Rafiq ibn Jubair
The following photo which appears to show a Christmas tree in a masjid is being circulated on social media:
People are confused and wondering why someone has decided to put a Christmas tree in the masjid:
Have you seen the masjid w a Christmas tree in it?
— guapacita (@kingggliya) November 24, 2018
Is that a Christmas tree in the masjid? I’m confused https://t.co/xtTlovRvkw
— زهرة???? (@z_wurd) November 25, 2018
Christmas tree in a masjid ?
— Hercules (@PriinceHaroon) November 24, 2018
Nah but fr why is there a Christmas tree there ?
— BUBBLY🧸 (@bubbly_kid) December 25, 2020
However, the story is not true.
It’s actually a community centre which is hired for Friday prayers:
There are many small Muslim communities in England who hire their local community centre for Friday prayers either because the local mosque is too small to accommodate a large number of people or because there simply isn’t any mosques.
Things are not always as they seem and sometimes there is a logical explanation behind things.
There are many clues in the photo which indicates that it is not a masjid like the presence of a stage in the front, spotlights for the stage and an unfitted carpet.
A lesson we can learn from this is that we should try to have a good opinion (Husn Ad-Dhan) of other Muslims and we should not jump to conclusions and have a bad opinion of others as that may cause us to fall into sin.
The prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him):
“Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales; and do not look for the others’ faults and do not spy, and do not be jealous of one another, and do not desert one another, and do not hate one another; and oh Allah’s worshippers! Be brothers.” [Sahih Bukhari]
Umar Ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: “If your Muslim brother makes an ambiguous statement to you, you should only think the best and you will find a good explanation for it.” [Muwatta Imam Malik]
