Awal Muharram & "Doa Awal/Akhir Tahun" : What's the big deal?

As someone commented, “we keep arguing about this every year when out there, so many wajib (obligations) out there are not being done!”

Well, if so many wajib not being done, then why not encourage the wajib? Why then, encourage something which isn't just obligatory or recommended (mustahab/sunnah), but in fact, completely outside the sources of the Qur'an and Sunnah.
Interesting how the argument refutes itself.

As difficult as I found it was to resist the urge to refute this comment directly, I finally realized one fundamental issue – we were looking at the issue from 2 completely different paradigms. And if I were to refute it, it would be endless, because we aren’t be speaking the same language.

This issue is often debated on a academic level and left at that. I view it on a different spectacle: This isn't an issue of difference of opinion in fiqh; rather, it's an issue of values, integrity, love and respect - towards Allah and His Messenger, and the Deen of Islam as a whole.

So, bismillah, here’s my paradigm: my perspective, from what I understand of the Quran and the Sunnah. I ask that Allah grant barakah and truthfulness in these words, and correct me where I may be wrong.

Reminder to self, just in case i transgress any limits by mistake : the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wasalam) said:

“Whomsoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak what is good or just keep quiet!” (narrated in Al-Bukhari, book 73, hadith 47)

Summary:
1. The facts: "Muharram" as the New Year @ Hijrah Calendar

2. "Celebrating" New Year?

3. Living with Ihsan?

4. So What’s the Big Deal? So many Other Big Issues out there!

5. Blind (folded) Leading the Blind

1. The facts: "Muharram" as the New Year @ Hijrah Calendar

1. Hijrah of the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wasalam) never took place in Muharram (1st Month of Hijri calendar).
The Prophet left his house in departure of the Hijrah on 27th of Safar (2nd Month), 14th year of Prophethood
He arrived at Quba, the outskirts of Yathrib/Madinah on Monday, 8th Rabi'ul Awwal (3rd mth), 14 year of Prophethood.

2. The lunar cycled-based month circulation of the Hijri calendar (Muharram, Safar, Rabi'ul awwal, etc) was already in use before the coming of message of Islam.
However there was no 'demarcation' to indicate the 'start' or 'end'.
Thus when Umar ibn Al-Khattab was khalifah, a decision was taken to set Muharram as the first month of the year.

Next move was to decide which year to set as "zero" as reference point. After considering several suggestions (e.g. birth of the prophet, death of the prophet) they agreed to use Hijrah as the reference point, as this marked a major change in the development of the history of Islam and its establishment in Yathrib (Madinah Rasulillah - City of the Messenger of Allah)

Thus, for dating purposes, it was set that the year of the Hijrah will be the reference point for the beginning of the numbering. This is considered as a consensus of the Muslim Ummah (ijma’) as no other caliph after that had reversed this ruling.

(ref - Bidayah wan-nihayah; sealed nectar)

http://islamqa.com/en/ref/176819/

2. "Celebrating" New Year?
But : when he issued this judgment, did Umar ibn Al-Khattab issue specific rulings to go and celebrate this day? Did he tell people to go down the streets parading and singing songs?

It’s a rhetorical question. Were Umar to see people doing that, he’d beat them with his stick, I’d imagine.. Knowing Umar’s tough personality, especially in preserving the sunnah

So if ‘new year’ never came about during the time of the Prophet, what are the origins of this ‘new year prayer’/’year-end prayer’ ("doa awal tahun" & "Doa akhir tahun")? How about that people have even invented fadhail (special benefits) attached to those who make this prayer: that supposedly all the person’s sins of the past year will be forgiven?

Even if Umar legislated this ‘special prayer’, we have to ask ourselves a fundamental question: would we, as Muslims, allow him to legislate something new in the shari’ah? After the religion has been perfected as per Allah’s revelation in the Quran – “Today, I have perfected my religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion” (Surah Al-Maidah 5:3)?

But anyway, no, Umar didn’t legislate this.

