This treatise is divided into the following sections:

• The Roots of Nowruz
• Bogus claim: Nowruz is a cultural event free of any religious or superstitious connotations that oppose Islamic teachings
• Fire rituals, from Anatolia, Kurdistan to Khorasan
• Fire jumping rituals
• Nowruz according to Zoroastrianism
• The superstitious and polytheistic Haft Sin
• Nowruz Veneration by the Shia clergy
• The Twelfth Imam will emerge on the day of Nowruz
• The day routine of a Shiite on Majusi Nowruz

The Roots of Nowruz

Nowruz, which literally translates to ‘New Day’ in Persian, marks the beginning of spring.  As the spring equinox, Nowruz marks the beginning of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and while it is Zoroastrian in origin, it has been celebrated by Iranians and Persian Jews and to a lesser extent by other Iranic people and those who have been culturally influenced by them.

Although Norouz, Norooz, or Nowruz are the major spellings of the word as evidenced on the internet and in western literature, and while it literally means “new day of the year” in Persian, there are, nonetheless, as many as several dozen other spellings and thus pronunciations of the word as it is spread out across the three continents.

Celebrating the commencement of the New Year is amongst the oldest and the most universally observed festivals, and has a long history in the Middle East and Mesopotamia. The Sumerians, the founders of some of the oldest city-states in ancient Mesopotamia (bain al-Nahrayn 3000BC, present-day southern Iraq), celebrated their new year by growing barley in the first month of their calendar in March/April and, in fact, their New Year was called The Festival of the Sowing of Barley.

Such celebrations were closely tied in with various gods and goddesses and creation myths popular amongst ancient nations, and involved rites and ceremonies expressing jubilation over life’s renewal, which is the essence of the New Year festivals.

The nomadic Iranic tribes that migrated to what is known as the Iranian plateau copied and adopted many customs (even Semite scripts) of the ancient civilisations of the Middle East that preceded them, this is a historical fact that is often undermined if not completely ignored by Iranian nationalists and supremacists who often view themselves superior to older civilisations of the Middle-East.

Iranian historian (Ph.D.) Khodadad Rezakhani says:

Roots of Nowruz

Nowruz is commonly perceived as the most “Iranian” of all celebrations, emphasising an Aryan/Indo-Iranian root for the celebration.  However, the lack of any mention of Nowruz or the traditional, well-known celebrations associated with it in Achaemenid inscriptions as well as the oldest parts of the Avesta, the Old Iranian hymns of Zoroastrianism, can point to the non-Iranian roots of the celebration.

We know that the Sumerian and Babylonian calendars of the Mesopotamia were based on the changing of the seasons.  The sedentary agriculture of Mesopotamia that served as the backbone of Babylonian economy greatly depended on the changing of the seasons and the amount of yearly downpour.  Subsequently, the beginning of the spring mattered greatly in Mesopotamia and was celebrated accordingly.  There also existed an annual ritual in Babylonia when at the beginning of the spring the king was required to make a journey to the temple of Marduk and receive the regal signs from the god and give royal protection to the great god of Babylon.  The yearly renewal of this mutual support seems to symbolize the renewal of life marked by the beginning of the spring.  We have decisive records of the adoption of this ritual by the Iranians when Cyrus the Great invaded Babylon and appointed his son, Cambyses, as his deputy there.

On the other hand, the life style of Iranian tribes prior to their settlement in Iran was nomadic and greatly depended on cattle raising instead of sedentary agriculture, thus devoid of the need to keep exact track of seasonal change. Their homeland, in the central Asian steppes, possessed either very cold winters or scorching summers and the arrival of spring seldom had the same effect as it does on the more temperate lands to the south.

As a result, it is possible to conclude that the original roots of Nowruz laid in the Mesopotamian celebration of the arrival of spring and was later adopted by settled Iranian tribes, probably as early as the reign of the first Achaemenid emperor. It should be pointed out that if we accept this theory of adoption, we should not forget the certain Iranian characteristics that shaped this celebration into a distinctly Iranian custom.

Reference: https://iranologie.com/the-history-page/nowruz-in-history/

Neo-Assyrian (Semite) iconography can be clearly seen in many Persian traditions and historical monuments such as in Persepolis (‘Throne of Jamshid’), the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (c. 550–330 BC or other pre-Zoroastrian symbols like the winged sun used by various powers of the Ancient Near East, primarily those of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Zoroastrian adoption of the symbol knowns as the Faravahar has its origin in Semite Neo-Assyrian iconography. This Assyrian image often includes their Tree of Life, which includes the god Ashur on a winged disk.

Ancient Mesopotamian New Year festivals initially influenced the New Year celebration in ancient Iran. However, Nowruz gradually evolved and by the end of the Sasanian period (7th century AD) became uniquely Iranian by incorporating Zoroastrian creation myths and other stories popular during the late Sasanian period. Other Persian festivals like Mehragan, Tirgan, and Yalda (all celebrated in Shia Iran) are connected to the Sun god (Surya) and originate in Mithraism.

Bogus claim: Nowruz is a cultural event free of any religious or superstitious connotations that oppose Islamic teachings

It is argued that people from different religious and cultural backgrounds celebrate Nowruz and it has thus lost any religious connotation. This is plain and simple wrong for although Nowruz went through a secular process over the decades and centuries, however, it is for a reason associated with Zoroastrianism in which Nowruz is not just any religious holiday (holy day), but the greatest of all Zoroastrian (Majusi) holidays.

Zoroastrians pride themselves on the fact that their holy Nowruz is celebrated by various nations of people with different narrations, fair enough, as Muslims, we would also be proud if various non-Muslim nations venerate our holy days, however, this veneration (of Nowruz) doesn’t change the fact that its religious connotation is still intact just like the religious connotation of Christmas that has arguably also been through a secularisation process.

The truth of the matter is that from Anatolia to Central Asia,  Nowruz celebrations – no matter how secular in nature – are not free of Zoroastrian elements and superstitious practices that have never been endorsed by Islam.

