By 
Soon, the world's population will experience a change of year. The year that will change is, of course, the Masehi(Gregorian) year. This change is marked by celebrations carried out by some people under the term New Year. Arabs usually call it ra’su as-sanah. This celebration is characterized by events involving firecracker throwing, gathering to count down the clock, and blowing trumpets, as well as various attributes and activities that are not devoid of immorality. Uniquely, the new year celebration is performed 7 days (a week) after the mainstream Christmas celebration, which is 7 days after December 25th. This new year celebration is named "New Year of Masehi." It is usually accompanied by Christmas celebrations. That is why there is often the expression "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year." The existence of this pairing is not a coincidence and without meaning. Precisely because of the close link between the two celebrations, they are paired together.
The Word “Masehi” Not many know that the word “Masehi” originates from a loanword from the Arabic language which sounds like masihi or al-masihi, namely اَلْمَسِيحِي or مَسِيحِي. It means “follower of Al-Masih.” If in Indonesia they are usually called Kristen which means follower of Christ, where the word comes from the English loanword “Christian”, then in the region of Egypt and its surroundings, they are usually called Al-Masihi which means follower of Al-Masih. Because, Christians or Nasrani in Arab [lands] are proud to call themselves Al-Masihi or Al-Masihiyun which means followers of Al-Masih. The word was also imported and absorbed into the Indonesian language becoming Masehi. In some parts of Sumatra, Christians are sometimes called “Masehi people” by some residents who profess Islam. Of course, what is meant by Al-Masih here according to Christians is Al-Masih Isa son of Maryam. Al-Masih has the same meaning as Christ, namely “the anointed one”. Because, al-masih in Arabic comes from the word masaha-yamsahu which means wiping with the hand or anointing. That is why Christians in the East usually call themselves Al-Masihi or Masehi(followers of Al-Masih) following Arabic and languages cognate with it, while Christians in the West call themselves Kristen (followers of Christ) following Greek-Latin. The substance of the naming Masehi and Kristen is the same, without any difference at all, even though the language looks different. Briefly, Isa Al-Masih in Arabic if translated to English would be Jesus Christ or Yesus Kristus in Indonesian. This means, the Masehi Year means the same as the Christian Year. The Masehi New Year means the same as the Christian New Year. The Masehi New Year Celebration is the same as the Christian New Year Celebration. Unfortunately, many Muslims do not know and are unaware of this. If in the official calendar dating it was called “Christian New Year”, would there still be Muslims who want to celebrate that new year?! Here we understand why in the official dating it is deliberately called “Masehi New Year,” not “Christian New Year.” There are those who deliberately exploit the ignorance of Muslims in Indonesia regarding the similarity of meaning or synonym of these two words (Masehi and Kristen). Wallahu a’lam.
Al-Masih In Islamic Creed Al-Masih is a famous term in the terminology of Islamic teachings. Because it is mentioned several times in the Quran when speaking about Prophet Isa. If in the Jewish and Christian religions, Al-Masih is only one figure, then in Islam there are two figures. Islam and Christians (Nasrani) agree that who is meant by Al-Masih is Isa son of Maryam, although the Jews do not agree with that. Because, Al-Masih (Messiah) according to the Jews has not existed until this day, but will appear approaching the doomsday to save the Jews from oppression and punishment. The difference is, Christians only establish one figure as Al-Masih, whereas Islam establishes 2 figures. These two figures will meet approaching the doomsday later by Allah's destiny. They are Al-Masih Isa son of Maryam the noble Prophet of Allah and Al-Masih Ad-Dajjal the humiliated enemy of Allah. The Messenger of Allah referred to Dajjal as Al-Masih in his prayer when he sought refuge from his evil. The Messenger of Allah said:
إِذَا فَرَغَ أَحَدُكُمْ مِنَ التَّشَهُّدِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيَتَعَوَّذْ بِاللهِ مِنْ أَرْبَعٍ: مِنْ عَذَابِ جَهَنَّمَ، وَمِنْ عَذَابِ الْقَبْرِ، وَمِنْ فِتْنَةِ الْمَحْيَا وَالْمَمَاتِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ الْمَسِيحِ الدَّجَّالِ
“When one of you finishes the final tasyahhud, then let him seek refuge in Allah from four things: from the torment of Jahannam, from the torment of the grave, from the trial of life and death, and from the evil of Al-Masih Dajjal.” (Narrated by Muslim: 588 from Abu Hurairah).
The Quran only refers to people who claim to be followers of Prophet Isa as Nasrani or Nashara, nothing more than that. The Quran never refers to them as Masehi or Al-Masihi, likewise the Messenger of Allah and the companions. Calling them Al-Masihi or Masehi is not something appropriate if the Al-Masih intended is Al-Masih Isa son of Maryam. Because of the difference in teachings that they believe in with the teachings adhered to by Prophet Isa from the point of view of Islamic teachings. If the Al-Masih intended is Al-Masih Dajjal, of course not a single religion wants to be attributed to Dajjal and it could be an unjust accusation for them. So calling them Masehi is a designation that is not elegant and not proper if weighed from various aspects of Islamic teachings. After knowing these facts, do [you] still want to celebrate the MasehiNew Year? Participating in celebrating a religious new year or a specific celebration of another religion while being pleased and happy about it can threaten the nullification of faith and expel that person from Islam. Companion Abdullah bin Amru bin Al-Ash said:
مَنْ بَنَى بِبِلَادِ الْأَعَاجِمِ وَصَنَعَ نَيْرُوزَهُمْ وَمِهْرَجَانَهُمْ وَتَشَبَّهَ بِهِمْ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ وَهُوَ كَذَلِكَ حُشِرَ مَعَهُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ
“Whoever lives in the lands of the ‘ajam (non-Arabs), participates in celebrating their Nairuz and Maharjan (religious celebrations), and resembles them, then he dies in that state, he will be gathered with them on the Day of Resurrection later.” (Recorded by Al-Bayhaqi in As-Sunan Al-Kubra: 18863).
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said explaining this hadith, “This atsar indicates that such a thing (celebrating the celebrations of the disbelievers) can cause him to become a disbeliever if [he] has been involved with them in all elements of the celebration, or the consequence is making that a part of major sins that invite the punishment of hell (for him). Although the first possibility is more apparent in the indication contained by the redaction (causing disbelief).” (Iqtidha As-Shirathil Mustaqim, 1/515) He also said in the same book, “There is no difference in the matter of participating with them in terms of celebrations or in all their principles of life. Because full involvement in all their celebrations is involvement in disbelief and involvement in some aspects of the celebration is involvement in branches of disbelief. Even celebrations are religious teachings that are more specific in nature. So whoever enlivens the symbols of that celebration, then his involvement in enlivening it is involvement in teachings of disbelief that are even more specific in nature and whose symbols are more visible. Undoubtedly, involvement in this matter can lead to total disbelief if it has met all its parameters.” (Iqtidha- As-Shirathil Mustaqim, 1/528).
Wallahu a’lam
 ?>){kind=icon}
 ?>){kind=icon}
