Australian Salafi scholar Wissam “Abu Ousayd” Haddad said in a December 16, 2022 lecture that saying “merry Christmas” is “more severe and hated by Allah” than congratulating someone for drinking alcohol, committing murder, committing adultery, or gambling. He added that this is an act of disbelief that sparks Allah’s anger. The lecture was posted to the YouTube account of the Al Madina Dawah Centre, which is located in Sydney, Australia.

Wissam Abu Ousayd Haddad: “Congratulating them [on non-Muslim festivals] is more severe and hated by Allah than congratulating someone for drinking alcohol, for committing murder, or committing adultery, and so on. Many of those who have no respect for this religion fall into this error. They do not realize the ugliness of their actions. A person who congratulates for sin is [committing] a bid’a [forbidden innovation] or an act of kufr [disbelief], and would be liable to the anger of Allah.