Why Islamic Professor wants Muslims to celebrate this day

An Islamic Professor is calling on Muslims to celebrate

Professor of Islamic Sharia at Al-Azhar University, Ahmed Karima made the plea on Sunday, April 8, 2018, according to Egypt Independent.

He argues that Easter should be celebrated by Muslims because it is mentioned in the Quran.

“Prophet Moussa chose that day for people to come together on the Nile, as harvesting takes place in April. We should not listen to the ignorant. People should go out and celebrate Easter,” he says.

Professor Karima has a second argument. According to him, Easter should be celebrated by Muslims because it is just an old traditional and social feast with no religious beliefs.

In his words, “It is an old feast that has existed in Egypt for 4,200 years. It is a pharaonic feast that has been celebrated since 2,700 BC. The feast falls on the days known as ‘the turn of spring’, where night and day become equal.”

The professor goes on to explain that “the pharaohs believed that Easter marks the beginning of creation. The feast then was transferred to sons of Israel as it fell on the date where the children of Israel left Egypt, and it became a celebration of the incident. The Copts took the feast and made it their own, for them it falls on ‘Eid Al-Keyama’ (Judgment Day Celebration).”

ALSO READ: What does Easter mean to Christians?

How other Muslims feel about celebrating Easter

Professor Karima’s statements follow a declaration from Egypt’s governmental and Islamic body. On April 8, 2018, Dār al-Iftā’ al-Miṣriyyah issued a Fatwa permitting people to celebrate Easter.

This year, a former and esteemed Sheikh named Atteya Sakr has also issued a fatwa allowing Easter to be celebrated by Muslims.

On the other hand, there are other fatwas that have forbidden Easter celebrations. Salafi fatwas forbid Muslims from going out and celebrating Easter.

A sheik named Abu Ishak al-Howayni has also referred to easter as a pagan event on Youtube.