Why Don't Muslims Celebrate the Beginning of the New Lunar Year? - Today in Muharram Day 1

Bismi-Llah, Al-Rahmani, Al-Rahim. Why don't we celebrate the new lunar year? Some might ask if Muharram is the first month in the Islamic lunar calendar, why don't we celebrate the new year? In Western society, for example, they celebrate New Year's Eve. Persians, Afghans and other nationalities, they celebrate Nowruz, so why don't we as Muslims celebrate the first of Muharram?

We know as Muslims that we should be more inclined, of course, to observe dates and events relevant and dear to us and our religion. Unfortunately, in today's society we are very much influenced by modernization, by people around us and the color of our faith and identity is gradually fading away and being taken over.

These events are so popular in today's society but they really have no part of our Islamic culture. Look at all the wonderful events we have as Muslims and we don't even observe them or even know of them. Nonetheless, let's have a look at this question. We know, first of all, that the Holy Prophet, salla Allahu alayhi wa alihi, and the Prophetic migration didn't really occur in the first of Muharram, but it was in Rabi' al-Awwal, to be more specific, on the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal. But Muharram, of course, was suggested as the first lunar month.

Second of all, Muharram is one of the four sacred months in Islam. It's a month where warfare is forbidden. That's why it's also known as Muharram ul-Haram. Muharram, the sacred month. But in this sacred month the holiest of blood was spilt. The blood of the grandson of the Prophet of Islam, Imam Husayn. It was not just a simple murder, it was a massacre, a tragedy like no other. So how can we celebrate or be happy with the commencing of Muharram ul-Haram? This month that was desecrated.

Muharram is when we renew our sadness. It's when we remember the tragedy of Karbala. We remember when the son of Fatimah was slaughtered. We don't do it not only because it's not a part of our Islamic culture but also because we commence our morning season. Commemorating the martyrdom of Raihanata Rasul Allah, Sibt un-Nabi, Imam Husayn, alayhi as-salam.

We started the new lunar year by giving our condolences to Rasul Allah, salla Allahu alayhi wa alihi, and expressing our disassociation to what his own Ummah did to his grandson. We take this new year as a time of reflection, but not through celebrating, but through mourning. We adorn ourselves and our houses with black. We participate in rituals of Aza. We re-live the tragedy of Karbala.

We prepare ourselves to commemorate the day of Ashura. Muharram is the month of grief and sorrow. It's the time to remind ourselves to stand up to oppression. It's the time to spread the message of Imam Husayn alayhi as-salam, to the world. It's the time to share the Islam of Ahl ul-Bayt to everyone around us.

And finally, as the Hadith says for the killing of Imam Husayn there is a flame in the hearts of the believers that will never be accepted, distinguished. Wa al-hamduli-Lah Rabbi al-'Alameeen.