Nou’rouz in Islam by Syed Akbar Abbas Naqvi

Congratulation on Nou’rouz.

This is the day when the earth was created, and Hz: Essa (as) was born, as well as the spirits of mankind were changed into nafs 2000 years before they were created in spiritual form and it was also the moment when the Lord our God has made them witness for His own Great self / Nafs-ul-Eaziem. The word `Nowruz` is a compound word; Nou and Rouz, together it means ” New Day” and it is the name of the first day of the first solar month.

Abū Rayhān al-Bīrūnī in his definition of Nowruz says: `It is the first day of the month of Farvardin and the reason it is called New Day is that it is the forehead of the year. Nowruz was celebrated marking the summer solstice . The emergence of the 2nd part of Islam and its peaceful dealing with other religious beliefs and rituals, including ceremonies and rituals of the Iranian people, resulted in Nowruz to remain untouched.

2nd part of Islamic traditions also associate Nowruz with the day when angel Gabriel appeared to Prophet Mohammad (SAWW), the day of Ghadeer and the day of the re-emergence of The Lord of our Time, Imam Mahdi (aj). Moreover, Nowruz is the day when the Creator finished the creation of the world and is the day when Man was created.

In addition to no-opposition stance of earlier Islam in regards to the rituals of Nowruz, from the time of Hz:Ibrahim (as) and further confirmation of it, continuation of commemoration of Nowruz during the 2nd part of Islamic period except the time of Omar II (Omar ibn Abdulaziz) tried to ignore Nowruz celebrations, but this custom was so deeply associated with the Iranian people’s thought and feelings that soon Nowruz successfully found its own place and later the Shi’i Buwayeds with great research, it was widely spreaded, becoming a regular tradition. It was also celebrated in Syria, Egypt and North Africa but not regularly. Every one can see the miracle of flowing water or moving flowers in water have to stop at the time and the exact moment of time when Immam e Ely’s (aj) time of Powers shifted from Prophetical period to Immamat (heavenly Kingdom). The said miracle over the globe can be seen on every Nourouz even after hundreds years of time. A great evidence of truth as the water stopped flowing for a moment remembering the time of it’s Lord of the Universe.

After the spread of Islam and its adaptation by the people of Iran, Nowruz found its way to expand to wider range of people even among the non- Iranian tribes, such in Indian continent and North Africa believing on this alive miracle. The respect for Nowruz in Shi’i Islam, although highly regarded. Alameh Majlesi in Assamae va al Alam has narrated one of the sayings of ImamJafar-ul- Sadiq (aj) as follows:

” With the beginning of Naurouz, human was created, and this day is an auspicious day for praying to seek dreams, to visit the nobles, acquiring knowledge, marriage, travelling and good business. In this blessed day the sick will be cured, the babies are born hassle free and sustenance will increase.` Majlesi also talks about another narration from Imam Musa Kazim (aj) which says: `In Nowruz Allah made a covenant with His servants to worship Him and not to allow any partner for Him. To welcome, His messengers and obey their rulings. This day is the first day that the fertile wind blow and the flowers on the earth appeared. The archangel Gabriel (a) appeared to the Prophet, and it is the day that Abraham (as) broke the idols.

The day Prophet Muhammad (Saww) held ELY(aj) on his shoulders to destroy idols in the house of God, the Kaaba.` Regardless of the Abbasid dynasty ups and downs they managed to maintain their political and religious influence in the Muslim world for more than five centuries, and the endorsement by subsequent Caliph has contributed to celebration of Nowruz, its expansion and continuity.

According to Islamic Law, Eid is a day in which a benefit or interest is gained and a day when a special prayer is performed and people congregate. The days of Al-Azha (Qurban) and of Al Fitr are also Eid days. Verse 114 of Chapter 5 (Maa’idah) where Prophet Isa (as) asked for food from Heaven is taken as the day of miracle and that day is considered for all human as Eid.

Eid, in this verse is referring to a divine blessing descended from heaven in the form of a tray, so it became a sign for people to commemorate such day every year and bring joy and happiness repeatedly. Also repetition and return of such days could return same blessings which give us, human, another chance to make connection with God and remembering Him in our hearts and by our tongues. Islamic rituals of Nowruz In Mafatih al Jinan, which in the past decades has been one of the greatest books for religious recommended acts of worship, we read that the Prayer of Nowruz is a prayer combined of recitation of Al -Fatiha, Al-Qadr, Al-Kaferoon, AlTawhid, Al-Falagh, Al-Nass and many other chapters of the Holy Qur’an.

It is similar to a prayer which not only has the forms of Friday prayer but also the attributes of the prayers of Ghadeer Khum. Mafatih Al Jinan narrates from Imam Jafar Al Sadiq(aj): `When Nowruz comes, make Ghosl (ceremonial wash) , put on your clean clothes, and fragrant yourself with best perfumes, so when you are free of all other prayers, perform a four- rakaat prayer, each rakaat one Salam and in the first rakaat after Sura Al- Fateha ten times Sura Al-Qadr, and in the second rakaat after Al-Fateha ten times Al-Kaferoon. In the thried rakaat after Al-Feteheh ten times Al-Nass and Al-Falaq.

Nowruz has always been celebrated by Iranians, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and even some central Asian countries such as Kurds of Turkey, Iraq and Syria celebrate it too.