Nowruz is rooted in the tradition of Iranian religions, such as Mithraism and Zoroastrianism. In Mithraism, festivals had a deep linkage with the Sun’s light. The Iranian festivals such as Mehregan (autumnal equinox), Tirgan, and the eve of Chelle ye Zemestan (winter solstice) also had an origin in the Sun god (Surya). Nowruz apologists amongst the Muslims argue that Nowruz is not mentioned in primary Zoroastrian scripture. This is a flawed argument as Nowruz gradually evolved and by the end of the Sasanian period (7th century AD) became uniquely Iranian by incorporating Zoroastrian creation myths and other stories popular during the late Sasanian period. Besides, the two greatest ‘Eids of Islam (al-Fitr and al-Adha) are also not mentioned in the Qur’an, this doesn’t mean that they are not Islamic and an integral part of Muslim identity.

Yes, in many countries, especially outside of Iran, Nowruz is now mostly secular, however, it is steeped in Zoroastrian symbolism and traditions that can be observed by a simple glance.

Fire rituals, from Anatolia, Kurdistan to Khorasan

On the eve of Nowruz, in southern and eastern Kurdistan, bonfires are lit. In the Kurdish regions of Turkey, specifically in Eastern Anatolia but also in Istanbul and Ankara where there are large Kurdish populations, people gather and jump over bonfires.

Armenian scholar Mardiros Ananikian (Ananikean, M. H. 2010) emphasizes the identical nature of Nowruz and the Armenian traditional New Year, Navasard, noting that it was only in the 11th century that Navasard came to be celebrated in late summer rather than in early spring. He states that the Nowruz – Navasard “was an agricultural celebration connected with commemoration of the dead […] and aiming at the increase of the rain and the harvests.” The great center of Armenian Navasard, Ananikian points out, was Bhagavan, the center of fire worship.

Fire rituals are common in Zoroastrianism. In Zoroastrian rituals doctrine, fire is a symbol of light, goodness, and purification. Angra Mainyu, the demonic anti-thesis of Zoroastrianism, was defied by Zoroastrians with a big fire every year, which symbolized their defiance of and hatred for evil and the arch-demon. Thus from Kurdistan to Khorasan fire rituals are integral to Nowruz celebrations that some of the ignorant refer to as ‘secular celebrations void of any religious connotation’.

Fire jumping rituals

Chaharshanbe Suri (Persian: چهارشنبه ‌سوری) is closely related to Nowruz and is a fire jumping ritual in Iran where people literally seek blessings from fire (similar to how Shias pray to Imams, but both is, of course, monotheism according to their low standards):

Loosely translated as Wednesday Light, from the word sur which means light in Persian, or more plausibly, consider sur to be a variant of sorkh (red) and take it to refer either to the fire itself or to the ruddiness (sorkhi), meaning good health or ripeness, supposedly obtained by jumping over it is an ancient Iranian festival dating back to at least 1700 BCE of the early Zoroastrian era. Also called the Festival of Fire, it is a prelude to Nowruz, which marks the arrival of spring.

Amongst the traditions of Chaharshanbe Suri day is to make special ajeel, or mixed nuts and berries. People wear disguises and go door to door knocking on doors as similar to Trick-or-treating. Receiving of the Ajeel is customary, as is receiving of a bucket of water. Ancient Persians celebrated the last 5 days of the year in their annual obligation feast of all souls, Hamaspathmaedaya (Farvardigan or popularly Forodigan). They believed Faravahar, the guardian angels for humans, and also the spirits of the dead would come back for a reunion. There are the seven Amesha Spenta, that are represented as the haft-sin (literally, seven S’s). These spirits were entertained as honored guests in their old homes and were bidden a formal ritual farewell at the dawn of the New Year. The festival also coincided with festivals celebrating the creation of fire and humans. In the Sassanid period, the festival was divided into two distinct pentads, known as the lesser and the greater Pentad, or Panji as it is called today. Gradually the belief developed that the ‘Lesser Panji’ belonged to the souls of children and those who died without sin, whereas ‘Greater Panji’ was truly for all souls.

Bonfires are lit to “keep the sun alive” until early morning. The celebration usually starts in the evening, with people making bonfires in the streets and jumping over them singing

“zardi-ye man az toh, sorkhi-ye toh az man”.

The literal translation is, “my yellow is yours, your red is mine.” This is a purification rite. Loosely translated, this means you want the fire to take your pallor, sickness, and problems and in turn give you redness, warmth, and energy.

From Kurdistan to Iran, it is a tradition to jump across a fire at Nowruz…

or to dance around the fire…

New things are bought and exchanged as gifts on this day. Children get toys, and everyone gets new clothes, families visit one another i.e. it is literally an ‘Eid just like the Islamic ‘Eids.

Nowruz is celebrated mainly in the Persian/Dari-speaking part of Afghanistan and also mainly in Mazar-e Sharif (heavily Sufi) area, it is not so much celebrated by the Iranic Pashtuns, similar to Iranic Baluch people of Iran who traditionally give little to no significance to Nowruz.

Mazar-e Sharif is one of the major cities of Afghanistan, located in the north of the country. The majority of its population is Sunni with a Shia minority, however, the Sunnis are heavily Sufi and Shia influenced. The town is literally named after an obscure tomb (meaning “tomb of the saint”) from the folklore belief (based on a dream!) that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) after being assassinated in Iraq, Kufa, was carried to Balkh, Khorasan, and buried there in what is known today as Afghanistan. This discovery took place in the 15th or (according to Afghan legend) 12th century. Not just extreme forms (typical in Shia and Sufi circles) of grave veneration are a common sight at that mythical and fake grave of ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه), but also annual Nowruz (Zoroastrian holiday) celebrations are held at the shrine, just like in Karbala and Najaf, of course with Iranian state support.

