The World's First Scientist

In school, navigating my way through the sea of information there always seemed to be giant icebergs placed at every junction of knowledge. Colossus in their own rights and widely dubbed to be the 'founding fathers' of modern science. Their names have become part of the household furniture for not just people in the west, but across the globe. For history has polished the names of Newton, Galileo, Darwin and Einstein to adorn the mantelpieces of present-day science.


However a tale has been lost in time.
The first chapter of any book is a promise to the reader. It puts the rest of the story into context.
It sets the scene, storyline and thoughts into motion. More importantly it introduces the main character, a focal to point to which other characters adhere to.
If the first chapter is missing the book loses its substance, its worth. But more importantly breaking that promise will disappoint and frustrate the reader.


Isaac Newton by many is considered to be the greatest scientist of the modern era. True, for he stood on the shoulders of a giant who left a footprint 700 years earlier. His name was Abu Ali al-Hasan ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Haytham or in short Al-Haytam of Basra (modern day Iraq).

Born in 965 AD, Al-Haytham is known as the father of the scientific method. This method aims to build upon and correct previous acquired knowledge.
To put it simply, it is observations, formulating a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis and then analysing the results through mathematical means.

Bradley Steffens in his biography of Al-Haytham states that he was the first person to test hypotheses with verifiable experiments, developing the scientific method more than 200 years before European scholars learned of it—by reading his books.

Professor Jim Al-Khalili of the University of Surrey states in an article published by the BBC, ‘just because Western Europe languished in the Dark Ages, does not mean there was stagnation elsewhere. Indeed, the period between the 9th and 13th Centuries marked the Golden Age of Arabic science.
Great advances were made in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, physics, chemistry and philosophy. Among the many geniuses of that period Al-Haytham stands taller than all the others’.


Undoubtedly Al-Haytam’s greatest accomplishment is in the field of optics. His invention of the pinhole camera), his correct description of vision occurring when light rays enter the eye and stimulate the optic nerve, the fact that light travels in straight rays, and radiates from every point on a luminous object in all directions are all mentioned in his ‘The Book of Optics’.

Al-Haytam does ascribe his inspiration and is documented to say, 'I decided to discover what it is that brings us closer to God, what pleases Him most, and what makes us submissive to His ineluctable Will'.

Jim Al Khalili also states that, ‘it is often still claimed that the modern scientific method was not established until the early 17th Century by Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes.
There is no doubt in my mind, however, that Al-Haytham arrived there first’.


Rosanna Gorini, from Institute of Neurosciences, Rome acknowledges Al-Haytam to be a pioneer in science who influenced many Western intellects such as Roger Bacon, Johannes Kepler and Charles Darwin.


In a recent article published by Austin Cline called ‘What is the Scientific Method’ he raised three distinct points.

1. The scientific method separates science from unsuccessful attempts to produce knowledge which people try to sell: faith, religion, pseudoscience, etc.

2. How scientists work, and so why science is superior to the alternatives.

3. Understanding science means understanding how the scientific method works.


Astonishingly Al-Haytam answered all these questions a millennia ago. He is quoted to say in his Doubts Concerning Ptolemy:
'Truth is sought for its own sake ... Finding the truth is difficult, and the road to it is rough. For the truths are plunged in obscurity. ... God, however, has not preserved the scientist from error and has not safeguarded science from shortcomings and faults. If this had been the case, scientists would not have disagreed upon any point of science'.


To ask another question - Who would understand the Scientific Method better than the man who was first to implement it?
It's as if to say, you and I understand the ‘theory of evolution’ better than the man who proposed it, Charles Darwin.


Surprisingly to those who think they understand his theory better than him, Darwin quotes, ‘the mystery of the beginning of all things is insoluble by us; and I for one must be content to remain an agnostic’.

To know anything well you must understand its origin.
Those who manipulate the modern scientific method to disprove the existence of god may feel they are throwing stones at a glass box.
However the theory has its foundations deeply rooted in Islam and in reality it’s like throwing glass at a stone structure.

Finally Al-Haytam expresses, 'I constantly sought knowledge and truth, and it became my belief that for gaining closeness to God, there is no better way than that of searching for truth and knowledge'.

And Allah Knows Best.

