Nowroz
(shafiq ahmad dinar khan, chitral)
On 21 March, Navroz (Nowruz), a
festival celebrated in many Muslim communities and cultures, . For many
communities, it marks the beginning of a new year and the first day of spring.
More generally, it signifies a time of spiritual renewal and physical
rejuvenation, as well as the spirit of gratitude for blessings and an outlook of
hope and optimism towards the future.
The festival of Navroz commemorates a centuries-old, agrarian custom that over
time was integrated into various cultures and faith traditions. Today, Navroz is
celebrated in many parts of the Middle East and Central and South Asia,
particularly among peoples influenced by Persian and Turkic civilisations. In
countries such as Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan,
Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, Navroz is observed as a public holiday.
In Surah Ya-Sin of the Holy Qur’an, Allah says:
Let the once dead earth be a sign to them. We gave it life, and from it produced
grain for their sustenance. We planted it with palm and the vine and watered it
with gushing springs, so that men might feed on its fruit. It was not their
hands that made all this. Should they not give thanks?
— Surah 36, Verses 33–35