At the annual Jahenda Bala (Persian/Dari: جهنده بالا‎) ceremony, a holy flag whose color configuration resembles Derafsh Kaviani (the royal standard of Iran used since ancient times until the fall of the Majusi-Sasanian Empire) is raised in honour of ‘Ali (رضي الله عنه). People beseech ‘Ali for aid and help and touch the flag for luck in the New Year.

Jahenda Bala is celebrated on the first day of the New Year (i.e. Nowruz), and is attended by high-ranking government officials such as the Vice-President, Ministers, and Provincial Governors. It is a specific religious ceremony performed in the Blue Mosque of Mazar.

Despite all of these facts, some desperate Nowruz apologists try to claim that Nowruz has no religious connotation whatsoever! No scholar (a fringe group of Sunni scholars permitted Nowruz, in comparison, Shia scholars have literally sanctified it and attributed it to Islam, as we shall see) or laymen can ever refute the Zoroastrian connotations of Nowruz that have always been part and parcel of Nowruz celebrations and thus making Nowruz haram for Muslims to celebrate Nowruz.

Nowruz is a religious holiday, it is, in fact, the grandest holiday in Zoroastrianism, even in its most secularised form it hasn’t lost its Zoroastrian connotations. Thus, it can’t be compared to birthdays, national holidays, that some scholars permitted, it is like legitimising Christmas due to the fact that it has been secularised in large parts of the world. The fact of the matter is that Christmas is still and will always be connected to Christianity, it can never be completely void of religious connotations and the same goes for Nowruz.

Islam is not anti-Persian. Nowruz is haram in Islam because it is a festival not just based on other than Islam, but literally based on a religion that is distorted and (despite what its followers claim) flawed in its monotheism i.e. paganism masquerading as monotheism. No religious holiday, not in the slightest form, has the right of veneration except the actual ‘Eids of Islam.  If Islam was anti-Persian that would make Islam anti-Arab too as it has denounced pre-Islamic Arab holidays as well:

Abu Dawood (1134) and an-Nasaa’i (1556) narrated that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Madinah, they had two days on which they would play. He said: “What are these two days?” They said: We used to play on these days during the Jahiliyyah. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Verily Allah has replaced them for you with something better than them: the day of (Eid) al-Adha and the day of (Eid) al-Fitr.”

Reference: Silsilah Sahihah by Shaykh al-Albani

The Muslims do not have any festivals which they celebrate except Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Anything other than that is an innovated festival and it is not permissible to celebrate it. Modern-day Arab countries having innovated certain national holidays is no justification for falsehood. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Nowruz according to Zoroastrianism

Nowruz is the grandest celebration and festival of the Zoroastrian religion and that itself ruins the futile attempts of all Nowruz apologists, especially those in the Islamic world.

The last five days of the last month of the year, called Panjeye Kuchak or “the Small Five,” coincides roughly with March 10-15. During these five days, Zoroastrians take care of the preparatory aspects of Nowruz, including the spring cleaning and buying of new clothes.

Following the Panjeye Kuchak, Zoroastrians believe that the souls of their loved ones and ancestors will return to their homes during the last week of the year, the Panjeye Bozorg, the last five days of the year. Taking care of their spring cleaning before the Panjeye Bozorg reflects one way of welcoming these spirits into their homes

In case some spirits lose their way home, Zoroastrian communities in Yazd and Kerman light fires on their roofs to help guide the fravarhars–the soul that God has bestowed upon humans–descending from the skies on the last night of the Panjeye Bozorg. Some view this as one of the many roots to Chaharshanbe Suri, a holiday where non-Zoroastrian Iranians jump over fire on the last Tuesday night of the year. The relationship might be possible, except that Zoroastrians do not celebrate Chaharshanbe Suri: the Zoroastrian calendar has no “chaharshanbe,” or “Wednesday,” and jumping over fire is seen as disrespectful to fire, which Zoroastrians hold sacred.

Reference: https://ajammc.com/2016/03/21/zoroastrian-nowruz-in-tehran-celebrating-the-big-five/

Nowruz is a Farsi word meaning “new day”.

It is one of the festivals of the Persians and is regarded as the most important of their festivals. It is said that the first one to celebrate it was Jamsheed, who was one of the ancient Persian kings.

Nowruz is the first day of the Persian year, and the festival continues for five days after that.

The Copts of Egypt also celebrate Nowruz, which is the first day of their year. In Egypt, it is known as Shamm en-Naseem (the Smelling of the Zephyr).

Adh-Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his essay Tashabbuh al-Khasees bi Ahl al-Khamees (p. 46):

With regard to Nowruz, the people of Egypt go to extremes in their observance and celebration of it. It is the first day of the Coptic year, which they take as a festival, in which the Muslims imitate them.

The superstitious and polytheistic Haft Sin

The Zoroastrian-Parsi website http://www.avesta.org states:

The Haft-Sheen table symbolizes the holiday spirit in much the same way the Christmas tree promotes a special festive mood and the table is kept replenished for thirteen days. To the Zoroastrians, the sixth day is called the “Naurooz Bozorg” or “greater Naurooz” as it is celebrated as the birthday of Holy Zarathushtra.

Reference: http://www.avesta.org/afrin/20100321_Naurooz_Prayer_Book_all_52_Pages_Landscape_Final.pdf

Haft-sin or Haft-seen (Persian: هفت‌سین‎) is an arrangement of seven symbolic items whose names start with the letter “س” pronounced as “seen” the 15th letter in the Persian alphabet; haft (هفت) is Persian for seven. It is an integral part of Nowruz celebrations in Iran, however, the items vary slightly in different parts of the country, but there are certain elements that define a Haft-Sin. These elements are Sabzeh (wheatgrass grown in a dish), Samanu (sweet pudding made from wheat germ), Senjed (sweet dry fruit of the lotus tree), Serkeh (Persian vinegar), Seeb (apple), Seer (garlic), and Somaq (sumac). As well as these elements, Iranians tend to put other items such as a mirror, candle, colored eggs, a bowl of water with an orange floating in it, goldfish, coins, hyacinth, and traditional sweets and pastries like nokhodchi.