A Ruby in the Rubble

Once, during the early days of the British administration in India,in Kandhla,(Uttar Pradesh), arose a dispute between the Hindus and the Muslims.
This dispute concerned a plot of land which both of them claimed as their place of worship. It escalated to such a level that they two opposing parties were nearly up in arms as they saw no other way of resolving the issue.


An English Collector of the district was designated to dissolve the dispute. He inquired from the Muslims if they could name a Hindu in whose honesty they had full confidence, so that that the case might be decided on the basis of his evidence. The Muslims said that they knew of no such Hindu.

The collector then asked the Hindus whether there was a Muslim upon whose word they would be willing to let the decision of the dispute be made. The Hindus said that, grave as the matter was, there was a Muslim scholar who had never uttered a falsehood and it could be hoped that he would not compromise his integrity over the issue in hand.
That scholar was known as Mufti Ilahi Bakhsh (1748-1829). He was a renowned jurist, physician and poet.

The Collector, thereupon, summoned him to his court, but he declined. Due to the occupation of the British in India and the atrocities the regime carried out against the natives, the scholar had sworn never to look at the face of an Englishman. The Collector said that he need not look at his face if he did not want to, but come he must, because the matter in dispute was serious and its settlement hinged on whether he came or not.


The scholar agreed. He came with his face covered with a mask and stood in the court, his back turned towards the Collector so that there could be no possibility of his vow being broken.


The case was explained to him, and he was asked to state whether he knew anything about the ownership of the plot. The scholar declared that the plot in dispute belonged to the Hindus; the Muslims had nothing to do with it. The Collector decided accordingly. The Muslims lost the case, but ‘truth’ scored a magnificent victory. Upon seeing the conduct of the scholar and his zeal to stand up for the truth even if it meant passing a verdict against his 'own people' a great number of Hindus embraced Islam on that very day.
Amazingly enough they even gave the land documents back to the scholar so that he may build a mosque there so that they could join the Muslims in worship.




The Holy Qur'an

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching and argue with them in a way that is better”
[Quran 16:125].


O People who Believe! Be firm in establishing justice, giving witness for Allah, even if it is harmful to yourselves or parents or relatives; whether the one you testify against is wealthy or poor, for in any case Allah has the greater right over it; then do not follow your wishes for you may stray from the truth; and if you distort testimony or turn away, then Allah is Well Aware of your deeds.
Quran (4: 135)


The reason many a society crumble is when truth and honesty of its members is lost.
Lo! Even it's fragrance is hard to smell in the times of today.



You may think, this can't be me. He is just a ruby in the rubble.

But don't forget.

A diamond is just a chunk of coal that got its beauty from withstanding pressure.


And Allah knows best.

More Die from Obesity than Malnutrition

Reading this headline in the local newspaper baffled me. How can this be so?

Many a children sleep hungry every night and compete with another just to see dawn. Outrageously we’ve joined this competition and have beaten them to the finish line.

It’s almost as if we are mocking them.

However, in this race there are no winners.


From what is apparent, the world does produce enough food to feed everyone.
World agriculture provides everyone in the world with at least 2,720 kilocalories (kcal) per person per day. An average person should consume around 2000 kcal daily.

The United Nations reports 25,000 people continue to die each day from hunger in a world with a huge surplus of food. Whereas, a billionaire is created every other day.

The richest 50 million people in Europe and North America have the same income as 2.7 billion poor people (according to a World Bank study in 2002).




How have we been so careless in letting a gap in society become a crater. A crater created by us neglecting our duties towards others and ourselves.
In a study conducted, the biggest personal factor in determining happiness is health.

Healthy people are about 20 percent happier than average while unhealthy people are about 8.25 percent more unhappy.


Happiness in english comes from the term ‘hap’; something that occured ‘by chance’ or ‘by fate’. Therefore a happy person is described as someone who is content with their fate.
Moreover happiness and pleasure tend to be used together. The word ‘pleasure’ derived from the word ‘plesure’ and its original meaning was - to please another.

Therefore happiness lies in the service of others along with ourselves, which somehow we have forgotten.


Question

Have we just been lazy?

