Is reminding the imams and encouraging people at the beginning of the Hijri year to self-account and praise Allah for reaching this year, since it was not known from the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), considered an innovation?

The questioner : He says: Your Eminence, is reminding the imams and encouraging people at the beginning of the Hijri year, and advising them to self-account and praise Allah for reaching this year, and that the best of people are those who live long and do good deeds, considered an innovation, since it was not known from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he did this at the beginning of every year?

The Shaykh : This is not an innovation; this is reminding people of occasions in order to encourage them and make it clear to them that they should begin their year with seriousness, effort, worship, calling to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), good conduct, and the like. These have their occasions. As for the statement that this was not known in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), yes, because this dating system did not exist until after the death of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and after the death of Abu Bakr. It was not known until the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, when he began writing letters to his governors. The letters would arrive and they would say, "We do not know when you wrote this, O Commander of the Faithful." So he established a date. He established the dating system during his caliphate (may Allah be pleased with him). Yes.