Another important item is a “book of wisdom”, which can be the Avesta, the Shahnameh of Ferdowsi, or the divan of Hafiz. Religious Shiites also put the Qur’an and images of their Imams on their Haft Sin table, mixing the book of Allah with the Majusism of Nowruz.

And the Rafidi-Majusi caravan of superstitions goes on by inventing more bizarre superstitions in the name of ‘the pure Islam of Ahlul-Bayt’…

When the new year begins, older members of the family open the book and consult the book for a resolution or insight for starting the new year. Besides, this is the moment when elderlies give money to youngsters and children, which is called ‘Eidi’. They normally put new banknotes between the pages of the book and as soon as the new year begins, they open it and give the money as a gift to the family members.

As a Muslim reader, you must have no doubt by now that it is exactly everything that defines an ‘Eid, thus, it is not surprising that Nowruz is much more celebrated in ‘Islamic’ Iran than the greatest ‘Eids of Islam (of course, Sunni Iranians are not like that, e.g. the Sunni Iranic Baluch give little to no significance to this ‘Eid).

The seven motifs are straight from Zoroastrian beliefs, with Ahura Mazda co-existing with six other demigods (Izads) who in turn form a unity of seven, so no surprise the holiday centres now with setting out a table of seven things starting with Seen (س) also called ‘Haft Seen’. The real significance of seven was to represent the “Seven Eternal Laws”, which embodies the Teachings of Zarathushtra. It was a way of preserving and a reminder of the teachings of Zarathushtra.

The significance of seven runs deep in Zoroastrian belief, particularly with the seven creations and the seven Amesha Spenta. If you’re not familiar with the latter, it’s referring to the seven ‘Holy Immortals’ (demigods, similar to Shia Imams) that together form sort of a Zoroastrian divine heptad composed of the main god, Ahura Mazda, and six lesser deities (sometimes understood as manifestations of the latter) that together are in a sort of unity ruling over the seven creation, I seek refuge with Allah from this Shirk. Despite all of that, some claim that Nowruz has no religious connotations and is ‘merely’ a cultural holiday of Persian and other Iranic people (and those who have been influenced by them).

Whoever wants to celebrate Nowruz is free to do so, this is not an anti-Nowruz article, this is a dissection of Nowruz from an Islamic perspective and how this non-Islamic ‘Eid has been attributed by the Shia clergy and Twelver Imamite Shi’ism to Allah, His religion, the Prophet, and his household.

Those among the Sunnis (mainly secularists and other irreligious folks) who celebrate this ‘Eid do not attribute it to Islam, Shi’ism on the other hand does exactly that and this is the crux of the matter.

The veneration and sanctification of Nowruz is a natural extension of other heretical Majusi beliefs that over centuries have become part of the very nature of Shi’ism where the core belief (Imamah) itself is based on a Sasanian-Zoroastrian-like hereditary succession of a bloodline of divine Imams who resemble Zoroastrian demigods and are the result of a Sasanian Persian princess (from the fourth Imam onwards).

Zoroastrian (Majusi) Nowruz is an integral part of Twelver Shi’ism, sanctified by the elite of their scholars, from the past to this very day, contrary to what many gullible, naive, and plainly speaking, fooled non-Iranian Shias might believe who think that Nowruz is ‘merely’ an Iranian custom void of any religious connotation and thus only rejected by ‘Wahhabis’.

As for the flawed and spurious argument that Shi’ism cannot possibly have any connection to crypto-Zoroastrians and not been influenced by them as most Iranians were Sunnis throughout the Islamic history of Iran: Modern-day Iran having been a majority Shia country for less than 400 years doesn’t contradict the fact that even in Sunni Persia (pre-Safavid Iran) esoteric (Batini) heretics had been already flourishing in many parts of the Islamic world, including in Arabia, Iraq, and Persia, especially in the form of Batini (esoteric) Shi’ism (like Twelverism) and Batini Sufism (the gateway and springboard to Shi’ism to this very day that Shia clerics and the Iranian regime know very well how to use it for their own benefit.).

It has been empirically proven by many scholars of Islam that Tashayyu’ (Shi’ism) has historically been a favourite vehicle for various heretical movements, especially for crypto-Zoroastrian and anti-Arab Persian movements and cults (even when Persia i.e modern-day Iran was a majority Sunni land) for the distortion of Islam in the name of Islam, or rather a thin guise of Islam (Shi’ism).

The accursed polytheistic Vatican of the Rafidah Shia, that is Qom, has been Twelver Shia decades before the rise of the anti-Sunni Twelver Shia Safavids i.e. when modern-day Iran and Persians and other Iranian ethnic groups were a majority Sunni people. Iran’s Sunni history doesn’t negate the fact that Shi’ism in its extreme form like Twelverism – although scarce – did exist amongst Persians, after all, most, not all, Iranians were Sunni before the Shia Safavid onslaught in the 16th century.

Undoubtedly, the majority of Persian Muslims were Sunnis throughout the Islamic history (more than one Sahabi was a Persian) of Iran, the essence of the Islamic history of Iran is Sunni and the Persians have made one of the greatest contributions to Islam, history and the books of the Ahlus-Sunnah (i.e. Sunnis) bear witness to that and I’ve personally dedicated numerous articles in praise of the Persian people, their Islamic-Sunni history and their contributions to Islam.

However, the noble Persian people, just like the noble Arab people and any other people in the Islamic world have their share of heretics who were hellbent on destroying Islam from day one. In the early years of Islam, the Arabs had their apostates and false Prophets (who were fought by the true believers, the Sahabah, who are accused of apostasy in Iranian Shi’ism!) but the Persians didn’t lack in contributing to heresies and plots against Islam and the caliphate, a group of them actively spread mischief and heresies in the name of Islam, often under the guise of Shi’ism (just like Twelverism and Iran today), the Khurramites, the spiritual descendants of the Safavids who are the spiritual descendants of the modern-day Shia clergy are just one of many examples one can cite.

