Better ways than to ban public celebrations of Christmas

'One of the ways to celebrate Islam is to allow non-Muslims to practise their religions.'

PETALING JAYA: The Sultan of Brunei has used a wrong approach in his attempt to protect his Muslim subjects from influences that could affect the purity of their faith in Islam, according to Amanah Communications Director Khalid Samad.

Commenting on Brunei’s decision to ban public celebrations of Christmas, Khalid said it was possible that the Sultan feared that the revelry associated with Christmas, “now that it’s been so commercialised,” might have a negative influence among young Muslims and the “weak-hearted.”

“I think what he’s trying to do is to prevent Muslims from being confused about their own religion,” he told FMT. “But there are better ways of doing this.

“He should have instead instilled in Muslims the joys of celebrating their own religion. One of the ways to celebrate Islam is to allow non-Muslims to practise their religions.”

Under the Brunei decree, a maximum five-year jail term awaits Muslims who celebrate Christmas and non-Muslims who celebrate it openly or have Muslim guests in their private celebrations.

Khalid said he couldn’t understand why Muslims had become so defensive and why there was such a great feeling of inferiority among them.

“It is very strange,” he said. “After all, Brunei, for instance, has such a big Muslim majority for such a small country and a very small Christian population.”