Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, the national president of the All India Muslim Jamaat, has issued a fatwa declaring that celebrating the New Year is not permissible (haram) under Islamic law. He said the clarification was issued after several people approached him seeking guidance on whether New Year celebrations are allowed in Islam.
Speaking in Bareilly ahead of New Year's Eve, Maulana Razvi said that celebrations held on the night of December 31 are against Islamic teachings. "On the night of December 31st, people generally celebrate in a boisterous manner, with noise, revelry, dancing, singing, and all sorts of indecent behaviour. According to the Islamic Sharia law, it is considered frivolous and wasteful, and such activities are forbidden in Sharia."
New year does not begin in January: Maulana Razvi
He further said that celebrating the New Year in January is not aligned with religious calendars. "Celebrating the New Year in this manner is impermissible because, according to the Islamic calendar, the new year does not begin in January; it begins with the month of Muharram. Similarly, in Hindu culture, the new year begins with the month of Chaitra," the cleric said, asserting that religious scholars would "strictly prohibit" parties involving dancing, singing and extravagance.
"This is a European culture, a Christian tradition; they celebrate the New Year. What happens during these celebrations? There is revelry, noise, commotion, dancing, singing, and wasteful spending. Sharia does not permit any of these things. This is extravagance, and Sharia has declared extravagance as impermissible. Therefore, I urge all Muslim young men and women not to celebrate the New Year at all. If we receive any reports that some young men and women are celebrating, the religious scholars will strictly stop them," he added.
No obligation on anyone to celebrate New Year: Minister
Reacting to the statement in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh minister Dayashankar Singh said there is no obligation on anyone to celebrate the New Year. "New Year's Day is celebrated as per the English calendar. It is not the Indian New Year. Everyone has their own opinion, and it is entirely up to individuals whether they want to celebrate it or not. There is no compulsion," he said.
(Input: Vikas)
Also Read: After eating curd from buffalo that died due to dog bite, nearly 200 UP villagers get rabies shots
Also Read: CM Yogi launches AI-powered app 'YAKSH' to modernise UP Police force: Know its key features