Anti-Arab sentiments are deeply ingrained not just in the minds of ultra-nationalist Iranians, Iranian supremacists, Paniranians, and other enemies of Islam/Sunnis, but also in the minds of many devout Iranian Shi’ites, which is not surprising, after all, Shi’ism declares the best generation of Islam (Sahabah/Salaf) as the worst of all and even venerates the cowardly murderer Abu LOW LOW al-Majusi who like the coward he was stabbed numerous worshippers, including the pious second caliph of Islam, the conqueror of Persia, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) while they were busy worshipping none but God, Allah, alone.

Majusi mischief and enmity towards Islam is not new, starting from Abu LOW LOW (Abu Lu’luah) the Majusi (who despite being the first suicide terrorist attacker in a mosque, is revered by Shias and anti-Islam Iranian supremacists alike) to various crypto-Zoroastrian Shia movements during the era of Banu Umayyah until the dawn of the Safavids who revived a nearly dead cult (Twelverism) at that time i.e. in the 16th century were Twelverism was so scarce in Iran that the Safavids were forced to import Twelver clerics from the south Lebanon, Iraq, and Bahrain, from regions of those lands were the most despised and heretical individuals that are the Shia clergy were about to rot for good if it wasn’t for the heretical Safavids. This itself is a delicate point that Shias often forget, namely that Twelverism was scarce in Iran. Most forms of Shi’ism existed in the form of Zaydism that is rather close to Sunnism and most Persians from modern-day Tehran to Shiraz were of course Sunnis which itself disproves the lie that the Iranians from day one had an affiliation to Shi’ism but of course does not disprove the rule of a minority of Iranian who just like the ‘Ayatollahs’ distorted Islam in the name of Shi’ism/Ahlul-Bayt, etc.

Nowruz Veneration by the Shia clergy

Mohammad Baqir Majlisi (b. 1037/1628-29 – d. 1110/1699) has been described as one of the most powerful and influential Shi’a scholars of all time, whose policies and actions reoriented Twelver Shi’ism in the direction that it was to develop from his day on.

M.B. Majisi, the Safavid palace, and court Mulla, the Shaykh al-Islam of Twelver Shi’ism, was given immense authority by the anti-Sunni Safavid empire and he executed his powers by oppressing the Sunnis of Iran more than any other religious group.

M.B. Majisi was not only a staunch believer in the distortion of the Qur’an (as a reward Shias buried him in a lavish shrine and shower him with praises and add r.a. after his name!), he also contributed immensely to the (further) Majusification of Twelver Shi’ism.

M.B. Majlisi did not just believe in the permissibility of Nowruz as in regarding it as a merely Persian tradition and custom, he rather attributed it to the Islam, Allah, His Messenger (ﷺ) and his progeny claiming that it (i.e. Nowruz) is a holy day that has been preserved by the Persians and forsaken by the Arabs.

-بهاء الدين علي بن عبدالحميد النسابة  رواه باسناده إلى المعلى بن خنيس عن الصادق (عليه السلام)” ان يوم النيروز هو اليوم الذي اخذ فيه النبي (صلى الله عليه وآله) لامير المؤمنين (عليهالسلام) العهد بغدير خم فاقروا له بالولاية فطوبى لمن ثبت عليها والويل لمن نكثها،بحار الأنوار – العلامة المجلسي – ج ٣٧ – الصفحة ١٠٨

“Al-Mu’alla Ibn Khunays narrates that al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: “Verily, the day of Nowruz is the day when the Apostle (ﷺ) took the oath at Ghadir Khum for Ali (peace be upon him) and declared his Wilayah (divine authority), so glad tidings to the one who remained steadfast on it and woe to the one who has broken it.” [Bihar al-Anwar by Majlisi, vol 37, page 108]

Now before some apologetics try to water down this despicable Majusi-Sasanian-Shia fabrication with the excuse that not everything is authentic in Majlisi’s al-Bihar, or that Majlisi himself might have only narrated it but not acted upon it, then let me add this: M.B. Majlisi in fact insisted that the Ahlul-Bayt sanctified and venerated the Majusi day and ‘Eid of Nowruz. He even argued against some Shia narrations that apparently condemn Nowruz.

Ibn Shahrashub (b. 488/1095 – d. 588/1192) known as Ibn Shahrashub (Arabic: إبن شهرآشوب) relates, that (Caliph) Mansoor requested Imam Moosa al-Kazim (عليه السلام) to hold a congregation for greetings on the day of Nowruz and receive whatever is brought to him. The Imam replied: ”I have examined the reports transmitted to me from my grandfather the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ), and I have not found any details regarding this day of celebration. This had been the practice of the Persians, while Islam has abolished it, and may Allah protect (us), from reviving things which were abrogated by Islam”.

[Nafas al-Mahmoom,  pg. 448 by Abbas Qommi.]

Al-Majlisi said in regards to the narration of above:

قال المجلسي : بيان هذا الخبر مخالف لأخبار المعلى و يدل على عدم اعتبار النيروز شرعا و أخبار المعلى اقوى سندا و أشهر بين الأصحاب و يمكن حمل هذا على التقية لاشتمال خبر المعلى على ما يتقى فيه و لذا يتقى في إظهار التبرك به في تلك الأزمنة في بلاد المخالفين أو على أن اليوم الذي كانوا يعظمونه غير النيروز المراد في خبر المعلى كما سيأتي ذكر الاختلاف فيه . البحار 56/10

This narration contradicts the narration of al-Mu’alla*, in fact, it even discredits the religious legitimacy of Nowruz. The narrations of Al-Mu’alla are stronger chain-wise and more popular among the scholars and it is also possible to view the narration [of l-Kadhim] in light of Taqiyyah […].

*Infamous Ghali Rafidi narrator who narrated the pro-Majoosi/’Eid Nowrooz narrations!

