New Reverts, Christmas and New Year Celebrations: Practical Guide By Bashir Lucas Samson Lukman

A worried revert sister who embraced Islam about five months ago reached out seeking guidance as to what to do —Christmas is nigh and her family expects her to play the role she had played in previous years during Christmas celebration.

She doesn’t just make Christmas “Chinchin”, a Nigerian snack also known as achomo in Ghana and similar to Scandinavian Klenat, she cooks the chicken with the top of her worry being eating the Christmas food. Her concern is relatable to many new revert experiences, so, my advise to her should suffice for most new reverts.

The religion of Islam lays great emphasis on maintaining family ties. Allah says, “… and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual (rights), and (do not cut the relations of ) the wombs (kinship)…” [An-Nisa’ 4:1]. However, dilemma arises when there is a need to choose between Allah’s commands and family ties.

Millions of people around the world celebrate Christmas and New Year but they are not Christians. For some, both festivals are just mere holidays with no religious attachment. It is within this context a new revert can eat the food prepared by family for Christmas while stating that he or she feasts with them in the spirit of the holiday and not for Christmas’ sake.

The revert should also mention to the family that in coming years, he or she may not be able to partake in it for religious reasons and this one-time feasting for holiday’s sake is just to show them that he has not become bitter for embracing Islam and they still remain his or her family.

Comprise like this should not be made for Alcohol and the likes where scholars unanimously agree on their prohibition. As for Christmas food, scholars are divided on it and it is better to leave what is doubtful. So, while the new revert eats their food and explaining to them why, it is recommended to leave what is doubtful in coming years.

Reverts should not jump the gun. One reason for burnout amongst reverts that lead them back to where they were coming from is the want to become the best Muslim overnight. Take it slowly, one step after the other.

I told the sister to double whatever good she does for the family. If you are kind, be kinder, honest, be more honest, peaceful be more peaceful, quick to anger, become patient. They may not like your religion but you become more tolerable when they see you are a better version of who you used to be. When you do these all year round, that you refuse to celebrate with will not invalidate the your goodwill through the year, thus, they understand it’s your principle not hate, resentment or condescension unless they are outright Islamophobes.

Not taking it slowly is the reason some sisters pick up the Niqab a few weeks after they revert and take it off in no long time. You just embraced the religion, don’t overwhelm yourself and don’t allow anyone overwhelm you. It is equally important to be truthful to yourself —when an arrogant person is admonished, he says I’m on a journey, yet, it’s years, there is no obvious change.

The call to take it one step at a time is not an invitation to complacence, rather, to understand that Allah has not burdened us with this Deen, so, do not overburden yourself.

Bashir Lucas Samson Lukman