ISLAM AND HALLOWEEN
ISLAM AND HALLOWEEN
Malaysia's
top Islamic council has issued a fatwa banning the celebration of
Halloween as haram and contradicting with Islamic law.
“The Halloween celebration is clearly against the values of Shari`ah. It cannot be celebrated by Muslims,” the council said in a blog-post cited by International Business Times on Thursday, October 30.
“The Halloween celebration is clearly against the values of Shari`ah. It cannot be celebrated by Muslims,” the council said in a blog-post cited by International Business Times on Thursday, October 30.
Every year, on the evening of
October 31st, millions of children across North America paint their
faces, dress up in costumes, and go from door to door in order to
collect treats. The adults often decorate their houses with ghostly
figures, carve scary faces on pumpkins, and put candles in them to
create 'Jack-O-Lanterns.' Unfortunately, among the millions of North
Americans partaking in this custom, many are Muslims. This article will
shed some light on the significance and origins of Halloween, and why
Muslims should not participate in it.
Origins of the Halloween Festival
The ancient Celtic
(Irish/Scottish/Welsh) festival called Samhain is considered by most
historians and scholars to be the predecessor of what is now Halloween.
Samhain was the New Year's Day of the pagan Celts. It was also their Day
of the Dead, a time when it was believed that the souls of those who
had died during the year were allowed access into the 'Land of the
Dead.' Many traditional beliefs and customs associated with Samhain
continue to be practiced today on the 31st of October. Most notable of
these customs are the practices of leaving offerings of food and drink
(now candy) to masked and costumed revellers, and the lighting of
bonfires. Elements of this festival were incorporated into the Christian
festival of All Hallow's Eve, or Hallow-Even, the night preceding All
Saint's (Hallows') Day. It is the glossing of the name Hallow-Even that
has given us the name of Halloween. Until recent times in some parts of Europe,
it was believed that on this night the dead walked amongst them, and
that witches and warlocks flew in their midst. In preparation for this,
bonfires were built to ward off these malevolent spirits.
By the 19th century, witches'
pranks were replaced by children's tricks. The spirits of Samhain, once
believed to be wild and powerful, were now recognised as being evil.
Devout Christians began rejecting this festival. They had discovered
that the so-called gods, goddesses, and other spiritual beings of the
pagan religions, were in fact diabolical deceptions. The spiritual
forces that people experienced during this festival were indeed real,
but they were manifestations of the devil who misled people toward the
worship of false idols. Thus, they rejected the customs associated with
Halloween, including all representations of ghosts, vampires, and human
skeletons - symbols of the dead - and of the devil and other wicked and
evil creatures. It must also be noted that, to this day, many
Satan-worshippers consider the evening of October 31st to be their most
sacred. And many devout Christians today continue to distance themselves
from this pagan festival.
The Islamic Perspective
Eemaan (faith) is the
foundation of the Islamic society, and Tawheed (monotheism) is the
essence of this faith and the very core of Islam. The safeguarding of
this Eemaan, and of this pure Tawheed, is the primary objective of all
Islamic teachings and legislations.
In order to keep the Muslim
society purified of all traces of Shirk (polytheism) and remnants of
error, a continuous war must be waged against all customs and practices
which originate from societies' ignorance of Divine guidance.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad issued a stern warning in this regard by stating: "Whoever imitates a people is one of them." [Abu Daawood]
Muslims should heed this
warning and refrain from copying or imitating the Kuffaar (disbelievers)
in their celebrations. Islam has strongly forbidden Muslims from
following the religious or social customs of the non-Muslims, especially
those of the idol-worshippers or those who worship the devil. The
Prophet said: "I
swear by Him in Whose hands is my life! You are ordered to enjoin good
and forbid evil, or else Allaah will certainly afflict you with
torments. Thereafter, even your Du'aa' (supplications) will not be
accepted." [At-Tirmithi]
From an Islamic standpoint,
Halloween is one of the worst celebrations due to its origins and
history. It is Haraam (forbidden) to partake in such a practice, even if
there may be some seemingly good or harmless elements in it, as
evidenced by a statement from the Prophet : "Every innovation (in our religion) is misguidance, even if the people regard it as something good." [Ad-Daarimi]
Muslims are enjoined to neither
imitate the behaviour and customs of the non-Muslims, nor to commit
their indecencies. Behaviour-imitation will affect the attitude of a
Muslim and may create a feeling of sympathy towards the indecent modes
of life. Islam seeks to cleanse the Muslim of all immoral conducts and
habits, and thus pave the way for the Quran and prophetic Sunnah to be
the correct and pure source for original Islamic thought and behaviour. A
Muslim should be a model for others in faith and practice, behaviour
and moral character, and not a blind imitator dependant on other nations
and cultures.