The common Taqiyyah excuse! According to the Safavid heretic M.B. Majlisi the Imams of Ahlul-Bayt denounced Nowruz under the precautionary dissimulation (Taqiyyah). M.B. Majlisi is not alone, other Shia scholars have followed him, Ibn Fahd al-Hilli speaks of Nowruz as an ‘esteemed’ (jalil al-Qadr) day.

As it becomes clear, doubting the authenticity of these narrations won’t change the fact that the likes of M.B. Majlisi actively propagated Zoroastrian rooted holidays such as Nowruz (and with him hundreds of other Safavid scholars and modern-day ‘Ayatollahs’). To put the final nail in the coffin, here some more evidence, irrefutable references that prove that M.B. Majlisi was not merely narrating narrations, rather he acted upon them and in fact dedicated a whole chapter of his  Zad Al-Ma’ad (‘Provisions of the Hereafter), a book that (according to his own words) is a guide for the Shiite in regards to the etiquettes of prayers, fasting and embracing Islamic months, including Nowruz!

In the screenshot above M.B. Majlisi dedicated an entire chapter on the merits and virtues (!) of Nowruz and what kind of supererogatory prayers and other Islamic rituals such as Ghusl should be performed on the day of Nowruz. He also mentions that reliable Shia narrations have been narrated in regards to Nowruz among them is a narration attributed to Imam Ja’far Sadiq (may Allah have mercy upon him) where he praises the Persians for preserving Nowruz (!) and rebuked the Arabs for having carelessly lost it and forsaken it and many other superstitions and Majusism in the name of Ahlul-Bayt.

Finally, M.B.Majlisi states that there are special supplications that one should recite when the day of Nowruz (new year of the Majus) enters.

This is a (Majusi) Sunnah that the Shia clergy observe to this very day when the ‘Ayatollah’, ‘the supreme leader himself, Ali Khamenei, appears on live TV and congratulates (just like his successor Khomeini) the nation for Nowruz with the special Nowruz (!) supplication that M.B. Majlisi recommended.

It’s not just Majlisi though, he merely emphasised on Shia traditions with regards to the merits of Nowruz. Many – including Arab Shia scholars – have followed his falsehood to this very day and have issued fatwas according to which ghusl and fasting (!) are recommended (mustahab) on Nowruz.

Modern-day Shia scholars have filled entire chapters of Fiqh (!) about the greatness of the day of Nowruz, and how it is the day of Allah (!), an ‘Eid, where one must perform special acts of worship. They have all drunk from the Majusi milk of M.B. Majlisi who taught them how to venerate the festival of the Majus with a thin guise (Tashayyu’) of Islam.

Above is a screenshot from the famous ‘al-Mustadrak’ by Mirza Hussein Tabarsi. The zindiq filled an entire chapter (!) related to issues of Fiqh (!) with regards to Nowruz. The underlined part in red translates as:

‘Chapter: The mustahabb (recommended) prayer (!) of Nowruz, Ghusl, fasting, putting on the best of clothes […]’

‘Ayatollah’ ‘Sayyed’ Fadhil ‘al-Hussaini’ al-Milani (not from Italy…). cites al-Hurr al-‘Amili’s (a contemporary of M.B. Majlisi) Wasa`il al-Shia in which he filled an entire chapter with narrations in support of Majusi Nowruz as a day of ‘Eid and worship. The underlined part in red translates as:

‘Chapter: The mustahabb (recommended) prayer (!) of Nowruz, Ghusl, fasting, putting on the best of clothes […]’

‘Ayatollah’ Abul-Qasim Khoie

Screenshot:

Translation:

Question: In regards to what has been narrated about the day of Nowruz, its virtues, and its rituals… Is it possible to rely on it?

Answer: There is no harm in performing the aforementioned rituals, and God knows best.

‘Ayatollah’ Ali Sistani

Fasting is Mustahab on every day of a year except those on which it is haraam or Makrooh to observe a fast. Some of them which have been strongly recommended, are mentioned here:

(i) The first and last Thursday of every month  […]. (ii) 13th, 14th, and 15th day of every month. (iii) On all days of Rajab and Shaban […] (iv) The day of ‘eid Nawroz […]

Reference: https://www.al-islam.org/islamic-laws-ayatullah-ali-al-husayni-al-sistani/fasting-part-ii-ii#1757

Notice how the zindiq Sistani literally referred to Nowruz as an ‘eid!

‘Ayatollah’ Ruhollah Khomeini

Khomeini writes in his ‘Tahrir al-Wasilah says under the chapter of mustahab (recommended) fastings:

…
12. The ‘eid of Nowruz.
13. The first and third of Muharram.

Reference: Tahrir al-Wasilah by R. Khomeini, p.276 (Arabic)

‘Ayatollah’ Sadiq Shirazi

Shia cleric (and professor at the Hawzah of Qom!) Ali Akbar Mahdipour

Mahdipoour claims that:

• Ghadir happened on ‘the great day of Nowruz’!
• Reliable Shia hadith state that Ali’s divine authority (‘Wilayah’) was declared on Nowruz!
• The Shia Mahdi will emerge on the ‘holy day’ (!) of Nowruz and hang the Dajjal in the city of Kufa
• The Ahlul-Bayt said they looked forward (!) to every Nowruz for the emergence of the Mahdi
• The Ahlul-Bayt said that the Arabs have neglected the ‘eid (!) of Nowruz while the Persians have preserved it
• Nowruz is not just a cultural and national holiday (‘eid) but rather an actual religious ‘eid to the Shia

And this list could go on and on with numerous other top Shia authorities who have sanctified and approved Nowruz as a holy day in Islam that should be venerated.

In fact, the first people to accept the recommended deeds on the day of Nowruz were the representatives of Hawzah in Najaf, amongst them highly revered Twelver Shia personalities such as Tusi, Faydh al-Kashani, and other than them.

