O servants of Allah! Believers, Muslims, if they deviate from the true path, from the path of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), from the path of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), they become captives of their desires and passions, which begin to control them and drive them wherever they please. And so you see that this person is no longer on the straight path; this person is already on the path of misguidance. And who does this person blindly follow? Such a person blindly follows the one in whom they see strength and dominance—not the one (!) who has the truth, but the one in whom they perceive strength and dominance. Look at the condition of Muslims today. Is this not the reality today?
Some Muslims blindly imitate the so-called “powerful” West. They imitate them in all unworthy things, in words and actions. They do not imitate them in sciences, in inventions, in production, in industry, or in anything truly beneficial. No, they imitate their moral qualities, the way they eat, drink, speak, their customs, and their lifestyle.
One of the things some Muslims blindly imitate is this calamity, this disaster, called New Year’s celebration. This reprehensible, vile practice has spread among Muslims, and many have become infatuated with it, paying great attention to it and preparing for it. They turn New Year’s time into a time of vacations, rest, and celebrations.
Why does all this happen? Of course, it stems from weak faith (iman), primarily caused by a lack of knowledge about their Lord and their religion. Weak faith in the heart drives people to blindly follow the misguided, to walk their path, and to love worldly life (dunya). Thus, when they see this dazzling material civilization, based on materialism—a false civilization of the West—they admire it, become enchanted by it, and captivated by its brilliance. Another reason is the powerful propaganda and ideological pressure that encourages these errors.
As the New Year approaches, we see some Muslims preparing for it as if it were part of their religion or principles. Some even regard New Year’s celebrations as more important than their own Muslim holidays or historical Islamic events. Look, many have even based their calendar on this date, not on the Hijri calendar. They no longer use the Hijri calendar established by the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). If Muslims adhered to the Hijri calendar, it would, of course, connect them with their glorious past, with their history full of glory, heroism, and valor.
Why? The reason for all this, O servants of Allah, is that Muslims today suffer from a significant lack of knowledge about their religion, as their religious knowledge is very weak. As a result, people today cannot distinguish between what is permissible (halal) and what is forbidden (haram), between what is truly part of their religion and what has been introduced into it. O Muslims, reflect: Allah (Glorified and Exalted) has, by His mercy, guided us to the straight path (Sirat al-Mustaqim). What is this Sirat al-Mustaqim?
صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ
the Path of those You have blessed (The Qur’an, Surah “The Opening,” 1:7).
This is the path of the best, the chosen, the purest of His servants—the path of the prophets, the path of the truthful ones, the path of the martyrs (shuhada), and the righteous. This Islamic Shariah, this religion, came to guide us to this straight path and to lead us away from the path of misguidance, from the path of disbelief.
This Shariah, this religion—it must be followed. It is the one that is followed (matbu’), not the one that follows someone else (tabi’a). This Shariah is to be followed, not to follow. It abrogates and annuls (nasikha) all previous religions; nothing can abrogate or annul it (it is not mansukh).
And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) speaks about this:
ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْرِ فَاتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
Now We have set you ˹O Prophet˺ on the ˹clear˺ Way of faith. So follow it, and do not follow the desires of those who do not know ˹the truth˺.
(Qur’an, Surah “Kneeling” [45:18]):
It is astonishing: a Muslim who performs salah, prays to their Lord, recites Surah “Al-Fatihah” in every rak’ah… And Surah “Al-Fatihah” is a supplication (du’a), where you ask for something. And the very first supplication (du’a) in the Qur’an is:
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
Guide us along the Straight Path,
(Surah “The Opening,” 1:6):
And here the Muslim stands and says:
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
“Guide us to the straight path.”
…the path of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), the path of his companions. Strengthen me on this path! Yet suddenly, we see this same Muslim participating alongside the misguided in their celebrations, customs, and rituals, the origins of which are in polytheism and paganism.
These actions, first of all, contradict the verse from Surah “Al-Fatihah” that he recites. Secondly, this is a clear contradiction between his words and actions. What is this if not hypocrisy? What is this if not some kind of disorder in the reasoning and thinking of a person?! How can you pray, fast, and then, when this time—New Year’s—comes, you rejoice and celebrate with the misguided?!
