Fatwa and Dua of New Year’s Greeting

NOTE: It should be noted that the below answer is the English translation of the Fatwa issued by Darul Ifta Jamia Uloom Islamia Allama Yusuf Banuri Town, Karachi, Pakistan.

Question

Is it permissible to convey new year greetings on Islamic (lunar) and non-Islamic (solar) new year?

 Answer

Greeting at the beginning of the year is not evident in Islamic shariah, however, if not considered as a religious obligation & necessary there is no harm in greeting and praying for blessings for the new year.

 However, it is proven by some sources to recite the following du’a ‘at the beginning of the Islamic year, so one should recite this du’a’ while sighting the moon of each Islamic month and at the beginning of the lunar year:

اللَّهُمَّ أَدْخِلْهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالْأَمْنِ وَالْإِيمَانِ ، وَالسَّلَامَةِ وَالْإِسْلَامِ ، وَرِضْوَانٍ مِنَ الرَّحْمَنِ ، وَجِوَارٍ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ

Translation: O Allah, bring this moon upon us with peace, faith, safety, and Islam and with the consent of the Most Gracious and protection from  Satan.

فی مجمع الزوائد و منبع الفوائد:

وعن عبد الله بن هشام قال: كان أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم  يتعلمون هذا الدعاء إذا دخلت السنة أو الشهر: “اللهم أدخله علينا بالأمن والإيمان، والسلامة والإسلام، ورضوان من الرحمن، وجواز من الشيطان.