The Holy Qur’an

Those who believe and lead a righteous life, and observe the Contact Prayers (Salat), and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), they receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve. (Al-Baqarah 2:277)

The term ‘zakat’ means obligatory charity and it is a duty of every single muslim to give around 2.5% of their yearly income to the poor. This is only applicable to an individual who earns above a certain yearly wage. This limits the excuse that one is lazy and helps to bridge the gap in society.

‘Zakat’ is separate from any other charity given which can be voluntary.

Those who give to charity night and day, secretly and publicly, receive their recompense from their Lord; they will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.
(Al-Baqarah 2:274)


Moreover it is transmitted that Ibn 'Abbas told Ibn az-Zubayr, "I heard the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, say, 'A man is not a believer who fills his stomach while his neighbour is hungry.'"

Ask yourselves this - if everyone was to live in such a manner, would there be a person who would endure a night on an empty stomach?


Looking at ourselves through their eyes, we would probably make us envy ourselves.
Yet some of us are still not content with what we have been given by fate.

A constant reminder is needed.

In the service of others lies true pleasure and happiness.


And Allah knows best.

The Mind of a Killer

"I had to test the atom bombs. We have wasted so much money in creating atom bombs …. I am perfectly happy that the bombs worked, and now we will be growing more into atomic technology."
The words of Harry S. Truman (May 8, 1884 - December 26, 1972) and the thirty-third President of the United States of America , who gave the order to drop the atomic bombs "Little Boy" and "Fat Man" on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, both major cities in Japan.


The actual death count may never be known.

However estimates are Hiroshima (150,000) and Nagasaki (75,000) are deemed over conservative.





“In my lifetime I have murdered 21 human beings, I have committed thousands of burglaries, robberies, larcenies, arsons and, last but not least, I have committed sodomy on more than 1,000 male human beings. For all these things I am not in the least bit sorry.”
The words of Carl Panzram (June 28, 1891 – September 5, 1930). He was an American serial killer, rapist, arsonist and burglar.




"I hate this world, I am not ashamed of my action and I am ready to die. I have no regrets. I killed 100 children."
The words of Javed Iqbal (1956 in – October 8, 2001). He was a Pakistani serial killer who was found guilty of the sexual abuse and murder of 100 children.




“I opened her breast and with a knife cut through the fleshy parts of the body. Then I arranged the body as a butcher does beef, and hacked it with the axe into pieces.. I may say that while opening the body, I was so greedy that I trembled and could have cut out a piece and eaten it.”
The words of Andreas Bichel (1760 – 1809) a.k.a 'The Bavarian Ripper'. He was a German serial killer who enticed young women to his home by promising to tell their fortunes. The victims were knocked unconscious and stripped. When they awoke they were bound and gagged. Bichel then raped and mutilated them before killing them.




“They say it's the number of people I killed, I say it's the principle.”
The words of Aileen Wuornos (February 29, 1956 – October 9, 2002). She was an American serial killer who killed seven men in Florida in 1989 and 1990. Wuornos claimed that her victims had either raped or attempted to rape her while she was working as a prostitute, and that all of the killings were committed in self-defense.




Some people may condemn these people downright and slap the strictest punishment offered by man upon them.
Others may label them to be a victim of social norms and their circumstances.

However the masses express their disapproval of such sadistic and merciless viewpoints.




Question
Have these individuals lost the value and worth for the living because they’ve lost the value and worth of their own life?


The Holy Qur’an

“”For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came unto them of old with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty), but afterwards lo! many of them became prodigals in the earth.
Surah Mai’dah (5:32)


"Again and again will those who disbelieve, wish that they had bowed (to God's will) in Islam. Leave them alone, to enjoy (the good things of this life) and to please themselves: let (false) hope amuse them: soon will knowledge (undeceive them).
Surah Al-Hijr (15:2-3)


The above cases are extreme, but they highlight the grotesque levels human beings can twist towards when one loses a sense of direction and purpose in their life.

Let’s not lose our purpose.

And Allah knows best.

The Quest to Avoid Death

The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time - Mark Twain


Qin Shi Huang

King of the Chinese State of Qin from 247 BCE to 221 BCE and then the first emperor of a unified China from 221 BCE to 210 BCE. As the ruler of the Great Qin, he was known for the introduction of Legalism and also for unifying China.