What are you celebrating and rejoicing over? Polytheism (shirk)? Paganism? Something that has nothing to do with the religion of the prophets, nothing to do with the religion of Jesus (‘Isa) (peace be upon him), nothing to do with the religion of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)?!
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
إنَّ شَرَّ النَّاسِ ذُو الوَجْهَيْنِ، الذي يَأْتي هَؤُلَاءِ بوَجْهٍ، وهَؤُلَاءِ بوَجْهٍ
You will find the worst amongst persons one who has double face. He comes with one face to them and with the other face to the others.
The hadith was narrated by Al-Bukhari (7179) and Muslim (2526).
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) warns us in the Qur’an not to incline toward the misguided, those who have deviated from His straight path. Why? So that we are not afflicted with what will befall them.
Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) said:
وَلَا تَرْكَنُوا إِلَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا فَتَمَسَّكُمُ النَّارُ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَاءَ ثُمَّ لَا تُنصَرُونَ
And do not be inclined to the wrongdoers or you will be touched by the Fire. For then you would have no protectors other than Allah, nor would you be helped.
(Qur’an, Surah “Hud,” 11:113):
O Muslims, as New Year’s approaches, we see people beginning to prepare: buying gifts, food, and drinks. They often don’t consider whether something is halal or haram. They purchase clothes and toys for their children. We observe crowds of people gathering at store entrances. Everyone is waiting, everyone is preparing, caught up in this pre-New Year’s frenzy.
And when this night begins, some are out on the streets, while others are at home, celebrating, rejoicing, staying awake, forsaking sleep, drinking alcohol, dancing, singing, and engaging in various disgraceful acts. These things are haram at any time. But if they are done as imitation (taqlid) of the misguided, they become even more vile.
O servants of Allah, we see many people, unfortunately, who call themselves Muslims, spending this night feasting and exchanging congratulations. We see homes decorated with various electric lights and adorned with congratulatory images. Some watch television or engage in similar activities. And television, of course, facilitates these amusements throughout the night.
But reflect, Muslim: what kind of delusion must you be in not to understand that such things are unacceptable to a pure heart?! And how many calamities and tragedies occur on this night—how much harm is caused when drunken people fight, blood is shed, honor is violated, and property is damaged!
O Muslims, O believers! This pure Shariah, the Shariah of Tawheed (monotheism), has strictly forbidden such practices. Scholars of Islam from all madhabs unanimously issue a fatwa that celebrating New Year’s is haram! Why? Because it is an imitation of disbelievers and the misguided ((التشبه بالكفار)).
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ
He who copies any people is one of them.
The hadith was narrated by Abu Dawood (4031) and Ibn Abi Shaybah in “Al-Musannaf” (6/471), and Shaykh Al-Albani classified it as good and authentic.
Our Most Merciful Lord says to us:
وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا أَهْوَاءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّوا مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّوا كَثِيرًا وَضَلُّوا عَن سَوَاءِ السَّبِيلِ
Do not follow the vain desires of those who went astray before ˹you˺. They misled many and strayed from the Right Way.” (Qur’an, Surah “The Table Spread,” 5:77):
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
لَتَتَّبِعُنَّ سَنَنَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ شِبْرًا بِشِبْرٍ وَذِرَاعًا بِذِرَاعٍ حَتَّى لَوْ دَخَلُوا فِي جُحْرِ ضَبٍّ لاَتَّبَعْتُمُوهُمْ
You would tread the same path as was trodden by those before you inch by inch and step by step so much so that if they had entered into the hole of the lizard, you would follow them in this also.
The companions were astonished:
آلْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى؟
Allah’s Messenger, do you mean Jews and Christians (by your words)” those before you”?
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied:
فَمَنْ؟
Who else (than those two religious groups)?
The hadith was narrated by Al-Bukhari (3456) and Muslim (2669).
Therefore, Muslims are obligated to distance themselves from these reprehensible actions and should never celebrate New Year’s. They must consider this day, the New Year according to this calendar, as just a regular day—a day from the days of Allah. Not like some say: “On this day, we must gather in mosques, perform additional prayers together.” No, nothing of the sort. It is just an ordinary day from the days of Allah. Misguidance is not cured by more misguidance, O servants of Allah. Innovation is not corrected by another innovation.
