0

Christmas is all about giving The more we give the more we receive (LOVE)
BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE WHO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS AND THOSE WHO ENJOY CHRISTMAS WITH OTHERS.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 2

Sisa Fajar,

If there are 1000 people like you in Malaysia. I'm sure Malaysia is on the right track towards tolerance. In years to come (maybe in our children's lifetime), then there will be only one race, The Malaysian Race. There will be no Malay, no Chinese, no Indian. We are all Malaysian living together and respecting one another.

You are no lesser a muslim by putting up a Christmas tree in your house. Rather it proves you to be a tolerant muslim.

God bless you Sisa Fajar.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 3

Btw, Sisa Fajar, this shows that you understand that celebrating Christmas is to mark the b'day of Jesus Christ(Nabi Isa)(aiyah will Syed Hamid ISA for this? ). Recently I understood that Hari Raya Haji is to mark the day Nabi Ibrahim(Abraham) sacrifies his only son with Sarah(?????) his wife at age of 100 something, which is also known to the Jews & Christians. Based on this observation, a muslim observe Chrismas & a christian observe Hari Raya Haji will not compromise their faith as long as both follow their own path. The diffences between Islam & Christianity is like the differences between Peoples Republic of China (Mainland Communists) & Republic of China (Taiwan's Democrats). Though they have different opinion on how to govern China, read 'Mainland HK Macau Taiwan' they still love China. As for both faith, we understand God wants us to worship Him with a proper protocol(procedure), just as we seek an audience with the Malay Rulers, but we have differences in terms of protocol. For eg, the Muslims are aware of the 10 commandments too, with 0.000000000000001% differences of interpretation.

report abuse

disagree 1

agree 3

Your tree is decorated with love, tolerance, unity, and joy :-)
My sister a devout Catholic fasts every Ramadan ... :-) many of my friends put up a tree to share our celebrations but u are teh first Muslim I've come across to put up a Christmas tree.. :-)
Wonderful,
May you share our Chritmas festivities just as we share your joy at Hari Raya

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 3

hey guys i recommend you read a book written by omar zaid abdullah, former american christian priest with title Trinity-the metamorphosis of myth.according to him and other priests christmas has nothing to do with christian faith or birth of jesus.it was a pagan religion long before christianity where they worshipped tree.and this practice was carry on even after christianity.interestingly jesus was not even born on 25th of december.sorry no harm reading this book.

report abuse

disagree 0

agree 0