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Once the children were asleep, Sajjad headed out on an urgent shopping mission. “We are Muslims and we’d never had a Christmas tree in our home. But these children were Christian and we wanted them to feel connected to their culture.”
The couple worked until the early hours putting the tree up and wrapping presents. The first thing the children saw the next morning was the tree.
“I had never seen that kind of extra happiness and excitement on a child’s face.“ The children were meant to stay for two weeks – seven years later two of the three siblings are still living with them.
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/dec/03/muslim-foster-parents-it-has-been-such-a-blessing?CMP=fb_gu
wjfloater3000
Bless you in your religion
MonochromeReflections
Oh look a story about genuinely good people and assholes on here still need to make Islamophobic comments because 'ebil moslems' or somethin
MadMupp
Pinopa
I grew up in a muslim household, and we celevrated christmas every year i can remember, not for the religioin but for the family
BojanglesTheFlyingCar
Howtoparent.jpg
JailtimeBillC16
we need more people like this on both sides, maybe someday we can all respect each other and adopt views of acceptance and actual peace
raidleadergutts
Islam needs a complete overhaul for there be even a chance of that happening.
ILikeGrapesAndPie
Wonderful memory to give the kids! Stories like this should get out there and be heard!
ultimategamer997
Comment on this post are cancer
collcoll
These people are good people
skgs
Secular
CaveHunter3000
burrelstrnf
hmm, who knew letting people celebrate their faith makes them happy?
somethingsomethingdarksidesomethingsomethingcompletely
Stories like this need to get out there much more to counter all the scaremongering
nuclearboner
I agree... There are two sides... But when I was in Banda Aceh Indonesia, the Muslins were complete shit... Just Saying...
ermahgerdawoman
Sadly people will just label it "Fake news created by the liberal media so Muslims can implement Sharia Law".
RoncoFoodDehydrator
Good people are good people, regardless of their imaginary friends.
hellnbackpeace
That's a beautiful story...
ItWasntSupposedToBeThisWay
Bill and Ted would be proud.
puffalufagus
There’s no way to upvote this post more, I wish there was!! This is the compassion that we all should have and in all directions!!
hotterdog
it is the heart that counts, not the religion
blackbenetavo
Xmas can be enjoyed 100% as a secular holiday.
RoxanneLaWin
The hateful side of British press likes to focus on bad fosterers but great foster parents can be life changing & we need to celebrate them
theleafssuck
Sounds like the Muslim thing to do.
raidleadergutts
Lol no it doesn't. A good muslim wouldn't celebrate Christmas. What it DOES sound like is the decent person thing to do.
[deleted]
[deleted]
Ginkawa
i mean, christmas does.... but....
hamberglar
You know what I call those kind of people? Fucking good people.
Samshumanmaid
Oh my the whole article had me crying. God bless those people.
Cobra10106
Always happy to see good people in the system. This should be a standard.
StopstalkingmePawan
I'm a white girl working under my entire Muslim staff and 90% of our patient base is Arab, and I love them. All good people!
StopstalkingmePawan
I was given a few days off for Christmas, too. I told them I wasn't a religious person, but they wanted me to enjoy family time.
PostalHeathen
These sound like good people.
Revnis
Let's not forget parents too.
Buskid1
Loving. These sound like loving people.
cuddlesdotgif
It’s people like these who SHOULD be fosters. You hear so many horror stories about the system. I’m glad there’s still hope.
GrayWhiteWolf
What if I told you most people are good people, regardless of religion or background.
Zipp4Real
The sceptic in me would disagree, but the good person in me doesnt want to downvote... have an...upvote? This is all very confusing.
CyborgScribe
No no. r/thedonald assured me all Muslims are terrorists, unlike their perfectly Christian peers.
CyborgScribe
I would like to point out that while I was told this in all serious I relay it to you in a bitter and sarcastic tone.
FreddyBenelli
It says right there that they're Muslim, though.
raidleadergutts
Yep, but not really good muslims. They aren't supposed to encourage different beliefs.
LezgoNecro
Salaam I-like-'em.
StrangePoster
underrated pun +1
Tynford
gestermods
Wa a like’em us salaam
SpacemanSpread
XD +1
SpacemanSpread
+1
37bushelsofpotatoesx2
Hello Potato friend.