His Quest

He died of swallowing Mercury pills, made by his court scientists and doctors, which contained too much of the liquid metal. The "theory," devised by alchemists, was that if mercury could even absorb gold, then if eaten, it would give that person its own powers, making him immortal. Mercury compounds were mixed with some food so as to make it edible. Ironically, these pills were meant to make Qin Shi Huang immortal. He was reportadly buried in a river of Mercury.



Charles-Édouard Brown-Séquard

Also known as Charles Edward (8 April 1817 – 2 April 1894), he was a Mauritian physiologist and neurologist.

His Quest

He recommended the dried and ground testicles of guinea pigs and dogs as a tonic to extend youthfulness and virility. Injected himself and his patients with the extracts from the testicles, and then declared that the treatments had restored his physical vigour and mental acuity.





Morarji Ranchhodji Desai

The fourth Prime Minister of India from 1977–79.

His Quest

Morarji Desai is most often remembered for his championing of Urine Therapy (drinking one’s own urine for medical benefits). He told journalist Khushwant Singh that he was advised to try drinking his own urine when in his 40s to cure piles (haemorrhoids), and he got immediate results.

As the prime minister he caused discomfort to millions of Indian by proclaiming the efficiency of his urine drinking. On the occasion of his ninety-ninth birthday in 1995, Desai attributed his longevity to drinking urine - which he called the ``water of life'' - at least twice every day.





Question

Is the life of this world so dear that one may lose the integrity of being human, just to hold onto it?

The Holy Qur’an

Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.
(Ale-‘Imraan 3:185)


Beautified for those who disbelieve is the life of this world, and they ridicule those who believe. But those who fear Allah are above them on the Day of Resurrection. And Allah gives provision to whom He wills without account.
(Al-Baqarah 2:212)

Sincerely search for the purpose of life for such an endevour will prepare you for death.



And Allah knows best.

Alexander of Macedonia

Remember upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.
Alexander the Great

Alexander was born around July 20, 356 B.C.
Alexander studied under the great philosopher Aristotle at the age of 13.
Cavalry commander at age eighteen.
King at twenty.
Conqueror of the Persian Empire at twenty-six.
Explorer of the Indian frontier at thirty.
Before he turned 30 years old he conquered an empire stretching over 3,000 miles from Greece to India.
Undefeated in all his battles.

He had it all.
Or did he?

Alexander died before his thirty-third birthday.

He died mysteriously and his cause of death is yet being debated.

A Peculiar Tale

Before passing away, on his deathbed Alexander made three strange wishes.

He said,

“My first wish is to have my physician bring my coffin home alone".
After a gasping for air, Alexander continued: “My second wish is scatter the gold, silver, and gems from my treasure-house along the path to the tomb when you ship my coffin to the grave.”
After wrapping in a woolen blanket and resting for a while, he said: “My final wish it to put my hands outside the coffin.”

People surrounding him all were very curious, but no one dare to ask the reason.
Alexander’s most favored general kissed his hand and asked: “My Majesty, We will follow your instruction. But can you tell us why you want us to do it this way?”
After taking a deep breath, Alexander said: “I want everyone to understand the three lessons I have learned.
To let my physician carry my coffin alone is to let people realize that a physician cannot really cure people’s illness. Especially when they face death, the physicians are powerless. I hope people will learn to treasure their lives.
My second wish is to tell people not to be like me in pursuing wealth. I spent my whole life pursuing wealth, but I was wasting my time most of the time.
My third wish to let people understand that I came to this world in empty hands and I will leave this world also in empty hands.” he closed his eyes after finished talking and stopped breathing.


The Holy Qur'an
"Nor can a soul die except by God as leave, the term being fixed as by writing. Many do desire a reward in this life, we shall give it to him, and if any do desire a reward In the hereafter, we shall give it to him. And swiftly shall we reward those that (serve us with) gratitude. "(3:145)

On the authority of Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) took hold of my shoulder and said, "Be in the world as if you were a stranger or a traveller along the path.” And ibn Umar would say, “If you survive till late afternoon, do not expect [to be alive in] the morning. If you survive till morning, do not expect [to be alive in] the late afternoon. Take from your health before your sickness and your life before you death.”
Recorded in al-Bukhari)

Desire the truth and strive to seek the truth.