All religious Shia websites and institutes in Iran actively propagated Nowruz under the banner of Islam and the school of Ahlul-Bayt. The following is a screenshot from the notorious Shiite Fars News Agency (FNA) that is affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The Iranian ‘Ayatollah’ ‘Abbas Qommi (b. 1294/1877 – d. 1359/1940) who openly believed in the distortion of the Qur’an and from whom Shias take their religion, included an entire chapter in his Mafatih al-Jinan (most revered Shia book of du’a) that instructs Shiites to perform various religious rituals on the holy and blessed (!) day of Nowruz.

The status of Mafatih al-Jinan in the Shia world

WikiShia.net:

Mafātīḥ al-jinān (Arabic: مفاتیح الجنان, keys to the heavens) by Shaykh ‘Abbas Qommi is the most popular book of supplication in the Shi’a world. It contains du’as, supplications, Ziyarahs, practices specific to certain days, months, and occasions, religious practices and manners, as well as some anecdotes narrated from the Prophet (s), Imams (a), and Islamic scholars.

Before the introduction of Mafatih al-jinan, other du’a books were used by the Shi’ites. The author of Mafatih al-jinan has included content from other books including Iqbal al-a’mal by al-Sayyid b. Tawus, Misbah by al-Kaf’ami, and Zad al-ma’ad by al-‘Allama al-Majlisi.

Mafatih al-jinan was very well received soon after it was published. Nowadays, it can be found in almost all houses, mosques, and Islamic centers.

Reference: http://en.wikishia.net/view/Mafatih_al-jinan_(book)

Index of Mafatih al-Jahim (‘Jinan’): Translation (highlighted yellow part):

The virtue of the day of Nowruz and the recommended religious rituals on that day and on the Roman months.

Translation of the red marked part:

As for the recommended religious rituals on Nowruz, it is what [Imam] Sadiq (peace be upon him) taught Mu’alla Ibn Khunays, who said: “Take a Ghusl on the day of Nowruz and put on clean and new clothes and apply perfume and fast on that day. After your nafilah, Dhuhr, and ‘Asr prayer, pray four units seperarated by two salams. Read in the first unit Surah Fatihah and ten times Surah Qadr and in the second unit read Surah Fatihah and ten times Surah Kafirun. In the third unit read Fatihah and ten times Surah Ikhlas in the fourth unit read Fatiha and ten times Surah Falaq and Nas. Finally, after finishing the unit, prostrate and say the following du’a…”

Qommi’s promise to Shias at the end of this chapter:

يغفر لك ذنوب خمسين سنة وتكثر

“This will remove you of 50 years of sin …”

Comment:  So Tarawih is an ‘evil Bid’ah’ but I guess revering a pagan Majusi holiday in the name of Ahlul-Bayt is totally legit and a Sunnah?! Practicing all these religious innovations (heresies/bid’ah) is what the Prophet (ﷺ) did on Nowruz, right?

•  Taking Ghusl
• Putting on clean and new clothes
• Applying perfume
• Fasting

That’s literally (minus the fasting) what an Islamic ‘Eid is all about!

‘Ayatollah’ Makarem Shirazi says in his ‘Mafatih al-Nawin’, which is basically a modified version of the most popular Shia du’a book called Mafatih al-Jina’n endorses specific religious rituals that a Shi’ite ought to be practice on the of Nowruz.

It is basically a modified version of Mafatih al-Jinan, Sayyid Hashim Rasuli Mahallati translated this book.

Makarim’s goal, as he mentioned in the preface of the book, has been to make the book well-suited to the current time and remove some content over which there have been disagreements. You’d think he removed any of those kufri and shirki prayers to their saints or the Nowruz veneration bit? Of course, he didn’t. The fourth chapter of his Mafatih includes the practices of the solar months such as Nowruz.

Now, what does he recommend? Well, the same as the zindiq Qommi, he even blatantly states that Nowruz has Islamic (!) significance:

…he [‘Ayatollah’ Makarem Shirazi] states that this day (i.e. Nowruz) has Islamic significance, which we need to ensure is marked in an Islamic fashion.

Reference:http://www.duas.org/nawroz.htm#collapse5

 You will often find Shia apologists and propagandists who try their utmost to downplay the veneration of Majusi Nowruz in their sect. Here an admin of the popular Shiachat forum lying through his teeth, claiming that Nowruz is a merely cultural event:

You will often find many non-Persian Shias who although fully endorse and respect Nowruz, seem to be ignorant of the fact how integral this Majusi holiday is in their sect (whether Khomeinists or Shirazists) and how their top scholars have validated it and called it a blessed day for all Shiites.

Here a member of the ‘Ayatollah’ Khoie clan, who has no clue that the Majusi Nowruz is an essential part of his sect and that he is required to perform several specific rituals on that day and not just congratulating non-Arabs Shiites:

The Twelfth Imam will emerge on the day of Nowruz

The Shia Mahdi whose description resembles the Dajjal rather than the Muslim Mahdi and who carries Majusi titles and will slaughter the Arabs (with the aid of the non-Arabs, Persians, and even Jews!) and on top of that emerge none other day but the holiest day of the Majus (i.e. the Zoroastrians) according to Twelver Shi’ism and the ‘Ayatollahs’. If this is not Majusism disguised as Islam in the name of Ahlul-Bayt then what is it?

How is this Islam? When did the Prophet (ﷺ) ever teach such nonsense and Majusism? Their Judeo-Persian ‘Mahdi’ will not only slaughter all Arabs and resurrect Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (in order to crucify and to burn them!) and the mother of the believers, ‘Aishah (in order to flog her!), he will also carry Zoroastrian titles and appear on Nowruz. Then some wonder they the Rafidah are referred to as Majus…

Here some narrations (Rafidi fabrications) attributed to Ahlul-Bayt who are portrayed as Nowruz enthusiasts.