Even if one
decides to go along with the outward practices of Halloween without
acknowledging the deeper significance or historical background of this
custom, he or she is still guilty of indulging in this pagan festival.
Undoubtedly, even after hearing the truth, some Muslims will still
participate in Halloween and send their kids 'trick-or-treating'; they
will try to justify it by saying they are doing it merely to make their
children happy. But what is the duty of Muslim parents? Is it to follow
the wishes of their children without question or to mould them within
the correct Islamic framework as outlined in the Quran and Sunnah? Is it
not the responsibility of Muslim parents to impart correct Islamic
training and instruction to their children? How can this duty be
performed if, instead of instructing the children in Islam, parents
allow and encourage their children to be taught the way of the
unbelievers? Allaah exposes these types of people in the Quran; He Says
(what means): "We have sent them the Truth, but they indeed practice falsehood." [Quran: 23:90]
Muslim parents must teach their
children to refrain from practicing falsehood and to not imitate the
non-Muslims in their customs and festivals. If the children are taught
to be proud of their Islamic heritage, they themselves will, if Allaah
wills, abstain from Halloween and other non-Muslim celebrations, such as
birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, Valentines Day, etc.
Prophet Muhammad said: "The
Final Hour will not come until my followers imitate the deeds of the
previous nations and follow them very closely, span by span, and cubit
by cubit (inch by inch)." [Al-Bukhaari]
Islam is a pure religion and
has no need to accommodate any custom, practice or celebration that is
not a part of it. Islam does not distinguish between 'secular' and
'sacred'; the Sharee'ah (Islamic Law) must rule every aspect of our
lives.
What to Do on Halloween
We have established, beyond a
doubt, that the celebration of Halloween is absolutely forbidden in
Islam - it is Haraam. The question arises as to what to do on this
night. Muslim parents must not send their kids out 'trick-or-treating'
on Halloween night. Our children must be told why we do not celebrate
Halloween. Most children are very receptive when taught with sincerity,
and especially when shown in practice the joy of their own Islamic
celebrations and traditions. In this regard, we must teach them about
the two Islamic festivals of 'Eed' ('Eed Al-Fitr and 'Eed-Al-Adh-haa –
the fast-breaking festival at the end of Ramadan and the Sacrifice
festival).
It must also be mentioned that
even Muslims who stay home and give out treats to those who come to
their door are still participating in this festival. In order to avoid
this, leave the front lights off and do not open the door. Educate your
neighbours about our Islamic teachings. Inform them in advance that
Muslims do not participate in Halloween, and explain the reasons why.
(Give them a copy of this article if needed.) They will respect your
wishes, and you will gain respect in the process. The Prophet said: "A person who calls another to guidance will be rewarded, as will the one who accepts the message." [At-Tirmithi]
Finally, we must remember that
we are fully accountable to Allaah for all of our actions and deeds. If,
after knowing the truth, we do not cease our un-Islamic practices, we
risk the Wrath of Allaah Who warns us in the Quran with the verse (which
means): "…So let those
beware who dissent from his [i.e., the Prophet's] order, lest a grievous
trial strike them or a painful punishment." [Quran: 24:63]
This is a serious matter and
one not to be taken lightly. May Allaah guide us, help us to stay on the
right path, and save us from all deviations and innovations that will
lead us into the Hellfire.
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