Remember

Death greets everyone.

But knowing the purpose of life, allows you to greet death.



And Allah knows best.

Origins Of Christmas

Question
When was Jesus Christ born?

1. The Gospel according to Luke (2:8) states that during the time of the birth of Christ
"there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night"

2. In the New International Version (©1984) The Song of Solomon 2:11 states, “See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone”.


Adam Clarke (1762–1832) was a British Methodist theologian and Biblical scholar who is remembered for writing a commentary on the Bible which took him 40 years to complete . He said in his Commentary, Vol. 5, page 386 (and 370):

“It was an ancient custom among Jews of those days to send out their sheep to the fields and deserts about the Passover (early spring), and bring them home at commencement of the first rain.”


Clement of Alexandria, a Christian theologian and the head of the noted Catechetical School of Alexandria in about 200 C.E says in Stromateis 1.21.145:
“There are those who have determined not only the year of our Lord’s birth, but also the day; and they say that it took place in the 28th year of Augustus, and in the 25th day of [the Egyptian month] Pachon [May 20 in our calendar]...And treating of His Passion, with very great accuracy, some say that it took place in the 16th year of Tiberius, on the 25th of Phamenoth [March 21]; and others on the 25th of Pharmuthi [April 21] and others say that on the 19th of Pharmuthi [April 15] the Savior suffered. Further, others say that He was born on the 24th or 25th of Pharmuthi [April 20 or 21].

The Catholic Encyclopedia sums this fact:

The exact date of Jesus' birth is entirely UNKNOWN.


Question
How did they come to the 25th of December?

Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions: By 336 A.D., the Roman church calender definitively records a nativity celebration by Western Christians on this date (25th December).

Sir Isaac Newton physicist, mathematician and theologian in his book labelled, the Observations upon the prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John said about the Annunciation of Mary (which is when the angel Gabriel told the virgin Mary, that she would conceive).

This annunciation that happened was ‘on the 25th of March, which was when Julius Cæsar corrected the Calendar and was the vernal Equinox; the feast of John Baptist on the 24th of June, which was the summer Solstice; the feast of St. Michael on Sept. 29, which was the autumnal Equinox; and the birth of Christ on the Winter Solstice on Decemb. 25.


Modern scholars debate in the "Heim, "Solstice d'hiver, solstice d'ete", Latomus 59 (1999), whether the December 25 date of Christmas was selected to correspond with the Roman festival of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti or "Birthday of Sol Invictus."

The first certain record associating December 25 with the birthday of Sol Invictus is the Chronography of AD 354, in the part known as the Philocalian Calendar.

Question
So what is the Winter Solstice and how does it link to Christmas?

The Winter Solstice occurs exactly when the axial tilt of a planet's polar hemisphere is farthest away from the star that it orbits. It is the shortest day of the year and in the days after, the sun begins to regain its strength as the day increases in length.

According to Macrobius Ambrosius Theodosius who was a prominent roman who flourished during the early fifth century, he said :
In the winter solstice the sun would seem to be a little child, like that which the Egyptians bring forth from a shrine on an appointed day, since the day is then at its shortest and the god is accordingly shown as a tiny infant.”

Gordon J. Laing a professor of Latin at the University of Chicago in his book titled Survivals Of the Roman Religion says,

And in the year 274 the Emperor Aurelian dedicated a magnificent temple in Rome to "the Unconquerable Sun-God” (Deus Sol Invictus), who probably was the chief divinity of Palmyra in Syria.

*Note
This pagan divinity is of special interest for our inquiry, for his annual festival fell on the 25th of December and its relation to Christmas has been a matter of protracted discussion since.

Gaius Plinius Secundus (23 AD – August 25, 79 AD), better known as Pliny the Elder, was a Roman author, naturalist, and natural philosopher, as well as naval and army commander of the early Roman Empire. In his book the wrote:

Book XVI: "The Druids hold nothing more sacred than mistletoe and a tree on which it is growing ... when it [mistletoe] is discovered it is gathered with great ceremony Hailing the moon in a native word that means 'healing all things,' they prepare a ritual sacrifice and banquet beneath a tree and bring up two white bulls, whose horns are bound for the first time on this occasion. A priest arrayed in white vestments climbs the tree and with a golden sickle cuts down the mistletoe, which is caught in a white cloak. Then finally they kill the victims, praying to god to render his gift propitious to those whom he has bestowed it. They believe that mistletoe given in drink will impart fertility to any animal that is barren, and that it is an antidote for all poisons."