So if the Prophet didn’t, Umar didn’t, and none of the companions of the Prophet ever did, then who on Earth did?

Someone who is more knowledgeable in the sunnah than the companions of the Prophet?

Yet people are promoting these "Doa Awal Tahun" and "Doa Akhir Tahun" left right and centre, when in fact this Doa has no basis in the sunnah of the Prophet.
And people are quick to defend it saying "but it's a good thing!"

The sad thing is hardly anyone promotes the du'aa which is authentically taught by the Prophet - for example the morning and evening du'aa/dzikr; du’aa of leaving/entering the home, dzikir after the prayers.

Are we treating the teachings of the Prophet with the level of respect that we should? Are we living our lives as Muslims who want to achieve Ihsan – beauty, excellence, perfection in worship?

3. Living with Ihsan?

Angel Jibreel came to the Prophet and said, “What is Ihsan?”

The Prophet said, “that you worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you cannot, (at least know that) He sees you” (Narrated in Al-Bukhari, Book#2 Hadith #47)

Now the Prophet didn’t give a textbook definition of Ihsan, instead he gave the practical application how it is to be performing worship with Ihsan: with excellence, beauty and perfection.

So ask yourself this question: What if the Prophet Muhammad (sallAllahu alayhi wasalam) were to be amongst us today and watching us right here, right now – performing these parades and making this year-end and new-year doa?

Do we tell him "O Messenger of Allah, wAllahi i REALLY love you and i love your teachings, but i don't have time to read or learn the du'aa that you taught - sorry la eh. But there's this very nice du'aa taught by my shaykh, it's a good thing, so i hope you don't mind me trying to spread to everyone for them to memorize and recite. It’s good whaaat.”

Isn't this some form of mockery? Why don’t people find this level of disrespect to be appalling?

This isn’t how I will treat my teacher, most certainly not my own parents – but as Muslims, we love the Prophet even more than our own parents..

The Prophet said, “None of you will have Faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, Book #2, Hadith #14)

We claim that we love Allah, and believe in the Verse "Say (O Muhammad): if you love Allah, then follow me!" (Surah Al-Imran 3:31)
And yet we discard his teachings and prefer du'aas which are taught by "mashaykh"?

So let’s put things into perspective: at the very worst, it’s a bidaah (misguided innovation). At the very least, it’s disrespect towards revelation and teachings of the Prophet.

I don’t consider this level of disrespect tolerable even to a colleague at work: let alone someone I love more than my own parents.

Perhaps, if the Prophet were here, we dare not say such a thing.

Getting back to the concept of Ihsan of our worship towards Allah – knowing that He sees us. But the problem is, we’re not even fulfilling our Ihsan with regards to the Prophet on the scenario that “what if he were among us”. 

If we can’t even fulfill this, how about when it comes to Ihsan of the Lord of the Universe: Allah?

4. So What's the Big Deal? So Many Other Big Issues Out There!
And herein lies the argument and excuse of everyone who argues against anything from the sunnah: whether it be eating with the right hand, keeping the beard, trousers above the ankle, drink while sitting, etc – “why are you placing so much emphasis and over exaggerating a minor issue? There are so much more big problems in this world – go solve those first!”

First of all, as we previously discussed the issue of Ihsan, I don’t consider that a minor issue. We accept that life is a one-shot-only test to determine if we go to Paradise or Hellfire: and yet here by our attitude towards the teachings of Islam, we just proved, by our actions, that we're not really trying 'that hard' to score the test of life with excellence and perfection (Ihsan). 

Should bloody well be a cause for concern, if you ask me.

Secondly, why are we having such an attitude towards the sunnah? When people advise us directly with the sunnah why can’t we just accept it out of our deep love for the Prophet? Or at least respectfully be thankful to the one who advised us instead of lashing at them saying they are over exaggerating a minor issue? And who are we to call the sunnah minor?

If your mom told you to buy something for her, would you ditch her and say “it’s okay mom, it’s only minor right?” “not obligatory right? Only sunnah right?”

