After Hamd and thana:

وَ هُوَ الَّذِیْ جَعَلَ الَّیْلَ وَ النَّهَارَ خِلْفَةً لِّمَنْ اَرَادَ اَنْ يَّذَّكَّرَ اَوْ اَرَادَ شُكُوْرًا

وقال عليه الصلاة والسلام : كُلُّ النَّاسِ يَغْدُو فَبَائِعٌ نَفْسَهُ فَمُعْتِقُهَا أَوْ مُوبِقُهَا. .

He is the One who made the night and the day following each other; For him, who wants to be mindful or wants to show gratitude. - Surah Furqan (25): 62

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "All men go out early in the morning and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves. -Sahih Muslim, Hadith 223

In the above mentioned verse, Allah encourages zikr (remembrance), fikr (reflection), hamd (praise), and shukr (gratitude) at every change of time. In Arabic, the day and night are called collectively 'Aljadidan' (two new ones). Because every day and night are unique, with none repeating. Therefore, if we want to do something for the new, then every day is new, every night is new, every morning is new, every evening is new. This is why, in the Shariah, worship, dhikr and dua are given at every new time.

When the Hijri New Year arrives, we don't partake in any specific ceremonies. In Islam, there are no ceremonies like those associated with the thirty-first night of December or a secular New Year's celebration. If there were any merit in such ceremonies, they would be a part of our daily lives rather than once-a-year events. Islam encourages us to reflect not only on the New Year but also on each new day, night, morning, afternoon, and every moment as they all represent new opportunities. This practice of muhasaba (self-accountability) is a continuous aspect of our worship. We are called to express gratitude to Allah for the good and seek His forgiveness for any wrongdoings in our daily lives.

In Hadith, the practice of muhasaba (self-accountability) is strongly encouraged, not just once a year but every morning and every evening. It is recommended to take account of your actions at bedtime, reflecting on how you spent your day. Consider whether you have wronged anyone, violated anyone's rights, fulfilled your duties properly, and upheld both the rights of Allah and those of fellow human beings. It is advisable to engage in this self-assessment at least once daily, evaluating your actions, morals, and character.

Many times, I have shared the story of Ali r.a. Imam Abu Hanifa R.A.'s father's name is Sabit and his grandfather's name is Zuta. Zuta accepted Islam during the time of Hadhrat Ali r.a. Zuta was from Persia. He was a fire worshipper, and then accepted Islam.

Once he took his son Sabit to meet Ali r.a. They were living in Kufa. Zuta said to Ali r.a. - This is my son. Make dua for him. Ali r.a. prayed for Sabit's well-being.

Imam Abu Hanifa's grandfather, having recently converted to Islam after coming from Persia, didn't have extensive knowledge of Islamic rules. He thought it was the day of Nowruz and decided to present a gift to Hadhrat Ali (R.A.). When he gave the gift, Ali (R.A.) inquired about it. Zuta explained that it was Nowruz in Persia, and he had brought gifts for him. Ali (R.A.) responded by saying, 'Naorozuna kulla yawm' (every day is our new year). You are a Muslim now, and you have embraced Islam. Do you know what a Muslim's New Year is? For a Muslim, every day is like New Year's Day. It doesn't come once a year; it comes every day.

Allah does not like any obscenity. إِنَّ اللهَ لَا يُحِبُّ الْفُحْشَ, وَلَا التَّفَحُّشَ. The Holy Prophet, peace be upon him also does not like it. How will beginning of a year be good through obscenity?

I would request elder brothers, let us save our future generation. Let us inform them that this is not celebration of a new year. This is the destruction of our faith and morals.

 Abridged translation: Enam Hasan Junaid, April, 2017