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Salah's Christmas greetings: Merry times or arguments about faith?
Mohamed Salah's Christmas greeting is once again attracting criticism from the Muslim community. Insight into the background.
Salah's Christmas greetings: Merry times or arguments about faith?
A renewed media stir surrounding Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah is causing lively discussions online. Like every year, the avowed Muslim published a family photo under the festively lit Christmas tree, in which he is smiling with his wife and children. Salah writes: “Merry Christmas!” This warm gesture was received anything but favorably by many members of the Muslim community. One astonished user demanded: “Delete this immediately!” and another added: "I'm just disappointed in you!" as he recalled that Muslims do not celebrate Christmas in the Christian sense. Despite the heavy criticism, the 32-year-old striker remains steadfast and continues to post messages of joy as he has in previous years.
Successful on the pitch, controversial in the community
In terms of sport, Salah is on the road to success, as he recently scored goals 228 and 229 for Liverpool in the impressive 6-3 win against Tottenham. With this milestone, he not only led his team, but also set a new Premier League record by reaching double figures for both goals (15) and assists (10) in a season before Christmas. His success on the field contrasts with the reaction to his Christmas photo and shows how the life of a professional athlete is accompanied by different perspectives.
At the same time, prayer (Salah) plays a central role in Muslim culture and promotes community: Common prayer, especially Friday prayer (Jumu'ah), strengthens social cohesion within the community and reminds us of the responsibility that Muslims have for each other. These regular meetings in the mosques also support social exchange and provide a basis for shared values. Celebrations such as Eid also bring believers together and create a sense of unity within the Muslim Ummah. Salah's sporting success could be symbolic of the values that prayer and community convey in Islam - equality, humility and empathy - no matter how the discussion about his Christmas traditions goes.