The Ruling on Congratulating the New Hijri Year
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His Eminence the Shaykh: What is your opinion on exchanging greetings at the beginning of the new Hijri year?
I see that beginning the greetings upon the arrival of the new year is permissible, but it is not prescribed in the sense that: we do not tell people that it is recommended for some of you to congratulate others, but if they do it, there is nothing wrong with it. Rather, it is also incumbent upon him, when he congratulates someone in the new year, to ask Allah for him that it be a year of good and blessing, and the person returns the greeting.
This is what we see in this matter, and it is one of the ordinary matters, not one of the matters of worship.
I see that beginning the greetings upon the arrival of the new year is permissible, but it is not prescribed in the sense that: we do not tell people that it is recommended for some of you to congratulate others, but if they do it, there is nothing wrong with it. Rather, it is also incumbent upon him, when he congratulates someone in the new year, to ask Allah for him that it be a year of good and blessing, and the person returns the greeting.
This is what we see in this matter, and it is one of the ordinary matters, not one of the matters of worship.