Doing extra acts of worship on occasions when sin is widespread
Question

                What is the ruling on doing acts of worship at times when people are committing a lot of sin (such as the Gregorian New Year), acting upon the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “Worship at times of turmoil is like migrating to me (hjrah)”?.
Praise be to Allah.
    The Muslim who adheres to his religion is the one who 
    remembers Allah, many He be glorified and exalted, in secret and openly, at 
    good times and bad. His Lord is never absent from his thoughts or from his 
    heart, and he is not distracted by anything from worshipping Him, and he is 
    not diverted by anything from loving Him. So you see him in all 
    circumstances keen to worship Allah, keen to fill his life with obedience to 
    his Lord. If he mixes with other worshippers, he competes with them to earn 
    the pleasure of Allah, and when he sees those who are heedless, he realizes 
    the blessing that Allah has bestowed upon him by guiding him. These are the 
    witnesses and the strangers, those who are holding on to a coal of fire; 
    many hadeeths speak of the virtue of their actions and their adherence to 
    the Sunnah at times of turmoil, tests and alienation. 

    It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with 
    him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon 
    him) said: “Islam began as something strange and will revert to being 
    something strange, so glad tidings to the strangers.”

    Narrated by Muslim, no. 145 

    The one who adheres to the Sunnah and obedience and worship 
    of Allah during times of turmoil and negligence and during times of 
    righteousness and piety is doing well. He strives and worships whatever the 
    situation. 

    This is the one who is praised in the hadeeths. 

    As for what some people understand, that one should watch out 
    for days when sin and evil are widespread so that one may hasten to single 
    out that day for fasting or praying qiyaam, when that is not part of his 
    regular practice, this is not the correct understanding of the hadeeth, and 
    is not what was meant by the Wise Lawgiver. Rather what is meant is to 
    encourage people to adhere to the Sunnah constantly and to follow completely 
    the commands of Allah, so that the Muslim will remain a beacon on earth 
    during the darkest times and will meet Allah never having faltered in his 
    commitment to Him. 

    This is how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon 
    him) was. At every moment of every day he was devoted and sincere towards 
    Allah, may He be exalted, and he never missed any opportunity to worship 
    Him. Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: O Messenger 
    of Allah, I have never seen you fast as much in any month as you fasted in 
    Sha’baan. He said: “That is a month that the people neglect between Rajab 
    and Ramadan, but it is the month in which deeds are taken up to the Lord of 
    the Worlds, and I would like my deeds to be taken up when I am fasting.” 
    Narrated by al-Nasaa’i in al-Sunan (no. 2357) and classed as hasan by 
    al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, no. 1898. 

    This is also the meaning of the hadeeth which was narrated by 
    Ma’qil ibn Yasaar (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet 
    (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Worship at times of 
    turmoil is like migrating to me (hjrah).” Narrated by Muslim (2548). 

    Al-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: 

    What is meant by turmoil here is fitnah and when there is a 
    great deal of confusion among people. The reason why worship at such times 
    is of such great virtue is that people become careless about it and are 
    distracted from it, and no one is devoted to it except a few. End quote. 

    Sharh Muslim 18/88 

    We do not think that the sister who asked this question or 
    any of the Muslims should single out the night of the Gregorian New Year for 
    worship by way of responding to the disbelievers who fill those nights with 
    sin, unless it is already a Muslim’s regular habit to pray qiyaam or fast at 
    other times too, in which case there is nothing wrong with doing acts of 
    worship on those nights, and Allah will reward him with good for his actions 
    and his intention. 

    The warning against singling out the nights of the 
    disbelievers’ festivals for worship has been discussed in the answer to 
    question no. 113064. 

    And Allah knows best.