…it has been narrated that on the day of Nowruz, he was blessed to be in the presence of Imam as-Sadiq (AS). The Imam asked, “Do you know the status of this day?” Mu‘alla replied, “May I be sacrificed for your sake! This is the day which the Iranians took as a great day. On this day, they send gifts to one another.” The Imam replied, “The act of holding this day in esteem and greatness is due to certain historical events which took place which I will now explain to you.” The Imam then mentioned the following events: Nowruz is the day when Allah, the High, took the promise from the souls of all human beings (before their creation) to His oneness, that they would not associate partners with Him and that they would accept and believe in His Prophets and Imams; this is also the day when the flood during the time of Prophet Nuh (AS) subsided and the ark rested on the mountain of Joodi; Nowruz is also the day when the Messenger of Allah destroyed the idols of the polytheists of the Quraish in the city of Makkah. This was also the day that Prophet Ibrahim destroyed the idols;it is also the day when the Qa’im from Aale Muhammad (the 12th Imam) will make his advent…etc ”

Reference: Zad al-Ma’ad by M.B. Majlisi

Here a du’a where Shias are taught how to pray to and for their hidden Imam (‘Mahdi’). It includes an entire chapter called ‘The Day of Nowruz’!

Highlighted part (yellow):

Al-Mu’alla narrates from Imam Sadiq (as) : “No Nowruz goes by except that we Ahlul-Bayt expect al-Faraj (i.e. the appearance of the Mahdi), for it (i.e. Nowruz) is one of our days which the Persians have preserved and protected and they (i.e. Arabs) have forsaken and carelessly lost.”

So there you go, ya Ahlus-Sunnah, especially Arabs, you have forsaken this holy day of Nowruz, says the Majusified version of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq who of course is free and innocent of Shi’ism as Jesus, peace be upon him, is free of the paganism, polytheism, and lies of his so-called ‘followers’.

Highlighted part (grey):

Narration attributed to Imam Sadiq:‘The day of Nowruz is the day when our Qa’im (title of Mahdi) of Ahlul-Bayt and the commanders [of his army] will rise. On that day Allah will make the Dajjal appear and he will be crucified on the church of Kufa (Iraq)’. [Bihar Al-Anwar by Mulla Baqir Al-Majlisi, vol. 52, p. 308]

Kufa? Crucifixion? On NOWRUZ?! We all know that ‘Isa al-Masih (peace be upon him) will kill the Dajjal and not some Judeo-Persian dajjalic saviour on the day of Nowruz!

The day routine of a Shiite on Majusi Nowruz

Have you heard of the du’a of Nowruz? These are the same people who claim that Tarawih prayer is a bid’ah…

“Nowruz is the day when Allah, the High, took the promise from the souls of all human beings (before their creation) to His oneness, that they would not associate partners with Him and that they would accept and believe in His Prophets ”

Screenshot:

The Twelver Imamite Shia sect and its highest representatives have not just permitted the celebration of Nowruz, they have gone the extra mile and have literally attributed Nowruz to the religion of Islam and the Ahlul-Bayt. Shiites are  supposed to perform various acts of religious rituals on the day of Majusi Nowruz such as:

• Performing Ghusl
• Putting on new or clean clothes and applying perfume.
• Keep fasting
• Performing nafilah (supererogatory) prayers

Shiites are supposed to believe that the following events occurred on Majusi Nowruz:

• Allah took the oath from mankind to worship him alone
• Allah took the oath from mankind to believe in the Prophets
• Allah took the oath from mankind to believe in the ‘Twelfth infallible Imams’
• The sun attained its brightness
• The wind started to blow
• The Ark of Prophet Nuh (peace be upon him) was saved
• Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) broke the idols of his community
• Angel Jibrael brought the first revelation to our beloved Prophet (ﷺ)
• The Prophet(ﷺ) lifted the commander of the faithful ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) on his shoulders for removing the idols from the Kaa’ba
• The Prophet (ﷺ) announced the commander of the faithful ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib () as his successor at Ghadir
• The idle and hidden Shia Imam (‘Mahdi’) will reappear

Ask yourself, o Shiite, is this Islam? Is this what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has ever taught? Wake up before it’s too late, and free yourself of these crypto-Majusi Ayatullats and Majusi Twelver cult of Shirk and Majusi Khurafat (superstitions).

Conclusion

Nowruz has never been sanctified and approved by Islam, and this is why you won’t find a religious Muslim (Sunni) observing it in any shape or form. Yes, ‘cultural’ Muslims in the Muslim (Sunni) world observe it but they are mostly of the secular type and heavily influenced by various superstitions. Sunnism itself has never sanctified and approved Nowruz as a holy day, at most one can find a fringe group of scholars who have deemed it as a cultural celebration that is free of any pagan and religious connotation has nothing to do with Islam. However, they are wrong as the facts about Nowruz and the rituals involved in it from Anatolia to Khorasan prove that it is full of superstitious and pagan rituals and customs.

This is why the vast majority of Sunni scholars, including Iranic ones, like Sunnis in Iran and Afghanistan, have condemned Nowruz and exposed its reality in numerous books and lectures that are available online.

On the other hand, the Twelver Imamite Shia sect and its highest representatives have not just allowed the celebration of Nowruz as a cultural festival, they have actually gone the extra mile and have literally attributed Nowruz to the religion of Islam and the Ahlul-Bayt claiming that it is a blessed day on which numerous Islamic events and decisions of God, Allah the Almighty, happened and that various forms of worship should be performed on that day. Undoubtedly, all of that is a Majusification of Islam and Ahlul-Bayt.

After what you have read, is it really surprising that this crypto-Majus who claim Tashayyu’ (Shiism) and love for Ahul-Bayt are the very vicious enemies of those who carried the Message of Islam to the world i.e. the Sahabah, especially those (‘Umar, Khalid ibn al-Walid, etc.) who conquered Persia and extinguished the fire of the temples of Bani Sasan? والله المستعان (Allah is the one sought for help)

I’ll finally leave you with some beneficial videos that will illustrate every sentence that has been typed in this peace.