Hijri 1446: New Year

Allah (swt) says in the Qur’an: ‘Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve (lunar) months in the register of Allah (from) the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred (that is to say, Dhul-Qaddah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab): That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them.’ (9: 36)

 

‘O Allah, bring this [month or year] upon us with security, Imaan, safety, Islam, protection from Shaytan, and Your pleasure.’ ---- (Mu’jamus Sahabah of Baghawi, & Al-Mu’jamul Awsat of Tabarani, Hadith: 6237)

'With the arrival of Muharram, it is recommended to observe the first day in fasting and also to perform two cycles (Rakaat) of voluntary prayers (during the day). This protects from worries and problems during the year. As for the month of Muharram, which marks the beginning of a new year, the moral reason is that the best way to start a new year is precisely to refrain from doing sins, hence the name given to this month.' [---Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius, Special Sermon of 10 October 2015~ 02 Muharram 1437 AH].   

The coming of a New Year, with the coming of Muharram, is an occasion for soul searching reflections and Duah, for turning a new page in the book of life. The time has come for everybody to purify their hearts, for us to let all mistakes be forgiven. Let us pray that it will be a year with peace, happiness, and abundance of all. May Allah bless all of you throughout the New Year 1446. Muharram Mubarak.

Hijri Era: Islamic Calendar

THE ISLAMIC CALENDAR

I shall now address you some explanations on the Islamic Calendar. The Islamic Calendar has a story and origin and we should know about it.

All nations used to keep count of years as from a specific epoch. Whenever there was a highly important event that is known to the whole world, then people took it as a starting point of an epoch, to start a calendar. The best way to start a calendar would have been to date it back to the advent of Hazrat Adam (as) on earth or even start the calendar as from the deluge in the times of Hazrat Nuh (as), for these are highly important events in history. But unfortunately, we do not have exact information on the times when these events occurred. Therefore, each nation took as starting point a main event/ situation which they witnessed in their own times.

It has been reported that the descendants of Hazrat Ibrahim (as) began to count the days/ years as from the day that he was thrown into the fire. As for the Arabs, they based their calendar on the Year of the Elephant, and here is its story:

Satanic Impulses in Our 'Celebrations'

Last Friday Sermon of the Year 2016

Today, for the last Friday Sermon of the year 2016, like usual, it is my duty to make people, especially the Muslims, become conscious of the excesses and innovations which breezes through their lives, and thus making them imitate the non-Muslims and participate in unislamic practices.

For New Year festivities, there is a fashion trending to organise all sorts of programmes in hotels and other places which have been transformed for the occasion. These End of Year programmes, including those broadcasted on TV, attract a lot of people. On TV, there are lots of channels which advertise to attract subscriptions, offering deals so that you may opt to subscribe with them during the last month of the year as well as the first month of the New Year. TV Channels also propose all kinds of activities like theatre, discotheques, singing and dancing competitions in several languages with attractive prizes. Many people come forward to participate. Moreover, there are all sorts of games of chance. It is a shame to see that so-called Islamic concerts are organised and for the End of Year and New Year posters are put everywhere for premieres of new films in cinema halls. People do not hesitate to lose time in long queues in order to buy those tickets for them as well as their spouses and children.

Twisted Thinking  among the Muslims

It is most unfortunate that many women are interested in all these distractions, especially Muslim women and girls, who have been barred from Friday Sermons and congregational prayers in the mosques, as well as Eid prayers after a month of fasting and as well as those of the Eid of Sacrifice (Eid-ul-Fitr & Eid-ul-Adha). They are denied the right to listen to sermons which are very important for a believer, male and female. Today's so-called Mullahs see all these as haraam (illicit) for the women and girls, and they have closed the door leading to Allah for them, and now those Muslim women and girls are holding fast to the door leading to Satan, whereby Satan makes everything seem beautiful for them so as to separate them from Allah and His Messenger (pbuh). So, according to these Mullahs, the door of the mosques are haraam (illicit) for the ladies, but now are all these satanic attractions which they have hold fast to halaal (licit) for them? Where will that door lead them? To Paradise or Hell?

On Celebrations: 'Halal' and 'Haram'

“End of Year Festivities”:

Like you are aware, the year 2015 is coming to a close. We are living the last days of the year 2015 and particularly the month of December. The month of December is also a month known as the month of festivities. Many people make therein provisions for celebrations and amusement. The public, private and industrial sectors which all their companies organise end of year parties and this applies also for individual family units who organise Christmas parties (today is Christmas) and end of year festivities.

In such situations, a Muslim must take precautions to preserve his faith, and not to abandon the teachings of Islam and the perfect role model which Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) represents. It is not forbidden to have lunch or dinner between friends and office colleagues, in any workplace (which is licit for a Muslim), but it is strictly forbidden for a Muslim to associate himself with illicit/forbidden things and practices. And especially in end of year parties where there is an unlimited amount of alcoholic drinks which are served. You may be tempted by friends to drink a little, to have a toast for “good health”. They may tell you: “Come on, the year is ending. Please us, and have a drink with us, to toast for good health”. And thus, to please them you forget the commandments of Allah!

