The Holy Month of December

December is not simply the closing of a calendar year. For many, it becomes a month of distraction and consumption with a dash of “Holiday Spirit.” For others, it exposes something deeper — unfinished questions, unresolved faith, and a quiet awareness that something is being asked of them.

In our faith, December is not just another month. It is active with actions that put our faith to the test. It is loaded with meaning, responsibility, and consequence.

December in the Eyes of the World

Across the globe, December has always been treated as a sacred period. Most notably, Christians commemorate the birth of Jesus on December 25th — a date confirmed by Aba Al-Sadiq. For them, this month represents divine mercy, sacrifice, and the arrival of light into a world overwhelmed by darkness.

Even outside of religion, December carries a universal seriousness. People reflect, reconnect, give more than usual, and sense that this time of year is different. Even secular societies instinctively slow down. There is an unspoken recognition that December is heavier than the other months reflecting something deeply embedded within humanity — an ancient understanding that this period carries spiritual weight, whether people consciously acknowledge it or not.

Historically, December has always marked transition. Ancient civilizations viewed it as the threshold between endings and beginnings. The winter solstice — the longest night of the year — occurs in December, followed by the gradual return of light. This moment shaped humanity’s understanding of rebirth, decree, and divine order.

Long before modern religion or calendars, December was understood as a time when destinies shift, cycles close, and preparation begins. It was not a month of excess, but of awareness and restraint. That understanding aligns directly with how December functions in our faith.

December According to Our Faith

In the Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light, December holds unparalleled significance.

It is the month in which Jesus was born on December 25th. It is the month in which Ali Reza, the Eighth Mahdi, was born on December 16th. It is the month in which The Goal of the Wise was released and published. It is the true month of Ramadan. It is the month in which Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) occurs on the 23rd night.

The First Mahdi, Imam Ahmed Al-Hassan said about the importance of the Night of Power:

"Whoever repents to Allah truly tonight, Allah will accept his/her repentance and will forgive all of their sins by His permission. Tonight the door of the heavens is open and prayers are accepted. Tonight is better than a thousand months. Laylatul Qadr (the Night of Power) is the night when the good souls come down to find a home to dwell in and purify. This is a part of Laylatul Qadr which has from the secrets and the hidden matters what no one knows, except Allah and His close Messengers."

December as Ramadan: The Call of Aba Al-Sadiq

This year, Aba Al-Sadiq made a clear declaration on the first day of Ramadan stating the duties and responsibilities of believers around the world:

"And so, this December is Ramadan, but the obligation to fast and the commandment from God has not yet come. And instead, you all have the obligation to work your hardest, to educate the people that they must fast from electing other than the Caliph of God—to abstain and fast from elections. You have an obligation to be messengers to mankind, like the disciples of Christ were to him. You are expected to invite people to this call and awaken mankind during this month of Ramadan."

This December is not about feasts, waiting to receive gifts, and attending family gatherings. It’s a month of hard work, movement, speech, and responsibility - to wake up the world to the true spirit of Ramadan that allegiance is to nobody but God and His chosen vicegerent.

He added:

"I want you to abstain from excessive spending, and instead of that, help give to this dawa and cause, or help feed the orphans and clothe them, and the poor. And fight and fight and fight—this jihad of ours, this ideological jihad, to spread the concept of the supremacy of God. This is much better for you at this time."

For the world, December became something commercialized, to the point that its meaning is barely recognizable. The true spirit of December, in contrast, demands restraint. Instead of self-enjoyment, it calls for giving. Instead of indulgence, service and embodying faith through action. And the call for jihad is not one that calls for physical violence. It is the jihad/struggle to spread the call of the supremacy of God with peace and dignity.

Elections and the Rejection of Jesus

According to the Biblical narratives, Jesus was rejected by the people, and when given the choice between the Messiah or a criminal by the name of Barabbas, the people chose Barabbas.

"Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified." (Bible, Book of Matthew, Chapter 27, Verses 15-26)

This moment represents the danger of elections — when people choose other than whom God appoints, truth is silenced and led to slaughter. Fasting from elections is a refusal to repeat that crime.

December 16: The Birth of Ali Reza

December 16 is not a side note. It is one of the heaviest dates of the month.

Ali Reza is the Eighth Mahdi. He is Noah in his return. He is the reincarnation of Horus, Pythagoras, Isaac, and Job. His kunya is Aba Al-Baqir. He was once the bearer of the Second Covenant and is one of the twelve planets that surround the Qaim, 

Aba Al-Sadiq said:

"December is a holy month for many reasons. It is the true month of Ramadan, and it is the month of the Night of Power. It is the month in which the Qur’an, the Spirit, and every destined matter descend. It is the month in which the Messiah of the Israelites, Jesus son of Mary, was born. It is also the month in which Ali Reza was born."

He described Ali Reza as a rare diamond, a close angel, and said:

“Ali Reza is a man who is a rare diamond, a gem that few can recognize. He is a close angel, a planet among the twelve planets who are to the Qaim as the disciples of Jesus were to him. He is a beautiful, wise, intelligent, forgiving, patient, and a pure human being. He poured out his life for the sake of this cause, the cause of the supremacy of Allah and the cause of upholding the will of the Prophet Mohammed. He is to me what Al-Abbas was to Al-Hussein.”

Conclusion

December is not just another month on our calendar.

Imam Al-Baqir said about the month of Ramadan: "Do not say ‘this is Ramadan,’ nor ‘Ramadan has gone,’ nor ‘Ramadan has come,’ for Ramadan is one of the Names of God, Mighty and Majestic. It does not come and it does not go. Rather, what comes and goes is that which is transient. Instead, say: ‘the month of Ramadan,’ for the month is annexed (attached) to the Name, and the Name is the Name of God, Mighty and Exalted. It is the month in which the Qur’an was sent down. God, Mighty and Majestic, made it an example and a festival.”

This is the month of God; it strips away distractions and exposes allegiance. It asks whether faith stays theoretical or becomes manifested through our actions. Whether people repeat the mistake of the crowd, or stand with the divinely appointed Caliph and respond to him, even at the cost of our comfort.

And whatever response is chosen here does not stay in December — it carries forward.