The turn of the year is always greeted with euphoria. Fireworks, parties, and crowded streets become familiar scenes in many cities.
Yet for Muslims, the essential question is not merely what is celebrated, but how time is understood and accounted for.
In Islam, time is not an object of celebration; it is a mandate. Every second of life will be held accountable.
Therefore, Muslim attitudes toward New Year’s Eve should be grounded in morality, ethics, and faith values—rather than unreflective social traditions.
Several Islamic figures offer clear guidance. Habib Rizieq Syihab consistently rejects New Year’s Eve celebrations characterized by excessive revelry.
This stance arises from the reality that such festivities often lead to moral violations—intoxication, promiscuity, wastefulness, and loss of self-control. From this perspective, New Year’s Eve is not a time for celebration, but for muhasabah (self-evaluation), repentance, and personal reform.
A more communicative approach is presented by Ustadz Abdul Somad. He emphasizes that time itself is neutral; what determines its moral value is how humans fill it. If New Year’s Eve is filled with wrongdoing, it clearly contradicts Sharia.
However, if it is used for reflection, worship, or family togetherness, there is no prohibition.
The firm message is this: the problem is not the change of the year, but human behavior.
Ustadz Bachtiar Nasir stresses the importance of introspection and returning to the path of goodness when facing the new year. For him, the moment should inspire self-correction, abandonment of what Allah forbids, and an increase in righteous deeds and devotion
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Meanwhile, Ustadz Adi Hidayat reminds Muslims not to be trapped in rituals without textual basis. Islam already has the Hijri calendar as its primary reference for worship and sacred history. Therefore, New Year’s Eve does not need to be treated as a special religious celebration. Still, it may be used as a moment of reflection and life planning—as long as it is not endowed with ritual or symbolic religious status.
From these perspectives, a clear common thread emerges: Islam is not hostile to time, but it firmly rejects immorality and the loss of moral consciousness. The turn of the year should function as a mirror for evaluation, not as an excuse for unrestrained euphoria.
Ironically, amid natural disasters, social crises, poverty, and inequality that continue to afflict this nation, some communities choose to dissolve into momentary, shallow festivities—as if changing calendar numbers could erase responsibility for what has happened and what is still unfolding.
New Year’s Eve should instead become a quiet space for asking honest questions: What have we done for our families, our society, our nation, and our faith? Not merely counting down seconds, but measuring how far life has been lived with value and responsibility.
Our nation does not lack entertainment or celebrations. What we truly need is awareness, moral maturity, and the courage to change. And that change always begins with how we define time—whether it is spent on fleeting euphoria or used as a foundation for a more meaningful and accountable life
Author:
Aceng Syamsul Hadie, S.Sos., MM
Lecturer and Chairman of Daarurrahman Foundation, Cigayam, Majalengka
(Managing MAS, MTs, Madin, and TPA)
