Celebration of the New Year

Imitating non-Muslims and the celebration of the New Year

 

This hadeeth indicates that it is haraam to imitate the Jews and the Christians, and that those who follow them and tread the same path as them are criticized. Islam has reinforced this prohibition, by describing those who imitate the kuffaar as being of them

 

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

 

“Whoever imitates a people is one of them”.....Narrated by Abu Dawood

 

Every year, a large number of Muslims get into the festive spirit and celebrate New Year's day. Whether it's Facebook status updates, Twitter messages or even holding New Years eve parties

 

As Muslims, we have our own calendar that has been in constant use for 1400 years. Even though we may end up using the Gregorian calendar due to circumstances beyond our control, we know for a fact that Allāh has ordained the use of the lunar calendar for us in our worship – and therefore, by extension, our daily lives. According to our Hijri calendar the new year actually begins on the first of Muharram.

Anas ibn Maalik said: "The Prophet arrived in Madeenah while people were celebrating two particular festivals, so he asked: “What is (the significance of) these two days?” Some people replied: ‘They are days which we used to celebrate during the pre-Islamic era.’ So the Messenger replied: “Allaah has replaced them for you with two days which are better, the day of ‘Eed Al-Fitr and ‘Eed Al-Adh-haa”" [Abu Daawood]. Therefore, it is not permissible for a Muslim to celebrate New Year, because is it not one of the celebrations of the Muslims.

 The Gregorian calendar (so called because it was developed by Pope Gregory) decided on the 1st of January as the New Year to celebrate the circumcision of Jesus. Its origin – like so many Western holidays –

So what exactly is there to celebrate ?

 -Any celebration by Muslims needs to be put into context of the local and global situation of the Ummah. The two Eids amply do so by encouraging prayers, duaa for those suffering and alms to the needy. However, celebrating New Years does no such thing. It is a celebration that is completely cut off from the reality of the rest of the Ummah. The starvation in Somalia, the murder in Syria, the imprisonment of Gaza, the ethnic cleansing of Burma –

-It usually involves un-Islamic practices

 *Let's be honest. When you picture New Year's Eve celebration, you don't picture people sitting in a segregated environment reading from the Qurʾān & Hadiths and reminding each other towards good as the clock strikes midnight. Instead, they are (and I know this is a generalisation) mixed gender events where people wear fashionable clothes, dance and sing songs, etc. It is necessarily an Islam free zone, not least because it has no basis or relationship to Islam

 

Be proud of your religion, because it is the only one that is based on sound creed, just legislation and honourable manners. Do not be deceived by what many people do for they are unaware of the reality of Islam; resist these evil innovations which have conquered our communities by boycotting these celebrations and be as Allaah Says (what means): “Follow [O Mankind] what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other than Him any allies…” [Quran 7: 3]and do not be as Allaah Says (what means): “And be not like those who forgot Allaah, so He made them forget themselves. Those are the defiantly disobedient.” [Quran 59: 19]but do everything that will make you prosper in this life and the Hereafter.

 

So this year – as the clock strikes midnight on the 18th of Safar – thank Allāh for the blessings of having our own calendar and the two Eids. May Allāh give us all many, many more in happiness, health and unity for the whole of the Ummah. AMEEN.

Quran