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 Is it permissible to celebrate the new year?

Is it permissible for a Muslim to celebrate New Year? How should a Muslim spend the New Year's Eve?

Answer:

Islam ordains Muslims to treat kindly to non-Muslims, however warns against imitating them

One of the basic principles of Islam is “Islamic ethics” which is described and emphasized in many Quranic ayahs and sayings of the Blessed Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).  Islamic moral teaches Muslims to “treat kindly and justly” to people no matter where they are from or what they believe as long as they do not fight against them:

“Allah does not forbid you to deal justly and kindly with those who fought not against you on account of religion and did not drive you out of your homes. Verily, Allah loves those who deal with equity.

It is only as regards those who fought against you on account of religion, and have driven you out of your homes, and helped to drive you out, that Allah forbids you to befriend them. And whosoever will befriend them, then such are the Zalimoon (wrong-doers those who disobey Allah).” (Surah al Mumtahanah; 8-9)

However, Islam has principles to preserve the “Islamic belief, identity and Islamic consciousness of Muslims” as well.  In other words, while Islam ordains Muslims to “treat kindly, peacefully and friendly to all people without discrimination except those who are hostile to Islam”, it also tells Muslims to “take care in their relations with non-Muslims in order not to weaken in their Islamic belief, consciousness and identity ” and forbids Muslims to imitate them as well.

 

Christmas is a Christian religious holiday

Christmas is an annual Christian religious holiday celebrating the birth of Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him. Although Muslims believe in the prophethood of Jesus, as they have belief in all other prophets, Christianity has such a different Jesus concept from Islamic creed. In Muslim belief, prophets are the most superior of humans; however they are still “mankind” So is Jesus. Jesus is a messenger and servant of Allah (swt). Besides, there is not a celebration of his birth in Islam.

On the contrary, in Christianity belief, Jesus is the "Son of God" or "God in the flesh" which are totally against ” Tawheed” , oneness of Allah swt that is the basis of Islam.

Thus, celebrating “Christmas” is actually based on beliefs that are against the Islamic creeds. So a Muslim must be very careful about this issue and while he respects his Christian neighbours or friends, he must avoid imitating a belief that is regarded as “kufr” in Islam.

 

Physical imitation leads to imitation of creed

 A person only imitates what he loves admires and looks up to. Physical imitation leads to imitation of creed. Celebrating a Christmas Holiday can weaken the belief of a person who has accepted the basic of Islam. So it is not permissible for a Muslim to celebrate the New Year which is a Christian tradition.

In Islam Muslims celebrate the beginning of the Muslim calendar (Hijri New Year). (Modern Life through Fatwas)

“And incline not toward those who do wrong, lest the Fire should touch you, and you have no protectors other than Allah, nor you would then be helped.” (Hud, 113)

 

“And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (this Quran) that when you hear the Verses of Allah being denied and mocked at, then sit not with them, until they engage in a talk other than that; (but if you stayed with them) certainly in that case you would be like them. Surely, Allah will collect the hypocrites and disbelievers all together in Hell.” (An-nisa, 140)

 

Narrated Abdullah ibn Umar:

“The Prophet (pbuh) said: He who copies any people is one of them.” (Dawud, Book 32, Hadith, 4020 )

 

So, in Islam New Year’s Eve is the first night of Muharram.

There is no harm in celebrating the Muslim New Year.

A Muslim performing an action that is representation of another religion willingly is blasphemy

It is not permissible for a Muslim to join in the celebrations of holidays of other religions, to congratulate each other, buy and eat turkey for that occasion, to give presents and to have a feast. If a person insists on committing these actions and does not repent, his/her faith is in serious danger.

Moreover Hanafi Scholars’ opinion on this subject is as such:

Whoever joins in the celebrations of holidays of other religions and doesn’t repent becomes an unbeliever like followers of that other religions.

Therefore for a Muslim to sit with these people, help them cut and cook for the feast makes him/her a sinner. (Turkmani, Kitabu'l-uma fi'havadisi va'l-bida', 1/293-94.)

 

How should a Muslim spend New Year’s Eve?

A Muslim should behave in accordance to Islam on this night when other people fall into pleasure and entertainment. On New Year’s Eve, a lot of events happen that Allah would not consent. It would be preferable for a Muslim to worship in a way that Allah would be pleased on this night. Starting a new year a Muslim can evaluate his/her actions from the previous year that are acceptable or not acceptable by Allah.

As a conclusion, Muslims celebrating holidays of the other religions, joining in them and to accept them as holidays even though they are the outcome of ideas that are against Allah’s consent is nothing but supporting blasphemy. To join in the celebrations of the holidays of other religions would weaken a Muslim’s faith. (Fatawa-i Hindiyya) Kaynak: http://askaquestionto.us - Is it permissible to celebrate the new year?