My Sunni friend informed me that wishing a ‘happy new year’ is haram and counts as bidah. He said that it’s an innovation and that the prophet PBUH did not wish a happy new year so why would we. He also mentioned that nothing should be wished for because there is no such thing as luck because everting is preordained( Qadr) and that it is imitating the non believers.

From my understanding, the shia school of thought and Marjas have no problem with wishing a happy new year, but what is our reasoning and why don’t we follow the same reasoning as the sunnis do in regards to Bidah, imitating non believers and there being no such thing as luck for someone to “wish”.

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As long as one is not supporting an false beliefs by wishing a happy new year, it’s not haram. When a believer wishes a happy new year, essentially he is praying for others. He is saying: may Allah bless you with a new year. That’s the basis of his intention, so it is permissible.

A bid’ah is when we add something to religion or make false claims. There are many things the Prophet (s) didn’t do that we do today. We drive cars and fly planes. We use phones. And so on. Does this mean they are Bid’as? Of course not. As long as we are not supporting any pagan or false beliefs, and we are not making false claims about Allah and religion, then it’s permissible