The Ulama Council of Indonesia (MUI) allows Muslims to wish Christians ‘Merry Christmas ’ to, in contrast with a call made by NGO Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma).

MUI head Din Syamsuddin said MUI has never stopped Muslims from extending the festive greeting.

However, he said MUI does ban Muslims from celebrating Christmas alongside Christians, after Muslims were found to be attending Christmas prayers at churches.

“The MUI fatwa on 1981 is about joint Christmas celebrations.

“This was banned because Muslims joined the Christians in Christmas celebrations,” he was reported saying by Indonesian newspaper Tempo .

Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council meeting in 2007 ruled that it is encouraged for Muslims to extend good wishes to followers of other religions.

However, the fatwa said the “greetings should not recognise, praise or revere non-Islamic religions”.

The council in April 2015 issued a guideline for Muslims on festive celebrations of other religions.

“Muslims are allowed to attend festivals of other religions as long as it does not oppose Islamic faith, violate syariah law and Islamic culture,” the guideline says.

Among practices banned by the council include putting up Christmas trees and wearing clothes that resemble Santa Claus.

Christmas decorations a no-no in Brunei

In Malaysia and Indonesian's common neighbour Brunei meanwhile, eateries landed in hot water over Christmas decoarations.

Brunei news portal Brudirect said the oil-rich nation's syariah enforcement officials gave verbal warnings to eateries and instructed them to remove the decorations.

The management of the restaurants were told the decorations went against Islamic beliefs, the portal reported.

The 'Merry Christmas' debate in Malaysia was rekindled when an Isma activist in a posting on the NGO’s website said uttering such greeting is admitting that God had a son.

Instead, the activist urged Muslims to preach Islam to non-Muslims during the festive season.

Isma president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman, however, told The Malay Mail Online that this is not Isma’s official stand.