Brunei bans Christmas under shari’a law

Daily Mail (UK): The super-rich ruler who stones gays, now bans Christmas: Sultan of Brunei threatens Muslims who celebrate it with up to five years in prison while Christians must keep theirs secret

(h/t: Jawa)

• Christmas trees, carols and even Santa hats are off in the Borneo nation
• Muslims caught celebrating are threatened with up to five years in prison
• The nation’s non-Muslims are allowed to celebrate in their communities
• But revealing their celebrations to Muslims would also lead to jail time
• In 2014 the country introduced an anti-gay Sharia Penal Code, which includes the execution of any Muslim for sodomy
• The sultan owns the hotel chain with the Beverly Hills Hotel and Dorchester among others – and those properties are decked out Christmas

The super-rich ruler of Brunei has told residents of his country that if they plan on celebrating Christmas, they could face up to five years in jail.

In fear the the religious holiday will affect the faith of its country, the tiny oil-rich nation’s Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, has banned the public celebration of Christmas.

Any Muslims caught celebrating Christmas, and non-Muslims who are discovered organising celebrations, could face the lengthy prison sentence.

While non-Muslims are allowed to celebrate the holiday within their own communities, they must not disclose their plans to the nation’s Muslims – which make up 65 per cent of the 420,000-strong population.

Around 20 per cent of Brunei’s residents are non-Muslim, including substantial Buddhist and Christian communities.
‘These enforcement measures are…intended to control the act of celebrating Christmas excessively and openly, which could damage the aqidah (beliefs) of the Muslim community,’ said the Ministry of Religious Affairs in a statement.

The small Borneo nation prohibits propagating religion other than Islam to a Muslim, and breaking this is a violation of the penal code.

Other banned activities include putting up Christmas trees, singing religious songs and sending Christmas greetings, reported the Borneo Bulletin.

‘Some may think that it is a frivolous matter and should not be brought up as an issue,’ the imams are quoted as saying in the Bulletin.

‘But as Muslims…we must keep it [following other religions’ celebrations] away as it could affect our Islamic faith.’

Some Burnei residents, however, are risking jail time by still celebrating Christmas and uploading pictures to social media as part of a #MyTreedom campaign that celebrates religious freedom.

Imams have told followers to abide by a government edict banning celebrations that could lead Muslims astray and damage their faith.

The tiny state on the island of Borneo is ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and relies on oil and gas exports for its prosperity.

The nation embraced a harsh new penal code in April 2014, led by 68-year-old Bolkiah.

At the time, he said: ‘Today I place my faith in and am grateful to Allah the almighty to announce that tomorrow,Thursday, May 1 2014, will see the enforcement of Sharia law phase one, to be followed by the other phases.’

The change means people can face conviction by Islamic courts and fines or jail terms for a range of offences such as pregnancy outside marriage, failure to perform Friday prayers and propagating other religions.

A second phase of the law comes into effect in May this year covering theft and alcohol consumption by Muslims, which would be punishable by whipping and amputation.

The death penalty, including death by stoning, will be introduced in the final phase a year later for offences such as adultery, sodomy and insulting the Koran or the Prophet Muhammad.

Most of the laws will also apply to non-Muslims.

The Sharia Penal Code calls for the stoning of people who commit a variety of sexual ‘crimes’ including sodomy, adultery and rape.

The strict Islamic law code also includes flogging, stoning and amputation.

‘By the grace of Allah, with the coming into effect of this legislation, our duty to Allah is therefore being fulfilled,’ the sultan said at a legal conference in Brunei’s capital last year.

Even before that law was passed, there was a ten year prison sentence for gays.

The land of gold-plated mosques and wooden water villages is so rich from its oil and gas resources that no one pays tax.

Alcohol is also banned in the nation.

Under the Sharia code theft and alcohol consumption are punishable by whippings and amputation.
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More here.

The back story…

Wikipedia lists the costly five-star hotels that make up the Dorchester Collection, which is owned and controlled by the State of Brunei. Back in 2014, some of Hollywood’s A-list celebrities made a show of boycotting the hotels in solidarity with the homosexual activists of the Hollywood Left. While the celebrity boycott contingent was unconcerned about persecution of Christians in Brunei, it is our concern at 1389 Blog.

The jihad never sleeps.

Neither does the counterjihad.