Christmas Mubarak

Mary and Jesus in a Persian miniature

20. [Mary] said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?" 21. He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us':It is a matter (so) decreed."

22. So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. 23. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!"

24. But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; 25. "And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: It will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee.

26. "So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man, say, 'I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into not talk with any human being'" 27. At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought!

Surah Maryam Koran

Many Christians would be surprised and perhaps even unsettled to realize that the holy book of Islam, the Koran or Quran, includes Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a revered figure and Jesus is honoured as a prophet. There is even an angel who announces the birth of Jesus and a birth narrative, although one significantly different for what we find in the gospel of Luke. Jesus' conception is one of two miracles in the Quran and Mary is the only woman named in the Quran. She is actually mentioned more often in the Quran than in the New Testament and there’s a whole chapter named after her.


Mary and baby Jesus are portrayed in a scene from “Christmas Mubarak.

Recently a play opened in Chicago called Christmas Mubarak or Christmas Blessing which was billed as an interfaith event meant to foster understanding.  It mixed the Christian and Muslim birth stories and a Methodist choir sang Christmas music.

Those who attended the play found it both informative and inspirational but people who would never have darkened the door quickly denounce it.Some were sure the intention was to create "Chrislam" a new world religion. Some of the Christian critics declared it blasphemy, even thought the music was distinctly Christian. Some of the Muslim critics figured it was an attempt to convert Muslims.

I've pondered whether I would attend this play if it were performed locally and the answer is yes. As a Christian Jesus is more than a prophet for me. He is God-with-us in a way that is significantly different than the Islamic perception of him. Still, I could learn and reflect on the deeper meaning of Christmas and I'm impressed that Malik Gillani undertook this, despite the negative response of some.

Would you attend a play like this? Are you intrigued by the Islamic story of Mary and the birth of Jesus?