Amir Khan has hit back at trolls who criticised him after he shared a photo of him and his family enjoying the festive period in front of a Christmas tree.

The former boxing world champion was flooded with vile abuse from trolls who claimed that as a Muslim, shouldn't be acknowledging Christmas.

Amir, 33, had shared an Instagram snap of him, his wife Faryal Makhdoom, 28, and two children, Lamaisah, five, and Alayna, 20 months, wearing matching pyjamas in front of a beautifully decorated tree.

Defending himself: Muslim Amir Khan, 33, hit back at trolls who criticised him after he shared a photo of him and his family celebrating Christmas

Something to say: Amir went on the attack when trolls criticised him for celebrating Christmas even though he is Muslim, saying he didn't 'give a f**k'

He wrote in a caption on the image: 'Happy holidays from mine to yours. Enjoy the festive season'.

But when trolls criticised him for getting into the festive spirit, Amir wrote on Twitter: 'So shocked by all the hate I’m getting on my Twitter & instagram for wishing everyone Merry Christmas and posting a picture with my family in Christmas outfits.

'Just want to tell those people "I don’t give a f**k"'.

Defiant: Amir had initially said in the caption on the loving family snap: 'Happy holidays from mine to yours enjoys the festive season'

The boxer was then immediately flooded with messages of support from well-wishers

One wrote: 'Ignore all these ignorants, u're a much better man and they're the jealous ones.'

Another said: 'Haters just want to be like you but aren't that's why they're sad.'

A third went on: 'Aww amir. Dont get stressed. Have a great time with your family and friends. You have a lot of well wishers as well. Take care x.'

Angry posts: After Amir posted the loving snap, critics said he shouldn't be acknowledging Christmas because he is a Muslim

After Amir had first posed the snap of him and his family, one troll said: 'Tf is wrong with this idiot he is a Muslim'.

Another wrote: 'Imagine having a Christmas Tree and being Muslim can never be me.'

A third added: 'I thought Muslims didn't celebrate Christmas'.

Amir is of Pakistani origin and has previously discussed his wish for greater acceptance of his faith in England.

Crying: Amir's wife is yet to say anything to the trolls but shared this Instagram snap of herself with filtered tears coming out of her eyes

Following the New Zealand terrorist attack, he said there should be further 'understanding' of his religion because 'there is a lot of hatred in a lot of people towards Muslims'.

49 people were brutally murdered while attending mosques in the city of Christchurch and the Bolton-born athlete told his 2.2 million followers on Twitter that 'Islamophobia kills'.

Khan, 32, tweeted: 'Heartbroken by the devastating news of deadly shootings at two mosques in New Zealand.

Words: Following the New Zealand terrorist attack, Amir said there should be further 'understanding' of his religion because 'there is a lot of hatred in a lot of people towards Muslims'

'My heart goes out to the families of the murdered and all those impacted by this act of terror. Islamophobia kills - and has no place anywhere in the world.'

Back in 2009, Amir told The Guardian he believes he is not fully accepted in this country because of his Asian Muslim background and insists he would be regarded as a 'superstar' if he were white.

He said: 'I try to fix things between the Asian community and the English community. There are always going to be racial things there, not getting on with each other and stuff.

'I have tried to break that barrier. I'm British, I went to the Olympic Games for Britain.

Shocking: In 2017, the boxer revealed his fears for Lamaisah, who was then two, after a terror attack outside Finsbury Park mosque in London (pictured: Amir and Faryal in 2018)

'I could have chosen to go for Pakistan if I was like that, if we were all like that – and also, me being Muslim as well. I respect other religions and other cultures.'

And in 2017, the boxer revealed his fears for Lamaisah, who was then two, after a terror attack outside Finsbury Park mosque in London.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain alongside Muhbeen Hussain, chairman of British Muslim Youth, he spoke about his concerns.

He told Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid: 'I did say a couple of weeks ago when we were speaking that it's going to come back.

'It's going to come back in a way where people want revenge and they are killing innocent people.

'That could be me one day walking my daughter down the street and someone comes with a car and runs me over because I'm a Muslim.

'So I think that we are going through a very tough time at the moment and we all just have to stick together as this is only going to get worse as people are thinking like that.'

Special day: Amir's defence of his Christmas celebrations come after he celebrated his 33rd birthday at the start of this month with his daughters, who he called his 'precious little girls'

Amir's defence of his Christmas celebrations come after he celebrated his 33rd birthday at the start of this month with his daughters, who he called his 'precious little girls.'

'Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. 33 today and feels great to be spending it with my precious little girls,' he wrote to his 1.3 million Instagram followers.

Faryal also took to Instagram to share a cute message about Amir, who she married in 2013.

'Happy birthday to my favourite boy, I love you' wrote the 28-year-old.

Amir also shared a picture of him posing with his two daughters and his luxury birthday cake with boxing gloves bearing his initials and golden balloons with 'happy birthday King Khan' written on them, a reference to his boxing nickname.

The fighter smiled broadly while holding his younger daughter and rocking an Armani tracksuit and his new lighter hairstyle.

Faryal then shared touching snaps of the whole family out for Amir's birthday, with the man himself blowing out his candles in a Boomerang clip.

Amir took to Instagram on Thursday to reveal his newly-dyed silver locks as he sat at a hairdressers.