From: jodar@chaph.usc.edu (Nicholas Jodar)
Subject: Re: Salam/Christmas and Easter festivals
Originator: zeeshan@occs.cs.oberlin.edu (Zeeshan Hasan -Moderator)
Organization: Oberlin College Computer Science
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 1992 02:14:40 GMT
X-Posted-From: occs.cs.oberlin.edu
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol.ctr.columbia.edu

Assalamu Alaikum....

Auzu Billahi Min Ash-Shaitan Nirajeem.  Bismillah...

In article <1gjj15INNead@life.ai.mit.edu> nabeel@sce.carleton.ca (Nabeel Ghuzlaan) writes:
>   It was a good informative article but ...
>
>" When Christianity was accepted as a state religion the Roman Senate voted
>" to compromise with Emperor Constantine the great by redesignating the
>" holiday to commemorate Christ's birthday. In Luke 2:8, it clearly shows
>" that Jesus was possibly born during the summer, between April to October
>" 15 when the shepherds would take their flocks in the open and keep watch
>" over them by night. Jesus could not have been born during winter, not
>" even on January 6, as believed by the Coptic christians in Egypt. The
>" Qur'anic story about the birth of Jesus does also say that it was not
>                                          ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>" during Winter, but possibly during the summer, when the dates are ripen,
>" that Jesus was born.
>
>"  H. Siddiqui.

While Allah (SWT) makes no definite statement in the Qur'an
regarding the exact birthdate of Jesus (AS), the statement about
the dates being ripe can be accepted as one piece of evidence.

>   The story of the birth of Jesus (MPBUMAH) is a miracle in itself; the
>presence of ripe dates can not hold water here because it could be another
>miracle. Recall from 3:137 or 138 (I do not remember) that Mary (MPBUMAH)
>used to have fruits regardless of their seasons.

The ripeness of the dates doesn't prove anything on its own, one
way or the other.

But let's look at all of the evidence we have at hand, here.  
(Not much, I know, but it's better than nothing....)

A reasonably short time before Jesus (AS) was born, his mother
encountered:

- Ripe dates (usually found in late summer);
- High temperatures (usually occuring from Spring to Fall); and 
- Days of at least average length (from Spring to Fall, again).


When Jesus (AS) was born, there was/were:

- a Census (there was one conducted in 7 BC, mainly in the Fall);
- a trip back to Bethlehem (by caravan, usually done in Spring or Fall);
- no room at the inn (during the census-in 7 BC-lodging was inadequate)
- shepherds with their flocks (still done today, Spring-Fall);
- a star (possibly the conjunction of Jupiter? and Venus, Oct., 7 BC);
- visit by three magi/astrologers (one noted in Fall, 7 BC.)
- a King Herod, who killed children (historians note approx. 7 BC-0 AD).


I dunno about you, but I see a pattern....


Still, Allah knows best the day that Jesus (AS) was born.  We can
only take an educated guess.


-AQ

[I beg Allah's forgiveness for my weakness and insufficiency in ]
['His' service, and I ask for his protection from Shaitan and   ]
[from my own Desires.  None can protect me except Allah.  If I  ]
[have made any errors, I beg Allah to bring them to my attention]
[so that they may be corrected.  If I have made none, then it is]
[only through the Grace of Allah and all praise is due only to  ]
['Him.'                                                         ]