When I asked one of my friends what year this Muslim’s New Year is, he hesitantly answered, “Fourteen seventy something.” I said, “Oh, fantastic. We can celebrate it, but that would be about fifty years from now.”

We did not laugh. This ignorance is perfectly understandable. I wouldn’t have known this fact either had I not been cozily sleeping in the mosque while the Khatib was soothingly delivering his sermon last Friday prayer. (Shame on me. Facts of life, you were right my sister.)

Oh, can you also be so damn sure that you can pronounce the word Ma’al right? (Do you remember Vince's suicidal attempt in his song with Yassin? Yes, that part with ta-a-la. Hahaha).

Apparently, less publicity is given to the 1427th celebration, if you ever call it so, of Ma’al Hijrah. Despite the hangover euphoria that everybody just felt for 2006 (Jesus Year!) exactly one month ago, this Muslim’s New Year is celebrated so ‘flamboyantly’ in the midst of spiritual malaise of our fellow Muslims. No firework at KLCC. No mega concert. No discount for Orange Club (Astaghfirullah!). No parties, of course. Good. (Do we have to?)

Besides the ever famous 2006 New Year, I see another ‘meeting’ between Chinese New Year and Muslim’s New Year as ironic coincidence. The former is full of traditional celebrations while the latter is full of religious significance. One is celebrated in joyful mood, laughter, hilarity and familiness while the other one is ‘partied’ in a less-firework understanding of Hijrah – physical, spiritual and mental swing of Muslim’s renaissance. The only ‘obvious’ Ma’al Hijrah program is the national ‘gala’ aired ‘live’ on most TV stations early in the morning, the very morning when most young Muslim teenagers are sleeping comfortably on their beds.

3 New Years, 3 Meanings, 3 Lives.

Happy New Years (Jesus, Chinese, Muslim)!