SpacemanSpread
Greetings
Zedd990
every culture or religion have them, but they are not selling newspapers these days
HuntMason
iforgotwhatiwasdoinghere
Not much is selling newspapers these days.
Jvenanzi
More often than not, the ones who do are more content with keeping them from doing this. Sign of Our Times....
pdiddy31415
Exactly. We have regressed so far with this horse shit that an example of people behaving normally is news worthy
HalloIamherenow
I would argue that these folks have gone above and beyond as decent human beings to make the holidays special for their foster kids, but...
HalloIamherenow
... I see your point.
OverpricedCrayon
This article goes directly against that. Its on a major news site and its more than just a blurb.
newsguycraigevans
My red state neighbors would say "They sound like good people, but...."
dawood7
Muslim guy here from India. I am married to a lovely Hindu girl. She follows her religion and I follow mine. She fasts during Ramadan and >>
dawood7
And I visit temple with her. And nothing of this is forced by anyone of us. There are lots of good Muslims out there. >>
dawood7
It’s just sad that people do like stereotype based on religion/race. World is still a better place.
LazyPea
I don't really see the poinience of this.. all of my Muslim friends celebrate Christmas, it's more of a cultural tradition than religious.
theyar
It's nice what the parents did, but yeah, people act like it's such a big deal when someone tries a different tradition.
humptysorthopedic
I believe that. That's why most Muslims are nice. It's some who are devout, try to please Allah by obey commands .. to punish kill infidels.
bekind2joeblake
A lot of people don’t know any Muslims and only hear the scary propaganda that all Muslims are evil.Hence the importance of this story
Ginkawa
honestly thats kinda sad. on one hand hilarious. on the other hand, tragic. what a strange thing.
ForrestIndustries
True, the Christ part is merely one aspect of the celebration.
Ginkawa
as someone who doesn't do christmas whatsoever, it is bizzare to me that people are ok with that.
AaronGodgers
Maybe for you and other, but it’s obvious Christmas is a religious holiday for many many Christians.
fucktruck
They specifically said they don't celebrate in a traditional sense but wanted to do so for the kids. How is that not poignant?
GoAheadAndDownvoteYouFlippingFascist
My family is atheist, and we celebrate Christmas. There is definitely a popular tradition of a secular version of Christmas.
KeeleonOhms
Next youll tell me Santa Claus isnt in the christian bible?
LazyPea
Let the downvoting commence lol.
beardedbeerdeer
The irony "lol"
LoHeiny
Did you delete a comment? Why are you bring downvoted?
skelekittycat
Had a muslim customer tell me the other day he couldn't wait for christmas. Views it as a reason to spend time with family.
StrudelStrands
I like to think of it as the foster parents went out of their way to celebrate a holiday that the kids are familiar with, 1/?
StrudelStrands
instead of just not celebrating it because it’s not something the parents normally do. 2/3
StrudelStrands
It is a very thoughtful gesture on their part, especially considering they didn’t know how long they’d have the kids initially.3/3
FrozenMonkey
Jew here. My family celebrates both Chanukah and Christmas. Hell, we do Easter as well. more candy and presents as far as I'm concerned.
Ginkawa
yeah thats not really how it works. thats disrespectful and destructive in all directions.
matthiasfactor
Except that whole birth of Jesus thing.
lexx416
I mean, Christmas has roots in Pagan celebrations. The Jesus thing was tacked on as a means to appropriate the holiday to convert heathens
matthiasfactor
Well you’re not wrong. But when you call it “Christmas” you’re being rather specific.
lexx416
Right. But the point I'm trying to make, is that maybe the general mishmash of practices lends itself to people adopting it easily.
lexx416
Side note: Christians even adopted the use of the word Yule, which was Germanic pagan stuff. So the specific religious name used seems (1/2)
lexx416
to mean very little, in regards to the adoption of a holiday. IE: Christmas is just "Happy Winter celebration regardless of religion" 2/2
CountVorkosigan
Just look at Japan. 2.3% Christian, but a Christmas is a HUGE thing.
