New Year's Eve to be addressed in Friday sermon

The Presidency of Religious Affairs evaluated New Year's entertainment, Santa Claus figures and costumes, and Christmas tree decorations as 'wrong attitudes.' It called for staying away from alcohol, gambling, and games of chance.

The Presidency of Religious Affairs targeted New Year's celebrations in the Friday sermon to be read in mosques, titled 'Spending a lifetime with the consciousness of accountability,' published with only days left until 2024. Instead of well wishes, the sermon spoke of death, stating, "We have taken one more step toward the inevitable end, which is death. Now let us ask ourselves together: Are we ready for the day of reckoning when everything will be fully accounted for?"

"IT HAS NO PLACE IN OUR RELIGION AND CULTURE"

Criticizing New Year's entertainment in the sermon, it was stated, "Let us stay away from wrong attitudes and behaviors such as New Year's entertainment, Santa Claus figures and costumes, and Christmas tree decorations, which have no place in our religion and culture."

In the sermon, where it was requested that alcohol not be consumed, lottery games were also criticized. The expressions, "Let us not waste our health, our time, and our earnings on forbidden things such as alcohol, the mother of all evils; gambling, which destroys homes; and games of chance and lotteries, which consume hopes," were used.

News Source: 12punto