My brothers and sisters were a few moments away from new years eve so one might ask what does New years eve mean to Muslims? in truth, it actually means nothing. It has no weight whatsoever in Islam in any way, shape or form. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) He gave us our days of celebration, He gave us (Eid Al Fitr) which is the day after the blessed month of Ramadan, He gave us (Eid Al Adha) which is just after Hajj and we also have every single Friday the day of the (Jummah), the day of the (Khutbah) and this is also a (Eid) celebration for the believer.
My brothers and sisters, how do we deal with this Year’s Eve, in short stay away from it. There is no celebration whatsoever, do not go to places where this night is being celebrated stay away from gatherings that are displeasing to Allah. Where there is mixing, alcohol anything of this nature stay away from this. My brothers and sisters if this night was to have any weight whatsoever then what I would say to you and I is that New Year’s should be a night for you and I to reflect to really look at your life and say a whole year has passed me by what have I done? what have I accomplished? where am I going with my life?
We are one year closer to our death whatever I accomplished? I’m one year closer to my grave what have I accomplished? one whole year has passed how have I contributed in a positive way towards my Ummah? If it was to have any weight then this is the weight that I would give it, it should be a night to reflect, it should be a night to repent, it should be a night to ask Allah to forgive us on the wrongs that we’ve done.
My brothers and sisters, this concept of New Year’s resolution, there is weight in this, there is actually links in this towards Islam. Umar (ra) used to say in His very famous statement, He used to say you know judge yourself before you were judge, analyze this off before you were analyzed, check yourself before you were checked before at Allah so my brothers and sisters one should be looking at himself and saying, a whole year has passed me by what have I done? where am I going? what new things am going to do in next year? how will I make sure that next year will not be like previous year.
If this year meant for me that I had no beard, I had no hijab, there was no Quran in my life, there was no Sallah in my life or anything of this nature then next year i should be my promise to Allah that i will establish these things. My brothers and sisters you know if you are going to do anything on new year’s eve, i strongly suggest that you don’t but if you feel like you need to do something then make it a night of worship, make it a night where you make promises with Allah and make it a night where you make Dua for this Umma.
May Allah guide us (Ameen)