Greeting address on behalf of the Grand Mufti of Bulgaria Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi on the occasion of the coming of the New Hijri 1440 Year 

Dear Muslim brothers and sisters,

Another one year from the Islamic calendar is about to end and the new 1440 year from the migration of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) from Mecca to Medina will begin. This is the beginning of a new page in the human history and it is an expression not only of the physical migration from one place to another. This is a “migration” from paganism to Islam, from delusion to truth, from oppression to justice, etc.

The Prophet (pbuh) himself said that the true migration is the migration from sin to righteousness, so that the Migration is not restricted only to him but to everyone who wants to leave the wrong way and to start on the right path.

Every Muslim today, even more than that – every person, needs such a migration, because we are living in times when people have lost direction and sense of responsibility, and if they do not straighten up and do not ask for guidance from the Exalted Allah, they will lose the small part of human values that are still available, though rarely.

This should be the understanding for the New 1440 Year for the Muslims. Unlike those who celebrate the coming of the New Year with alcohol and fireworks, the understanding for us as Muslims has to correspond to the responsibility to the Creator of the Universe; it has to be accompanied by a sense of responsibility and to aim at improving the character of the separate person individually and the society as a whole.

May the Exalted Allah give the opportunity to everyone to taste the sweetness of faith and of worshipping, and to guide all people. Let us be better, more compassionate and more generous during the New Year.  Let us try to be happier every following year – not by trampling on someone’s rights but by giving happiness and love everywhere. Let the New Year bring bliss and joy to everyone who seeks the true happiness.

Wassalamu alaykum,

Dr. Mustafa Hadzhi

Grand Mufti of the Muslims in the Republic of Bulgaria