According to the Islamic calendar, neither of two EID’s of Muslims have arrived, so there isn’t a collective cause such as to explain why any of the 1.6 billion Muslims should be engaged in collective celebration.

Perhaps those Muslims celebrating today are all celebrating an event that they’ve all simultaneously have encountered? Perhaps Jumada al-Awwal 17, 1442 AH was the day millions of Muslims coincidentally, had news of a new child in their close family, a new job, new found wealth, became hafidh (memorisers of the entire Quran), or anything else of great blessing? But that seems statistically so unlikely as to be absurd, so it can’t be that.

Perhaps they’re just celebrating and giving thanks for a new day? But if that’s the case, surely they’d be celebrating every day as a new day, no?

Perhaps for those Muslims who live in the northern hemisphere, they’re simply celebrating the Winter solstice, the end of the shortest day of daylight and the beginning of lengthening daylight days? But if so, they’re 10 days too late, it was on yawm alithneen (monday) Jumada Al-Awwal 6, 1442 hijri (21st December 2020 – Gregorian calendar). But Jumada al-Awwal 17 saw no significant cosmological phenomenon happening on this day to merit any such celebration, so it can’t be that.

It can’t be Muslims are celebrating the reset of the Christian Gregorian calendar, as why would the reset of calendar designed to keep the Christian festival of Easter roughly the same time every year, be any cause of celebration for Muslims?

I mean, after all, the festival of Easter is just an invented holiday, not even commanded in (the compilation of Christian letters and second/third hand accounts known as) The Bible, to celebrate the Christian-alleged resurrection of Jesus (ﷺ) from the dead, something Muslims don’t believe happened, so can’t see any even remote interest Muslims would have for celebrating it.

So what could it be?

Nothing in the world has principally changed, the COVID pandemic is still raging (and spreading worse than ever before in the UK), so why any Muslim would be collectively celebrating an arbitrary day is beyond any realm to intellectually account for.

Could it be that some Muslims are just copying what Western/Westernised non-Muslim neighbours are doing?

No, surely not! Why would Muslims ever copy whatever arbitrary festivals or cultural practices other people are doing? It’s not like we don’t have a guide from the Creator of all existence as to what we should celebrate and be thankful for, and what is simply just an arbitrary human invention linked to pre-Islamic invented festivals of a people unenlightened by the Deen (way of life/worldview/ideology) of Islam, right?

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, arrived in Medina during two days in which they were celebrating. The Prophet said, “What are these two days?” They said, “We would celebrate these two days in the time of ignorance.” The Prophet said, “Verily, Allah has replaced these two days with two better days: Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.”

Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 1134

Addendum:

[They will be told], “This is because you used to rejoice on earth wrongfully, and you used to exult [arrogantly]’ [Quran 40:75]

‘O humanity! Indeed, there has come to you a warning from your Lord, a cure for what is in the hearts, a guide, and a mercy for the believers. Say, [O Prophet] “In Allah’s grace and mercy let them rejoice. That is far better than whatever they amass.”’ [Quran 10:57-58]

‘It is He who made the sun a shining light and the moon a derived light and determined for it phases – that you may know the number of years and account [of time]. Allah has not created this except in truth. He details the signs for a people who know….Indeed, those who do not expect the meeting with Us and are satisfied with the life of this world and feel secure therein and those who are heedless of Our signs [Quran 10:5-7]

‘Have you not seen those who claim to have believed in what was revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what was revealed before you? They wish to refer judgment to Taghut, while they were commanded to reject it; and Satan wishes to lead them far astray’ [Quran 4:60]

“Do they then seek the judgement of (the days of) ignorance? And who is better in judgement than Allah for a people who have firm faith?” [Quran 5:50]

‘Nor does he [Muhammed ﷺ] speak from whim. It is nothing but Revelation revealed’ (53:3-4)

‘But when those apart from Him [Allah SWT] are mentioned, they promptly start rejoicing’ [Quran 35:45]

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