Customs and Traditions of Nowruz

Customs and Traditions of Nowruz

The customs and traditions observed during festivals reflect the culture and civilization of different nations. Naturally, these practices vary across societies. For example, in certain Jewish festivals, the idea of killing a person and using human blood in bread-making has been mentioned in historical accusations, and in some Christian celebrations, bread and dough are prepared with wine. Thus, the rituals of each festival are significant, as they reveal the identity, greatness, decline, or stagnation of various nations. Every nation’s celebration corresponds to its cultural background.

In Christian culture, for instance, during Christmas, there is the figure of Santa Claus—an elderly man with a white beard—who symbolizes respect for the elderly. He visits homes and brings gifts for children, strengthening the bond between children and the elderly as well as reinforcing children’s connection to religion and to Christ from the early days of their lives.

Purity and Cleanliness

 Islam has infused Nowruz with several beautiful and meaningful traditions, one of which is the emphasis on purity, cleanliness, and hygiene—known among Iranians as khāneh-takānī (spring cleaning). Undoubtedly, Islam is a religion that strongly values cleanliness, hygiene, and refinement.

As Will Durant notes, the French did not originally have toilets and learned their construction from Muslims. During the Crusades, when the Muslims were defeated, some infiltrated the Christian army, the Christian commander instructed his troops on how to identify Muslims: anyone who smelled of perfume and cleanliness was Muslim, and anyone with the odor of sweat and dirt was Christian. This was because Islam places great importance on purity and cleanliness. Thus, the practices of refinement and cleanliness were among the values that Islam contributed to Nowruz and its rituals—adding beauty and depth to this ancient celebration.

Self-Accountability

Among merchants and traders, one of the traditional practices observed at the beginning of the new year was financial accounting. Those involved in economic activities typically review their finances before or during Nowruz. In Islam, if such accounting is intended for paying khums, zakat, and other obligatory dues, it becomes a religious duty.

The important point is that Islam teaches that just as we review our financial records at the end of the year, we must also engage in self-accountability. This means reflecting on and evaluating the actions and conduct of the past year—examining ourselves before our deeds are examined for us.

Visiting Family and Friends During Nowruz

One of the long-standing traditions of Nowruz is making visits to relatives, friends, and acquaintances. This practice is considered a highly valued custom within Islamic culture. It is said that whoever visits a believer is as if they have visited God upon His Throne, and whoever encounters a difficulty on the way to visit a believer, God will remove seventy difficulties from their life in return.

Reconciliation and Peace

Another custom and tradition of Nowruz is fostering reconciliation and peace. Among Iranians, it has long been customary to bring together those who hold grudges, helping them mend their relationships. This practice reflects a deeply valued message of the Qur’an, which calls upon believers to establish peace among one another so that their relations may be restored and strengthened.

Wearing new clothes, maintaining cleanliness in clothing, handshaking, and embracing

Among the other Islamic customs infused into Nowruz are wearing new and clean clothes, which are considered great values in Islam. Kissing is also among these customs. Islam is a comprehensive religion that provides guidance for all major aspects of human behavior as well as its finer details. Therefore, it also offers teachings regarding kissing. It is important to note that Islam states that kissing one’s parents is an act of worship, and kissing one’s children increases one’s ranks in Paradise. In Islamic teachings, there is a distinction between reward (ajr) and rank (darajah)—similar to military systems: sometimes a person receives a one-time commendation for an action, while sometimes they receive a permanent rank. Thus, kissing is encouraged in Islam, and it is said in Islamic teachings that kissing relieves emotional tension and serves as the silent message of love. It carries spiritual reward, because the forehead—often kissed—is the place that touches the ground in prostration and is considered a place of worship to God. Likewise, handshaking is another custom associated with the holiday, and according to narrations, as long as the hands of two believers remain in each other’s grasp, their sins fall away like autumn leaves.