Hawzah News Agency (Qom, Iran) – Ayatollah Alavi Boroujerdi, a senior Shia scholar, addressed a group of clerics in Qom as he made remarks regarding Nowruz holidays (Iranian New Year’s holiday) and its historic background in pre-Islamic Iran. He said:

"Nowruz is a nice tradition which dates back to the pre-Islamic era and Zoroastrianism in Iran. But this does not mean we should associate all Nowruz traditions to Zoroastrianism. There’s no such thing as Nowruz in Islam, but our religion does not disapprove of celebrating it either. The main Islamic holidays are Eid al-Ghadir and Eid al-Adha which are celebrated every year according to the Islamic calendar. Nowruz dates back to pre-Islamic era and is still celebrated to this date.”

"Many of the pre-Islamic traditions and customs were later considered as good ones in Islam and thus were endorsed by Prophet Muhammad (sawa), so he approved of preserving them. Imam Ali (as) has also advised maintaining good traditions in his letter to Malik al-Ashtar."

"There are also some Islamic narrations to endorse Nowruz as a worthwhile holiday; Imam Jafar al-Sadiq (as) has said, “On the first day of Nowruz, wear your finest clothes and perfume,” said Ayatollah Alavi.

End.