Post via Islamic Emirate

Last Monday, Nawroz, the first day of the Persian Calendar (1395) was celebrated in the Capital as well as in Balk province and some other cities of the beloved country with great fanfare by inefficient two-headed Kabul administration while our people are facing numerous sufferings. This is in a time that due to the lack of work and job opportunities, youth are fleeing the country and putting their lives in danger in far-off deserts and seas. Women, men and children remain spend sleepless nights due to fear of night raids and blind bombardments of the invading enemy. The people of villages and cities are fed up with search and raid operations of local police (militia) and unscrupulous armed men. There is fighting, instability and plundering all over the country.

In fact, in view of the Islamic teachings, celebration of Nawroz festival is absolutely impermissible and is associated to Zoroastrian religion. There is no justification to celebrate Nawroz in an Islamic country like Afghanistan. Our countrymen should lead their lives in light of the Islamic values and rules and should not blindly follow anyone. Eid festivals are specific days (as alternatives) for joys in Islam. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) has strictly prohibited the celebration of Nawroz and Mahrajan festivals.

Hazrat Anas (may Almighty Allah be pleased with him) says that when Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived at Madina, the people of Madina used to celebrate two days (Nawroz and Mahrajan). Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, which are these days? They said that we used to play during these days at the period of ignorance. Then the prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) said that Almighty Allah has replaced these two days with such two days which is better than these days. They are Eid ul Fitr and Eid ul Odha.

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رضي الله عنه قَالَ قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْمَدِينَةَ وَلَهُمْ يَوْمَانِ يَلْعَبُونَ فِيهِمَا، فَقَالَ: (مَا هَذَانِ الْيَوْمَانِ؟) قَالُوا: كُنَّا نَلْعَبُ فِيهِمَا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: (إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَبْدَلَكُمْ بِهِمَا خَيْرًا مِنْهُمَا: يَوْمَ الْأَضْحَى، وَيَوْمَ الْفِطْرِ) رواه أبو داود والنسائي

The writer of the book Aun al Mabood has mentioned in his book regarding the interpretation of this Hadith that Abu Hafs Kabeer Hanafi says:

من أهدى في النيروز بيضة إلى مشرك تعظيما لليوم فقد كفر بالله تعالى وأحبط أعماله، وقال القاضي أبو المحاسن الحسن بن منصور الحنفي: من اشترى فيه شيئا لم يكن يشتريه في غيره أو أهدی فيه هدية إلى غيره فإن أراد بذلك تعظيم اليوم كما يعظمه الكفرة فقد كفر وإن أراد بالشراء التنعم والتنزه وبالإهداء التحاب جريا على العادة لم يكن كفرا لكنه مكروه كراهة التشبه بالكفرة حينئذ فيحترز عنه. قاله علي القاري. عون المعبود (ج ۳ ص ۳۴۱- ۳۴۲).

Similarly other scholars have mentioned that offering gifts on that day is a cause of great sin for Muslims.

  (والإعطاء باسم النيروز والمهرجان لا يجوز) أي الهدايا باسم هذين اليومين حرام (وإن قصد تعظيمه) كما يعظمه المشركون  (يكفر…) ولو أهدى لمسلم ولم يرد تعظيم اليوم بل جرى على عادة الناس لا يكفر وينبغي أن يفعله قبله أو بعده نفيا للشبهة ولو شری فيه ما لم يشتره قبل إن أراد تعظيمه كفر وإن أراد الأكل كالشرب والتنعيم لا يكفر. الدر المختار وحاشیته (ج۶ ص ۷۵۴- ۷۵۵) و تبیین الحقائق (ج۶ ص ۲۲۸

The success of this world and the Hereafter could be achieved by paying respect to the Islamic rituals.

 {وَمَن يُعَظِّمْ شَعَائِرَ اللَّهِ فَإِنَّهَا مِن تَقْوَى الْقُلُوبِ} (الحج- ۳۲)

He that honors Allah’s rites, then surely it is from the piety of the heart. (Chapter 22, Verse 32)

Contrarily, Muslims face danger of spoiling their faith by celebrating un-Islamic customs and traditions (imitations). Whenever a Muslim submits himself to the commandments of his great God; strives for the implementation of His commandments; makes efforts to keep himself, his family and society away from acts which are prohibited by Almighty Allah; strives for implementation of all Divine teachings, then it means that he is taking steps towards success and will be blessed. But whenever a person keeps himself away from Islamic Shariah and drifts towards un-Islamic civilization then he faces sufferings and hardships.

{مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحاً مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ} (النحل – ۹۷).

Whosoever does a righteous deed, whether male or female and is a believer, we shall assuredly give him to live a goodly life; We shall reward them according to their noblest actions. (Chapter 16, Verse 97)

End

Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights/WOT and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad.  She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.