A Muslim religious scholar in Sierra Leone has sparked widespread public debate after warning members of the Muslim Jama’at against celebrating Christmas, saying any Muslim who takes part in the occasion will “go to hell.”

The warning was delivered during a sermon to a Muslim gathering and later circulated on social media, where it quickly drew mixed reactions from the public.

In the sermon, the scholar spoke strongly against any form of participation in Christmas activities by Muslims. “This is totally wrong,” the scholar said. “Anybody that celebrates Christmas Day, cook, wear shoe, pleat hair, or make some movements because of Christmas, you will go to hell,” he stated.

The comments triggered intense discussion online, with some social media users expressing concern about religious tolerance in Sierra Leone, a country known for peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians.

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Critics described the statement as inciting and disrespectful to the Christian community, while others defended the scholar’s position as a matter of Islamic belief and doctrine.

One commentator who publicly supported the scholar said Muslims are not permitted to celebrate holidays of other religions. “The Sheik is right. Muslims are not supposed to celebrate other religions’ holidays,” the commentator said, adding that he personally stopped celebrating Christmas after learning it was not allowed in Islam.

The supporter explained that while Muslims believe in Jesus as a prophet, they do not share Christian beliefs about his birth. “As a Muslim myself, I believe in Jesus because Allah mentioned him in the Quran as a prophet. I don’t believe he was born in December,” he said.

He further claimed that December 25 has pagan origins, arguing that the date was used in ancient Rome to celebrate a fertility goddess before being adopted by early Christians.

According to the commentator, when Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity, the date was transformed into a celebration of the birth of Jesus, even though historical evidence suggests Jesus was not born on that day.

The commentator also addressed the issue of religious tolerance, saying it does not require people to take part in practices outside their faith. “Tolerance means to respect other people’s religion and to allow them to freely exercise their religious rights. Tolerance doesn’t mean you have to do what they do or celebrate what they celebrate,” he said.

He added that even among Christians there is disagreement about the date of Jesus’ birth, noting that some believe he was born in August and that many Christians in Western countries do not celebrate Christmas.

The scholar’s statement and the reactions it generated have reopened public conversations about the boundaries between religious belief, freedom of expression and interfaith harmony in Sierra Leone, particularly during the Christmas season, which is widely observed across the country.