What is the ruling on congratulating one another for the new year, and is there a specific supplication recited for it?
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The questioner : His EminenceThe Shaykh : What is the ruling on congratulating one another for the new year? Is there a specific supplication recited when the new year begins?
The Shaykh : Congratulating one another for the new year is not a recommended practice (sunnah), because the origin of the new year principle was in the time of whom? Who, my brothers? It was in the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When the Islamic territory expanded, letters would come to him without dates, so he gathered the people and said, "We must have a date." Previously, people used to date things by the Year of the Elephant, the year in which Allah destroyed the people of the Elephant. Then, when Islam came, they abandoned that. People needed a calendar. So 'Umar gathered the Companions and asked them, and they differed. Some said, "Let us start with Rabi' al-Awwal." Why, everyone? Yes? Because it is the month in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was born, the month in which revelation began, and the month in which he migrated to Madinah. So they said, "Let us start from Rabi' al-Awwal." But the majority said, "Let us start from Muharram," because Muharram is one of the sacred months. How many sacred months are there? Four: Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. They said, "Let us start from Muharram," because it is one of the sacred months, and because people return from Hajj in it, which is the last pillar of Islam. So the opinion settled on starting the year from Muharram. For this reason, the Sunnah did not come with congratulating for it. But people do not start by congratulating for it. And if someone congratulates you for it, return the greeting to him. How does he congratulate you? What is said? Who? Yes. If he says to you, "May you be well every year," the answer is, "Yes? And may you be the same." That is the answer. Yes.
The Shaykh : Congratulating one another for the new year is not a recommended practice (sunnah), because the origin of the new year principle was in the time of whom? Who, my brothers? It was in the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When the Islamic territory expanded, letters would come to him without dates, so he gathered the people and said, "We must have a date." Previously, people used to date things by the Year of the Elephant, the year in which Allah destroyed the people of the Elephant. Then, when Islam came, they abandoned that. People needed a calendar. So 'Umar gathered the Companions and asked them, and they differed. Some said, "Let us start with Rabi' al-Awwal." Why, everyone? Yes? Because it is the month in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was born, the month in which revelation began, and the month in which he migrated to Madinah. So they said, "Let us start from Rabi' al-Awwal." But the majority said, "Let us start from Muharram," because Muharram is one of the sacred months. How many sacred months are there? Four: Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab. They said, "Let us start from Muharram," because it is one of the sacred months, and because people return from Hajj in it, which is the last pillar of Islam. So the opinion settled on starting the year from Muharram. For this reason, the Sunnah did not come with congratulating for it. But people do not start by congratulating for it. And if someone congratulates you for it, return the greeting to him. How does he congratulate you? What is said? Who? Yes. If he says to you, "May you be well every year," the answer is, "Yes? And may you be the same." That is the answer. Yes.