Thirdly, yes, we acknowledge that the world has lots of problems now, and “people” are guilty of so many crimes. Well,
you can't change the world, but you can change yourself. And if you refuse to do this by accepting simple advice, then why are you expecting the world to? Why are you highlighting the problems without acting on the solution on a personal level?

So let's stop worrying about what's "out there", start fixing what's "in here".Enough pointing at direction at the world’s problems: look inside and fix the most important person in our life first: ourselves. 

You will not be questioned for what “they” did, you will be questioned for what YOU did. And by this response, you just looked down upon one aspect of the religion (i.e. the sunnah), discouraged your brother for giving advice, and possibly offended him in the process.

 Ponder this verse of Allah: 
“Verily! Allah will not change the state of a people until they change what is in themselves” (Surah Ar-Rum 13:11)

Because if “they” all changed what is in themselves, we wouldn’t be in the situation we are today.

5. Blind (-folded) leading the Blind : a Question of Integrity
In the big picture, it’s not so much that the masses of commonfolk are performing this act of celebrating maal hijrah. Most of them are sincere and honest people who just want to wish other people well, and do some good deeds of du'aa and gatherings – after all it’s only once a year. And in fact the meanings behind the prayer itself are good. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s not from the sunnah.

The real root cause of this disease is this : the scholars of this ummah – the ustazs and ustazah – are leading the charge in teaching people things outside of the realm of revelation. It’s strange why so many Ustazs criticize the priests and pastors for legislating things which are completely outside of the teachings of Jesus and the Bible, yet they themselves promote prayers and acts which are not from the Quran or Sunnah of the Prophet.

And fundamentally, if the learned of this ummah – people who have studied and learned the religion – do not turn to the Qur’an and Sunnah as the first reference, and everybody follows them, then where is this nation headed?

Which begs the question: are they blind, or are they blindfolding themselves?

And this hadith just put things into perspective and sends chills down my spine:

The Prophet said,

“Verily, Allah does not take away knowledge by snatching it from the people but He takes away knowledge by taking away (i.e. the death of) the scholars,

so that when He leaves no learned person, people turn to the ignorant as their, leaders; then they are asked to deliver religious verdicts and they deliver them without knowledge, they go astray, and lead others astray.” 

(Sahih Muslim, Book #034, Hadith #6462)

So why the big hoo-hah? Think in the big picture:
This is an issue of integrity. When we allow our personal values of religion to be eroded, compromised and 'bent' - and innovations to enter in as long as 'we feel it is a good thing'. But once we go down that path, then what's our limit? This is the very same door that the people went down when they, out of their selfish desires, tried to justify that "hijab is not from Islam".

If we deprive ourselves of the integrity to guard our personal values, then what is left of morality? 

What will be the eventuality of drugs, rape theft, and murder - when the values that dictate these immorality of these acts are slowly fading away? Eventually perhaps even these crimes will be looked at as something acceptable.

Is this the path that we want to follow?

If even the learned of this ummah don’t take a firm stand and conviction of defending the pristine truth of the religion, then who will?

If the ustaz and ustazah aren’t excited and super enthusiastic about teaching the pure authentic teachings of the Prophet – when who will?

If the ustaz and ustazah don’t take up the mantle to defend the honour of the Prophet from this disrespect, then who will?

So take ownership of your deen: practice it with integrity and guard your values.

And Allah knows best...

I am angry, but this anger is none other than anger which stems out of my love for the Prophet Muhammad sallAllahu alayhi wasalam and his teachings.

May Allah keep us on the correct path of guidance, and with the steadfastness to preserve and enthusiastically act upon the Qur'an and the Sunnah of His Messenger (sallAllahu alayhi wasalam)

Allah knows best, and may He correct any mistakes and i ask forgiveness from Him if i have transgressed any boundaries or limits.

People argue about this every year, so what difference does this year make?

This difference is, this time, I chose to say something about it.  

And that makes a difference to me, and "ME" is the person that I am accountable for when I meet Allah on the Day of Judgment. 

May Allah guide all our affairs, barakAllah feekum.