Even the Archangel Gabriel would not have been able to do that, I exclaimed at some potty suggestion which had been put to me.

A Muslim friend was observing this. Anxious that he should not feel excluded from the conversation I innocently asked "have you heard of Gabriel? You know who he was?"

I might have well asked a priest whether he knew that the Pope was Catholic.

"Yes" he said, letting me down gently, "he's one of us too".

I felt very small. If anything Gabriel plays an even more important role in the Islamic narrative, bringing the revelations of the Holy Koran, taking the Prophet on the Night Journey.

Gabriel is by no means the only prophet in common. In Islam, Moses is a Divine Messenger, bringing new revelations of Judaism, and the Mosaic Law.

Moses is linked to Abraham, seen as the founder of the three great religions of the Middle East.

Then there is Jesus. He holds a singularly exalted place in Islam.

His titles include "Messiah", "Prophet", and "Messenger of God".

Jesus is seen as a prophet of the highest degree who brings a restatement of God's religion.

Of course, those of the Islamic faith do not regard the "Jewish" or "Christian" prophets in exactly the same way as those of us who are Jewish or Christian.

It would be odd if they did. In turn, Muslims (and Jews) do not recognise Jesus as the Son of God.

But the fact is these three religions are intertwined, in their origins, in history and geography (the Middle East) and in much of their beliefs - especially that there is one God only.

Islam, which is the "youngest" of the three religions (7th Century AD) is one of the few major religions which recognises that other faiths may also result from divine revelation, that is - Christians and Jews.

All major religions have Holy days of celebrations each year.

I've never met a Christian who isn't delighted to recognise Yom Kippur (the Jewish New Year), nor Eid, nor Diwali (the Hindu festival).

Nor have I met a Muslim who denies my right to celebrate the birth of Christ.

It would be doubly bizarre if that were so, since Christ is one of "their" prophets as well of one of "ours".

Indeed, I don't think I've ever met an atheist, agnostic or anyone who says that people should not be allowed to celebrate mainstream religions.

Which leads me to a big question. Who has deemed that Christmas tinsel should not be put in work places because it might "offend"?

I would like a big conversation with this person, if they exist.

But they may not. My suspicion is "this person" who is the origin of this politically correct nonsense that believes we live in a society of many faiths but that we shouldn't celebrate any of them, only exists in the imagination of those who are ignorant of the nature of our religions, and how they link together.

So what they do is to second-guess how they think others will or may react, without even asking them.

If I may speak on Gabriel's behalf, I'm very clear on his view for 2006. Put the tinsel in the office.

Celebrate Christmas publicly and Muslim and Jewish festivals too, and those of other faiths as well.

He was a prophet for all of us.