Following are excerpts from a statement in English by Lebanese-born cleric Abu Musaab Wajdi Akkari, which was posted on the Internet on November 6, 2011.

Abu Musaab Wajdi Akkari: You cannot say: "Merry Christmas." Not even if an alien came and said it to you – you cannot even say it to him, and say: "He's just an alien. I'm never going to see him again. He's not going to tell anyone."

No "Merry Christmas" – not from a Muslim and not from a non-Muslim. It's not part of our religion – period! It is the concept that God was born on the 25th of December. That's as polytheistic and heretic as you can get.

When you say: "Merry Christmas," you are saying: "Congratulations on your false religion," "Congratulations on your false understanding of life." You are congratulating them on the most evil of polytheism and heresy.

As Ibn Qayyim said, this is worse than fornication, drinking alcohol, and killing someone, because you are approving of the biggest crime every committed by the children of Adam – polytheism.

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