Somalia has banned Christmas and New Year a year after Sultan of Brunei made similar move.
The oil rich Brunei introduced its ban on Christmas last year over fears that celebrating it “excessively and openly” could lead its Muslim population astray, and anyone found illegally celebrating Christmas could face up to five years in prison.
Director General of Somalia’s Ministry of Religious Affairs, Sheikh Mohamed Khayrow, warned that security forces would break-up any gatherings held in Mogadishu, the Somalia’s capital.
He said: ‘All events related to Christmas and New Year celebrations are contrary to Islamic culture, which could damage aqidah (faith) of the Muslim community.
‘There should be no activity at all.’
There are fears that Christian events might provoke further attacks by the Muslim terror group Al Shabaab.
In the latest attack, on Monday, passengers on board a bus bravely defied Al-Shabaab militants who ordered them to sacrifice the Christians on board during a deadly standoff in Kenya.
When the 10 Al-Shabaab militants stormed the bus in the country’s north, they demanded Muslim passengers separate themselves from the Christians on board.
But the passengers refused – even giving some of their fellow travellers Islamic articles of clothing to wear so they could not be distinguished.