*Note
Mistletoe slows down in the winter or goes into a sort of plant hibernation but it remains alive all year rather than growing. It is green in the winter and can be seen much better because trees it grows on lose their leaves.

We can see from this how the tradition of the Misltetoe came into being.

Another Important point to be noted is the sacrificing of a bull being part of this ancient pagan tradition.

Encyclopedia Britannica states:
Taurobolium, bull sacrifice practiced from about ad 160 in the Mediterranean cult of the Great Mother of the Gods. Celebrated primarily among the Romans, the ceremony enjoyed much popularity and may have been introduced by the Roman emperor.

The picture shows Mithra killing white bull ‘tauroctony’ which is the central icon of this ancient pagan cult.

As concerns Mithra's identity, Mithraic scholar Dr. Roger Beck says:

Mithras...is the prime traveller, the principal actor...on the celestial stage which the tauctony [bull-slaying] defines.... He is who the monuments proclaim him—the Unconquered Sun. (Beck (2004), 274)

Colliers Encyclopedia agrees.

Quote: "After the triumph of Constantine, the church at Rome assigned December 25 as the date for the celebration of the feast, possibly about A.D. 320 or 353. By the end of the fourth century the whole Christian world was celebrating Christmas on that day, with the exception of the Eastern churches, where it was celebrated on January 6. The choice of December 25 was probably influenced by the fact that on this day the Romans celebrated the Mithraic feast of the Sun-god (natalis solis invicti), and that the Saturnalia also came at this time."

This is an example of the coins that Constantine had minted even after his questionable conversion from Paganism to Christianity, on its back it still contains the inscription and the symbol for his favorite pagan sun God, "Sol Invictus".

Quintus Curtius Rufus was a Roman historian, writing probably during the reign of the Emperor Claudius (41-54 AD) or Vespasian. His only surviving work, Historiae Alexandri Magni recorded in his book

Before going into battle against the 'anti-Mithraean country' of Rome, the Persian soldiers would pray to Mithras for victory. However, after the two enemy civilizations had been in contact for more than a thousand years, the worship of Mithras finally spread from the Persians through the Phrygians of Turkey to the Romans.

Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicised as Tertullian (c. 160 – c. 225 AD), was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa.[2] He is the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. In Tertullian (c.200), On the Soldier's Crown 15, he sheds some light on intitiation to the third level, "Soldier," in a treatise about Christians refusing crowns in military service.

He notes that a Soldier of Mithras, during his initiation in some gloomy cave, is presented with a crown at sword-point. He refuses it, saying that Mithras is his crown, and he never wears a crown after that.

Questions
Was the festival of Christmas built around these ancient customs?
What does the Bible have to say about such customs?

Jeremiah 10:1-10: This is what the LORD says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them. 3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. 4 They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.

In conjunction with Jeremiah:

The Prophet SAW said: "Whoever imitates a nation is but one of them." [Abu Daawood]

Moreover:
The Prophet SAW came to Madeenah while they had two days they celebrated. The Prophet asked, "What are these two days?" They said, 'These are two days we used to celebrate in our pre Islamic era. The Prophet said: "Allah has replaced them with two better days: 'Eed Al-Adh-haa and 'Eed Al- Fitr." [Ahmad and At-Tirmithi]

Imaam Ibn Al-Qayyim reported the consensus of all scholars that greeting non-Muslims on their religious occasions is forbidden. He said: “As for congratulating the disbelievers for their rituals, it is forbidden according to the agreement of all scholars- like: congratulating them for their feasts and fast by expressing good wishes: happy feast or enjoy your feast… etc. If the Muslim who says this does not become a disbeliever himself, he, at least, commits a sin as this is the same as congratulating him for his belief in the trinity, which is a greater sin and much more disliked by Almighty Allah than congratulating him for drinking alcohol or killing a soul or committing fornication or adultery…etc.”

Finally the Qur’an again sums this up succinctly:

{And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.} [Qur'an 2:85]