IPA calls on to refrain from New Year celebrations

The Islamic Party of Azerbaijan (IPA) has addressed to Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pashazadeh, the leader of the Caucasian Muslims Office (CMO), asking him to take steps to cancel the festivities on the occasion of the coming New Year.

The IPA motivates its initiative by the fact that this year, the day of death of the Prophet Muhammad and Imam Khasan falls on December 31.

"We believe that the day of death of the Prophet should be marked as a national memorial day. On that day, TV Channels should limit the number of holiday shows and draw much attention to sermons and conversations of theologians," the IPA's appeal states.

 "The Party’s initiative has to do with ethic and religious traditions of Azerbaijani people, " acting chairman of IPA Elchin Manafov told the ‘Caucasian Knot’ correspondent.

"We are a Muslim country and we must respect the memory of the Prophet. That is why we ask to refrain from New Year festivities this year", Manafov said.

In his turn, theologian Gamet Suleimanov, the leader of the religious community of the Salafi mosque "Abu Bakr" in Baku, believes that all faithful Muslims should not celebrate the New Year holiday, and this fact should not be linked to the day of death of the Prophet.

"New Year is a Christian holiday, and it means the beginning of a year in the Gregorian calendar. This holiday has no relation to Muslims," Gamet Suleimanov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

However, he has also stated that to impose the rules of behaviour on the New Year's Eve for citizens is unacceptable.