ThatWillBuffOut
You may be missing a bit of context, it comes off the back of a Times of London story about Muslim adopters that was almost entirely false
NotJosephJoffre
So this story in the OP is false?
zenpizzapie
No. This is a counter story about a false story.
howcansomeonepossiblyhavethesameweirdusernamealready
If only other people were even half as open-minded as these people are, the world would be a better place.
iownanamericanshorthair
Plot twist those trees were explosives.
MoyerTheDestroyer47
So basically if people were nice and open and accepting the world would be a better place? Yeah, no shit.
Isthe4thtimethecharm
The problem is there is more out there that are like this. But humans tend to share more stories about the negative than the good.
Isthe4thtimethecharm
Plus usually the assholes have the loudest voice.
kauljp
The world is a better place, the media just narrows out the worse characters in the society. Plenty of people doing good things and (1/2)
kauljp
Remember to not get discouraged by the bad acts of a few and go ahead and do good for those who you can. Its all you really can do (2/2)
Typohime
My very Hindu neighbors do the whole tree, Santa, presents deal. The kids went to Disney as their big Christmas gift this year. :)
raidleadergutts
It's not like Hindus are so violently opposed to other religions like muslims are.
iwillonlybeaminute
My Muslim neighbor wished me a merry Christmas from Medina. I would only tell you because you are a stranger and it’s not a big deal.
iwillonlybeaminute
That is confusing. They are on vacation in Saudi Arabia.
hotterdog
indeed
MyOtherUsernameWasOffensive
Upvoted until I saw the profoundly negative implication that more than half the world are bad people. You missed the point bro...
howcansomeonepossiblyhavethesameweirdusernamealready
No, you missed the point. Didn't imply half the people are bad, just not as open- minded as they could/should be.
MyOtherUsernameWasOffensive
Haha now we both missed the point.
utur
We had a Muslim couple who came in to Wal-mart when I worked there. She wore a niqab and was visibly white beneath. Many people glared >>
utur
at them, especially when close enough to see she was white. He was over from the Middle East for school, but she was the one who handled >>
utur
the transactions and interaction with the cashiers. Absolutely lovely couple. Was so hurtful to see people judge them so angrily.
GuyPrice
It's equivalent of white guy walking black woman on a leash, no wonder people glare at signs of subjugation.
utur
By their general behaviour and her upbeat demeanor I work under the assumption that this was a choice she made to wear it. It is just as >>
chonkywayner
Ken M? Is that you?
Scaramucci
"If a lot of people love each other, the world would be a better place" ~ Tommy Wiseau
Kushita
https://media.giphy.com/media/6oyHViE7fvjYk/200w.gif I wish I can upvote this comment a million times
LimeMime565
My absolute favorite line in any movie ever
s0cietya5under
I'm just surprised anything good was said by him.
Krosmina
"Oh hi doggy." ~ Tommy Wiseau
AgentSuperball
What are you talking about? Everything he says is pure gold
IMNOTYELLINGCAPSLOCKISSTUCK
YOU'RE TEARINH ME APART LISA
s0cietya5under
Funny? Yes. Wise and sage like words coming from him, is like a guy with no arms clapping.
Teaflings
Resource parent here. Youre supposed to go with whatever culture/religion the kids observe. Glad they did their job and didnt force anything
Solivoid
Start saying that when your kids go full-emo, and want you to "embrace their culture". I get what you're saying, but be careful with that.
Alicecold
Full-emo as the style or as in self-harm? Why would you stop someone from having a style, and why would self-harm be considered a culture?
Solivoid
Whatever it is you're thinking it is, I am talking about "fully embracing it". I was sardonically saying not everything is a celebration.
Jaboticaba
There's no such thing as religious children, only children of religious parents (caregivers in this case of foster children).
Knightendae
I think it should be accepted in their own time if at all, with all resources available to them. ALL resources.
Knightendae
But I do have to say it does sound strange to hear religious things from kids, like how much of that is them or someone elses ideas.
dreadmad
I mean, isn't all religious belief just other people ideas? Not saying that negatively, but religion is kinda old.
Knightendae
It is, kind of. I've seen and been through things that have given me no choice other than there is SOMETHING. Just personally. It has to be
Knightendae
Your own faith or it is empty, I guess is what I meant.