Do you really think that alcoholic drink shall bring you good health? Or will it destroy your health?

A glass (of alcohol) will become two and shall keep on increasing, and thus there shall be no difference between you and them, for then you shall enter such a trap which shall be grievous (for you) in the eyes of Allah. Your good deeds done during a year such as: Prayers, remembrance of Allah, supplications, recitation of the Holy Quran, Fasting during the month of Ramadan, sacrifices done during that holy month, as well as blood (animal) sacrifice (Qurbani) done, shall be in vain. Also, many of our brothers and sisters did lots of sacrifices to perform the fifth pillar of Islam (Hajj). Now on a whim you prefer to burn down these good deeds with alcohol, cigarettes, fireworks and you begin to dance to their tune with all their drinking habits, singing and dancing, and thus you replace what is good, that is, acts of worship with bad things.

Muslim women and girls who have a job must also take great precaution so as not to fall prey to consuming Haram (illicit) food. Do not fall prey to those vices for those vices shall lead you in a vicious circle in which you shall not be able to come out. Muslim women and girls must take precautions for in these kinds of parties, men and women mingle together and thus there is no Pardah. 

Ponder over this: You are barred from mosques and prayers in congregation as well as Jummah prayers, but to participate in your workplace in these kinds of end of year parties, is that not Haram for you? Is this Halal? Are those so-called Mullahs and great defenders of Islam doing nothing to protect the dignity and honour of our Muslim brothers and sisters, to stop them from falling into these kinds of traps? Very often we see parents authorising their children (boys and girls) to attend those kinds of end of year celebrations. They come back home quite late in the night and some even spend the whole night out with strangers with all their end of year amusements. They enjoy themselves so much that they go beyond limit and return back home late or remain outside without any performance of prayer etc. Indeed, where there is such amusement, there is no prayer!

Muharram: New Islamic Year Begins

Naya Saal Mubarak!

The Islamic calendar begins with Muharram, which is considered sacred a month. Muslims today do not take into account the value of our Islamic year. The majority of them do not even know when our Islamic year begins. 

Allah (swt) says in the Quran: 

Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve (lunar) months in the register of Allah (from) the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred (that is to say, Dhul-Qaddah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab): That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. (9: 36)

Allah (swt) has given us a sacred month and year based on the Islamic calendar but unfortunately a great number of Muslims - especially here in Mauritius - do not take this into consideration, whereas on the other hand they take into great consideration the Gregorian and Christian calendar, celebrated at the end of December. So in preparation for the Gregorian year, they go shopping, and moreover, those working as officers in the public sector (Government servants) and also the private sector - hotels, factories etc. - organize parties and also receive year-end bonuses (called also, “13^th or even 14^th months” – that is, a surplus in salary amounting more than the 12-month salary scale) to celebrate the new year.

It is during this time of year (end of year - December) that we see a lot of waste. People spend their money and their all their bonuses in firecrackers, fireworks, liquor, gifts and the celebration continues until New Year’s Eve whereby many families today prefer to spend these days in hotels or to meet in a place where food - especially the barbecue - and several alcoholic beverages are available in large quantities. As for alcoholic drinks, it is true that the vast majority of Muslims do not consume this poison, but this custom does exist for people of other religious communities. For them, they must have an alcoholic drink because without it their New Year’s Eve won’t be complete! So you can imagine how much money is wasted in the weeks preceding the end of the year and the beginning of the following year - especially on the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd days of the first month (January) of the New Year, even going until the 6^th of January.

People do not realize that they must make savings. They wrongly spend their money in vain things such as in parties and preparations of the New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, Muslims also have entered into the same circle as these people. They imitate them and their customs. There are many of them who do not even perform their Tahajjud prayers and even the Fajr prayer at the prescribed time. They are too busy partying with family and friends!

End of the Year: Celebration of Vanity

December - the month of revelry

The end of the Gregorian year is drawing to a close; everyone is so busy, so much that he forgets his own soul. December is a month of great temptations. Everyone is preparing for the end of year party, because the fun and entertainment are paramount whatever the circumstance, as an excuse just to relax after a long year of hard and stressful job.

Joy or excitation reigns in the atmosphere especially when people have a lot of money. It’s time to spend the hard-earned money. Like you know, the last month of the year allows officials, employees and workers to receive their bonuses or their rewards. So they feel a desire to buy, spend. But buy what? All they have under the eyes, little everything and nothingness. This is a first sign of temptation. They buy clothes and expensive footwear, alcoholic beverages that cost thousands of rupees, they organize parties, banquets, open buffets that cost a fortune. They buy firecrackers and fireworks at very high prices. Everyone thinks to do more than the other, if not to compete for more glory.

As for the merchant/seller, he is there to attract customers and to satisfy their needs as much as possible. Often, the (market) place (or place where the sales are being done) is invaded by loud music or songs that wreck the ears. We find the men and women mixed, especially in very narrow places. Many of these Muslim traders do not perform Salat (prayer) or do not close their stores for Salat-ul-Jummah (Friday prayers); for the simple reason of not losing a single client and not to leave any money to escape from their crates.