And we must, O servants of Allah, encourage our children, our families, and our neighbors to distance themselves from this. We must show people how vile this is, explain to them that it is unacceptable, and how much harm it brings to morals, religion, and our lives.
Muslims, there is a good Arabic word, imma’ah (إِمَّعٌ). What does imma’ah mean? It refers to a person who is a follower, one who has no will of their own. Such a person, when others do wrong, does wrong too; when others do good, they follow suit. They have no inner resolve, they do not stick to the straight path, and they are constantly swayed by others—when people deviate, they follow them in deviation.
From the predecessors, this warning has been transmitted:
لَا تَكُونُوا إِمَّعَةً، تَقُولُونَ: إِنْ أَحْسَنَ النَّاسُ أَحْسَنَّا، وَإِنْ ظَلَمُوا ظَلَمْنَا، وَلَكِنْ وَطِّنُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ، إِنْ أَحْسَنَ النَّاسُ أَنْ تُحْسِنُوا، وَإِنْ أَسَاءُوا فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا
Do not be followers (imma’ah), saying, ‘If people do good, we will do good, and if they commit injustice, we will commit injustice.’ Rather, train yourselves: if people do good, you do good with them, but if they do wrong, do not commit injustice (do not sin).”
Yes, we Muslims must be a model for all society, including non-Muslims — a model of honesty, integrity, and reliability, so that no harm comes from our hands or tongues. We should cooperate with others, yes, but cooperate in what? In good deeds. We should help others, whether they are Muslim or non-Muslim, in matters that are pleasing to Almighty Allah. We must spread light, reliability, and goodness. But we must not, and we have no right to, follow people in their sins. We must not be followers (imma’ah).
O Muslims, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out an important principle of our religion. Many people are unaware of this principle. What is this principle? He strove diligently for his community to be distinct from others. That is why the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
“Do not resemble the Jews; they do not clean their courtyards. You should clean your courtyards.” (Transmitted by at-Tirmidhi (4057), Sheikh al-Albani in “Silsilat al-Sahihah”, 236)
“Do not resemble the Jews; they do not dye their beards. You should dye them, but do not use black.” ((Bukhari (3462), (5899), Muslim (2103))
The Jews even said in Medina: “This man (Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him) wants to oppose us in everything. There is nothing left in which he does not contradict us.”
O servants of Allah, to summarize, I will tell you that this holiday is forbidden; it is one of the holidays of the misguided. Therefore, Muslims should not attend or participate in these celebrations. Participation in these celebrations is prohibited (haram). Allah (Exalted and Glorified) says in the Qur’an about the believers:
وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَشْهَدُونَ الزُّورَ
[Believers], when they come across falsehood, they pass ˹it˺ by with dignity.
“The Qur’an, Surah ‘The Criterion’, 25:72
Ad-Dahhak, Mujahid, and other exegists (mufassirun) among the predecessors said that ‘not being present at falsehood’ refers to ‘not participating in the celebrations of the disbelievers and the misguided.’
You are aware of the concept of consensus (ijma’), meaning that all the scholars of this Ummah are unanimous that Muslims are not allowed to participate in these celebrations. Moreover, it is not permissible to even congratulate others on these holidays. This is the consensus (ijma’) of all the scholars of this Ummah, from all four madhhabs. The Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki, and Hanbali scholars all unanimously agree: “It is forbidden (haram)!” The Hanafi scholars are even stricter on this issue, stating that to congratulate someone on this holiday is, in essence, congratulating them on shirk (polytheism), congratulating them on disbelief. They say that this is actually disbelief — congratulating someone for their disbelief. We should not congratulate people on polytheism and sin; we should prevent them from this if we are sincere towards them.
Therefore, O brothers in faith, let us take pride in our religion. Allah (Exalted and Glorified) has bestowed upon us this religion, His religion, the religion of Islam. We should not participate in these celebrations, and we should warn people against this, as all scholars of Islam are unanimous in their position that celebrating it or congratulating on it is forbidden.”)
