What is New Year?
This is a question that every human being can answer based on his or her viewpoint. In other words, he/she can answer based on the thoughts that are in his/her brain. The correctness of his/her thoughts are dependent on the creed they believe in. Therefore, if the creed is correct then its thoughts are correct and the outcome is correct concepts (answers). The contrary is that if the creed is incorrect then its thoughts will be incorrect and the outcome is incorrect concepts (answers).
Today the creed that is in power/ruling is that of ilmaniyya/secularism, that emanates from people and based upon separation of religion from life. The secular creed its ideology is capitalism since it has prioritized its economic system emanating from the freedom of ownership. The secular creed defined the goal of life is for sensual gratification. In addition, the measurement of peoples’ actions is interest/profit/loss. Humanity legislate for themselves on how to run their life in all spheres of life political, social-economic, educational etc. The secular creed has guaranteed humanity four freedoms: freedom of worship, freedom of ownership, freedom of opinion and personal freedom. The role of State is to safeguard the four freedoms. The western colonialists together with their agent rulers are championing the secular creed across the world led by America their current global leader. Since the creed emanates from people then its answer will be invalid. That is “New Year is an opportunity to put new materialistic strategies that will ensure your sensual gratification more than the previous year!”
Contrary to that is the Islamic ideology whose creed is that of La ilaha ila llah, Muhammadun Rasulu llah (None has the right to be worshipped except God, Muhammad is the messenger of God). This Islamic creed emanates from Allah (swt), The Creator of worlds. In this creed humankind are slaves to Allah and whose goal in life is to seek the pleasure of Allah (swt). Always Halal and Haram are the measurement of their actions. Since the creed emanates from Allah (swt) then its answer will be valid. That is “”New Year is an opportunity to account your age (which has reduced by one year) since you are approaching your death (which is anytime). Furthermore, to interrogate yourself whether you have been steadfast to the guide from Allah (swt) or not? If you have been steadfast which areas should you improve and if you were not which areas are to be rectified very fast before your death.
The unfortunate is that the Islamic ideology is not ruling the world today and the opposite is that the secular capitalist ideology is ruling by deception. Instead of people being concerned and interrogate themselves with such questions above; people are organizing and busying themselves with New Year celebrations! Muslims are also amongst those who have been hijacked by being ruled and distanced from their Islamic ideology and alternatively given some space to implement some issues like prayers, marriage, divorce, inheritance but the general law is of kufr!
The best reward to yourself in this New Year is to join the call for the resumption of the Islamic way of life through the reestablishment of the Islamic State of Khilafah on the methodology of Prophethood. It is only the Khilafah that will take care of its citizens’ affairs in fairness since it emanates from the Qur’an and Sunnah contrary to the existing secular capitalist states today. The Khilafah will provide a god-fearing environment to an extent the New Year will be as we have described in the answer above as per the Islamic creed.
Ali Nassoro Ali
Member of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Kenya