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Christmas mubarak!<\/div>\n

<\/p><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

In recent years, there has been much talk of a so-called \u201cwar on Christmas<\/a>\u201d that seeks to eliminate all references to the religious nature of the holiday from the public sphere. Stores have dropped the traditional \u201cMerry Christmas\u201d greeting in favor of the generic \u201cHappy Holidays\u201d, nativity scenes are being prohibited<\/a> from public lands, and some cities have even tried to rename Christmas<\/a> to the more generic \u201cWinterval\u201d. While some put the blame on political correctness run amok, others pin the focus on religious minorities and the perception that they may be offended at overtly Christian references. Jews may have Hanukkah to protect them from getting coal in their stockings, but Muslims are making an easy target for those looking for a scapegoat. Not, mind you, because of anything Muslims are doing, but because some of those attempting to secularize Christmas cite the fear of offending Muslims as their reason. \u201cWe cant go out and give a Muslim child a Jesus doll<\/a>,\u201d explained Marine Sgt. Paul McCawley, spokesperson for Toys for Tots, which passes out gifts to needy children every December (and which refuses to accept donations of Jesus dolls). \u201cItd be like giving a boy a makeup kit.\u201d Retailers are hiding behind Muslims as well. \u201cWe would definitely not say \u2018Merry Christmas\u2019,\u201d said<\/a> Crate & Barrel spokesperson Betty Kahn, citing Muslim customers as an example of those the store wishes not to offend. A British school even tried to make their Christmas dinner halal<\/a> (while 20% of its students are Muslim, none of them asked for it), but parent complaints<\/a> forced them to reconsider. And with those sentiments, the inevitable backlash<\/a> \u2013 \u2019tis the season for another campaign<\/a> against the US Postal Service\u2019s Eid stamp<\/a>. But this year, some Muslims are making a pre-emptive strike against the notion that they are Grinches<\/a>. In the UK, Muslims stood<\/a> with Christians in fighting the \u201cWinterval\u201d proposal. \u201cThe desire to secularize religious festivals is in itself offensive to both our communities,\u201d said Dr. Ataullah Siddiqui, vice-chair of the campaign. Efforts to secularize Christmas \u201cwill tend to backfire badly on the Muslim community in particular,\u201d added<\/a> Anglican bishop David Gillett. Elsewhere, Muslims are lending support<\/a> to the beleaguered holiday. \u201cIf they call it the Christmas season, it\u2019s fine with me,\u201d said Newark, NJ shopper Iqbal Aziz. \u201cI don\u2019t feel bad,\u201d commented Wilmington, DE resident Khorshed Alam on Christian-themed ads. \u201cYou have your right to do it.\u201d Other Muslims are embracing the opportunity to help decorate<\/a> their neighbor\u2019s homes (or even their own<\/a>) and sharing views on Mary and what an Islamic nativity scene<\/a> would look like. And some Muslims are finding their own unique ways<\/a> to mark<\/a> the holiday. \u201cChristmas is a religious festival,\u201d says<\/a> Saleem Kiowai of the Muslim Council of Wales. \u201cIt does not need to be neutralized.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/i><\/p>\n

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com\n<\/p>\n

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