New Year: A Time for Reflection or a Festival of Negligence?
✍🏻 By Muhammad Aadil Arriyavi
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Respected Readers, the end of the year and the arrival of the new year is an opportunity for self-reflection and improvement because time is rapidly decreasing and life is moving towards its end. If we look at the history of ancient times, it becomes clear that most nations had their own history and calendar by which they kept track of dates, months, and years. Similarly, the Hijri calendar was introduced in the history of Islam. We use two types of calendars: one is the lunar calendar, which is also called Hijri, and the other is the solar calendar, which is called Gregorian. The last month of the Hijri calendar is Dhul-Hijjah and the first month is Muharram, and it began with the migration of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from Mecca to Medina. Important Islamic acts of worship such as fasting, Hajj, and Zakat are related to this Hijri calendar, while the last month of the Gregorian year is December and the first month is January. The current year is rapidly moving towards its end, and soon the year 2026 according to the Gregorian calendar will begin. Time is passing very quickly, and human life is moving towards its end. In such a situation, the end of the year and the arrival of the new year should not be a time for happiness and celebration, but rather a time for self-reflection, contemplation, and learning a lesson, because the moments of life are not increasing but are constantly decreasing. The need of the hour is that man should resolve to move forward, refresh his spirits, and think about his own improvement. But it is an unfortunate reality that despite knowing all these things, the beginning of the new year is often celebrated with frivolity, revelry, and violation of moral boundaries. Illegitimate fulfillment of desires, recklessness, and rudeness are promoted, and the new year is welcomed by indulging in colors and intoxication. However, this celebration of the new year is actually associated with Christian culture, where events have been held on this occasion since ancient times. According to their belief, Hazrat Isa (Jesus Christ), peace be upon him, was born on December 25. Christmas is celebrated in this joy, and this celebration continues until the arrival of the new year.
Just as this year has ended and a new year is beginning, so too is life coming to an end. Therefore, the moments of life that remain should be made precious and preparation should be made for the afterlife. Successful people and successful institutions, when a new year begins, they make their planning that how are we going to spend this year? What tasks are left that we have to do? How can we further improve our business? How can we further develop in the future? And how can we improve the future? While the teaching of Islam is that Allah has given man this short life to make the future of the afterlife. Therefore, we should plan that last year I was not a worshiper, this year I will become a worshiper and I will not miss a single prayer. Last year I did not adhere to the recitation of the Holy Quran, this year I will adhere to it. Last year I lived a life of sins, this year I will live a life of virtue. Life is short, you don't even realize it, and its days turn into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years and end. People of Western nations celebrate and rejoice every year at the beginning of the new year in the name of Happy New Year Night and on the completion of one year of age in the name of Happy Birthday. Now, imitating them, many Muslims are also celebrating and rejoicing and congratulating on this occasion, while if you think about it, this is not actually an occasion to celebrate and rejoice, but it is an occasion to think that this one year of my age that has increased is actually one year of my life that has decreased, and it is an occasion to take stock that I have spent another year of my life, but how precious have I made it? And it is an opportunity to learn a lesson that just as this year has passed, so too will the remaining times of life continue to pass, I should make them precious. It is a matter of regret that today many Muslims are also at the forefront of celebrating the new year and organizing celebrations merely in imitation of others, although the correct attitude should have been that we should feel our responsibilities more seriously, organize our lives and time, think about a good end, and try to abandon evils and adopt virtues by taking stock of our deeds. But on the contrary, it is seen that at the end of the Gregorian year and the beginning of the new year, many Muslims, especially young boys and girls, celebrate with pomp and show like non-Muslim nations, set off fireworks, cut cakes, and congratulate each other. In this untimely expression of happiness, they often exceed the permissible limits and perform such acts that neither reason likes nor are they beneficial for human society, but in reality these acts are extremely harmful. For example, on the night between December 31 and January 1, arrangements are made for lights everywhere, colorful events are held, dance and music gatherings are organized, and immense wealth is spent on these haram activities. Many young people indulge in drinking alcohol and frivolity on this night, wasting both precious time and money, although if seen in the light of Sharia, there is no room for becoming so unrestrained on the occasion of the new year in Islam. At the beginning of every year and when the sun of the new year rises, there is a need to look into one's own self and take stock at the individual and collective level so that the past can be reviewed, the present can be improved, and plans can be made for the future according to the correct methodology so that the aims and objectives can be fulfilled and the achievement of interests can be possible. Our Islamic Ummah, which is welcoming the new year these days and saying goodbye to the previous year, which has taken with it very big accidents and events in its lap, is in dire need of facing these challenges firmly and facing these dangers steadfastly.
O Allah, Lord of Majesty, grant us the ability to value time, take stock of ourselves, and improve ourselves, keep us steadfast on the straight path, and protect us completely from unnecessary rituals. Amen, O Lord of the Worlds.