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Bareilly, December 29 (IANS): All India Muslim Jamaat (AIMJ) President, Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, has again issued a fatwa urging Muslims in India not to celebrate the New Year, as this goes against the tenets of the Sharia.
Sharia is the system of Islamic moral and legal guidance derived from the teachings of the Quran and the traditions of the Prophet, and it governs both religious obligations and aspects of daily life.
In the fatwa, Maulana Razvi stated that activities such as singing and dancing are completely haram in Islam, and therefore, New Year celebrations are also considered haram.
He said that such acts are deemed criminal under the Shariat and advised Muslim youth to stay away from these celebrations.
Speaking to IANS, Razvi said: "Celebrating the New Year is not permissible according to Sharia. On the night of December 31, New Year celebrations take place, which involve many inappropriate activities such as dancing, singing, shows, alcohol consumption, chaos, misbehaviour, and other immoral acts. Islam forbids all of these actions."
He further said that the New Year is essentially a festival associated with Christians and that it is strictly prohibited for Muslims to celebrate it.
The fatwa noted that the New Year begins in January, marking the start of the English calendar year, and therefore, it is considered a religious observance of Christians to celebrate the first day of their year.
"I would like to request all the young men and women not to celebrate the New Year, nor attend any such event. If they do, then they will be considered a culprit. This is European, not Islamic or Indian culture. For Muslims, the New Year is marked by Muharram, and for Hindus, it is marked by Chaitra. That is why I would like to urge everyone not to adopt European traditions," he added.
This is not the first time that the AIMJ chief has issued such a fatwa. Last year as well, Razvi had cautioned Muslim youth against participating in New Year celebrations.
