Nowrooz according to the Islamic traditions

Nowrooz is an ancient Persian holiday that was marked and celebrated before the emergence of Islam. It is rooted in in the religious tradition of Iranian religions such as Zoroastrianism or even older in tradition of Mitraism because in Mitraism festivals had a deep linkage with the sun light. But it has been respected and recommended by some of the Islamic scholars and leaders such as Imam Ali (A) and Imam Sadiq (A).

There are some reliable hadiths from the infallible imams including Imam Sadeq (A) [1] regarding Nowruz, according to which some of the Muslim scholars have given the fatwa to the fadhilah (recommendation) of ghusl (ritual washing) on the day of Nowruz .[2]

There are numbers of narrations regarding Nowrooz according to which in this day • God made a covenant with the souls before creation • Nowruz marks the first day when the universe started its motion • Adam was created • Abraham destroyed the pagan idols that were being worshipped by his father and others • The Quran was revealed to Muhammad, the night of Layla tul Qadr — Night of Power • Muhammad took Ali on his shoulders to smash 360 idols in Mecca • Muhammad declared Ali as his legitimate successor at Gadhir-e Khumm • Ali was born on Navroz (on the solar calendar, the lunar Muslim calendar had not yet been established until the Hijra, the migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina) in the Kaaba that was built by Abraham and Ismael (Ibrahim and Ismail) • Salman Farsi, Al-Fars (Salman the Persian) converted to Islam on Nowruz and used to prepare special sufro (offering of food and sweets) on the day of Nowruz for Muhammad and Ali. [3]

From the mentioned narrations and hadiths it can be understood that Nowrooz is a very respectable day in Islam though it cannot be categorized as religious ones but, this event is at least categorized under the mubah (things that which are permissible). Since this day coincides with times that remind us of the greatness of the lord, the creator of nature and moreover, people perform rituals that are recommended is Islam, such as: cleaning the house, visiting relatives and family, celebration by the mu’mineen (believers), removing enmity and hatred between each other, freeing prisoners, etc. it can be categorized amongst the recommended days in Islam.  

Notes:
[1] وسائل الشیعه ، ج 5 ، ص288 .إذا کانَ یَومُ النَّیروزِ فَاغْتَسِل وَ البَسْ أنظَفَ ثِیابِکَ
[2] منتهى المطلب (ط.ق)، ج 1، ص 130 علامه حلى: ويستحب الغسل ليلة الفطر... ويوم النيروز للفرس
[3] الصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ ع: إِنَّ یوْمَ النَّیرُوزِ هُوَ الْیوْمُ الَّذِی أَخَذَ اللَّهُ فِیهِ مَوَاثِیقَ الْعِبَادِ وَ هُوَ أَوَّلُ یوْمٍ طَلَعَتْ فِیهِ الشَّمْسُ هُوَ الْیوْمُ الَّذِی حَمَلَ فِیهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏ ص أَمِیرَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ ص عَلَى مَنْکبِهِ حَتَّى رَمَى أَصْنَامَ قُرَیشٍ وَ کذَلِک إِبْرَاهِیمُ ع وَ هُوَ الْیوْمُ الَّذِی بُویعَ فِیهِ لِأَمِیرِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ ع فِیهِ الْبَیعَةَ الثَّانِیةَ وَ هُوَ الْیوْمُ الَّذِی ظَفِرَ فِیهِ بِأَهْلِ نَهْرَوَانَ وَ قَتَلَ ذَا الثُّدَیةِ وَ هُوَ الْیوْمُ الَّذِی یظْهَرُ فِیهِ قَائِمُنَا وَ وُلَاةُ الْأَمْرِ وَ ... ( مستدرک ‏الوسائل ج : 6 ص : 353 ، بَابُ اسْتِحْبَابِ صَلَاةِ یوْمِ النَّیرُوزِ وَ الْغُسْلِ فِیهِ ) (عوالی اللئالی: ج۳، ص ۴۱ - المهذب البارع، بحارالانوار: ج۵۶، ص ۱۱۶ - وسائل الشیعة: ج۵، ص ۲۸۸)