For a Chinese Muslim, the celebration of the Lunar New Year is an important occasion that expresses their ethnic identity. Furthermore, today, Chinese New Year is a cultural celebration and not essentially a religious ritual-based festival. Therefore, can Muslims celebrate Chinese New Year? The short answer is yes. Yes, Muslims can celebrate Chinese New Year and exchange wishes—but only the cultural parts. Enjoy the food, laughter, and time with others. Avoid rituals, superstitions, or anything implying belief in other faiths. Keep your intentions clear: celebrate unity, not religion. When unsure, consult a scholar. Every spring, on or around Chinese New Year, it comes out of hiding to attack people, especially children. The Nian is sensitive to loud noises and is afraid of the colour red. In the Chinese New Year customs such as decorating things in red, exploding firecrackers, and performing a lion dance were originally used to scare the beast away. The Chinese New Year is a cultural, rather than religious, event to usher in the lunar new year, with similar events also celebrated by the Koreans, Japanese and Vietnamese. A significant number of Muslims in Malaysia are also ethnically Chinese, either born into the religion or through conversion. Yes, celebrating New Year is allowed in Islam. A previous fatwa issued by Dar Al Iftaa clarified the permissibility of celebrating the New Year. According to Dar Al Iftaa, in a previous fatwa, greetings for the New Year and manifestations of celebration, such as hanging decorations, are permissible in Islam since they serve social, religious The New Year is one of the oldest festivals of the world, dating back to the pre historic era. The New Year History itself forms an extensive area of study. The history of New Year has undergone a series of changes over the ages to achieve its global form. The urge of celebrating New Year as a vibrant festivity emerged at the dawn of civilization. One of the major concerns about New Year celebrations is the likelihood of engaging in haram activities, such as alcohol consumption, illicit music, or mixed-gender gatherings. Most New Year’s Eve parties, particularly in Western countries, tend to involve these elements. It is difficult to categorize certain feasts like Thanksgiving and New Year as religious. Generally speaking, we can say that it is forbidden for the Muslim to participate in any religious aspect of a celebration, except the Islamic celebrations of the two `Eid s, and it is allowed to take part in the general, non-religious aspects of the It is difficult to categorize certain feasts like Thanksgiving and New Year as religious. Generally speaking, we can say that it is not permissible for the Muslim to participate in any religious aspect of the celebration, except Islamic celebrations of the two Eids. Not to mention, it’s vital to remember that New Year celebrations, as per the Gregorian calendar, are never free from superstition and sin, to begin with. Therefore, we, as Muslim Ummah, should never participate in those. Understandably, we shouldn’t imitate Non-Muslims in religious practices since that’s Shirk. Praise be to Allah. It is not permissible for the Muslims to exchange greetings on the occasion of the Gregorian New Year, and it is not permissible for them to celebrate it. Wishing someone a happy new year implies that a muslim accepts or approves the ritual of Kufr ; Final Thoughts. New year celebrations don’t have any roots in Islam. In fact, it is hard to find any examples of Muslims celebrating their own new year on the first of Muharram. Access course materials, Test your knowledge & Get certified for FREE at Pre-Chinese New Year Preparations and Activities (Jan. 7–Feb. 12, 2025) Jan. 7, 2025: Laba Festival. Some Chinese start to celebrate and prepare for Chinese New Year as early as day 8 of the 12 th month of the lunar calendar. Things that repeat every year or that come from the traditions of the nonmuslims (like New Year and Christmas, which is shirk and therefore much worse, are haram to celebrate). It is not part of Islamic tradition to celebrate the new year - none of the sahabah would celebrate the Hijri new year. Is It Haram to Celebrate the Gregorian New Year? The question of whether celebrating New Year is haram (forbidden) is subject to interpretation. Some scholars argue against it due to its lack of Islamic roots, while others see no harm in moderate participation as long as Islamic principles are upheld. Personal Choice and Interpretation In this text, let’s explore together whether it is Haram to celebrate the New Year. Is it permitted to celebrate the New Year? Regarding the New Year’s celebration, opinions differ between supporters and opponents. Some people mention a cultural dimension, far from the religious aspect. Whether it is Haram or Halal depends on how it is Christians celebrate to celebrate the birth of Jesus (son of god). Is it haram to celebrate Christmas? Celebrating Christmas is strictly Haram in Islam. Celebration of Christmas comes under the boundaries of shirk. And it is one of the most unforgivable sins in Islam. While saying “Happy New Year” is not inherently haram, participating in un-Islamic celebrations (e.g., drinking alcohol, engaging in inappropriate activities) is undoubtedly prohibited. Muslims must distinguish between harmless greetings and actions that violate Islamic principles. Furthermore, below are the reasons why it is haram to celebrate New Year’s. Why It Is Haram To Celebrate New Year? There are many reasons why it is haram to celebrate New Year. Some of the reasons are as follows: 1) Not Mentioned in Quran or Hadith. The most important reason is that there is no mention of New Year’s anywhere in the Quran or
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