Halloween: Innocent Fun or Mortal Danger?
By M. Murad
"O You who believe protect yourselves and your families from Fire whose fuel is
men and stones."
Soon, the festival season will come, the Halloween and Christmas. Some Muslim parents
naively or ignorantly dress their children in funny or weird outfits, and send them out to
go door-to door, collecting candies in the evening of Halloween. And in return, the same
parents give out candies to other children who roam the streets, house to house for that
purpose. Those parents think that there is no harm in allowing their children to
participate in such carnivals, and that they should not deprive their children of innocent
fun.
They may change their minds once they know what is Halloween all about. The
Encyclopedia Britannica says:
"Halloween is the Eve of All Saints Day. The souls of the dead, the Saxon and the
Irish who innovated it believed, were supposed to revisit their homes on the 31st of
October, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance with ghosts, witches,
hobgoblins, black cats, fairies and demons of all kinds that are said to be roaming
about."
The article in the Britannica goes on to state:
"It was time to placate the supernatural powers controlling the processes of
nature. A common symbol of Halloween is a hollowed-out pumpkin carved in the appearance of
a demonic face and with a lighted candle fixed inside. "
The following points may be deduced from the foregoing:
1) Halloween is a festival innovated by the pagans
2) It is based on paganistic and demonic beliefs
3) It is based on polytheistic beliefs that were not held even by the Arab pagans in the
pre-Islamic era.
How could a Muslim who believes in Allah as his Rubb, and Muhammad, Sall-Allahu alayhi
wa sallam, as His Messenger allow his children to participate in a festival innovated by
the enemies of Allah, the Rubb of the world. Those enemies deny the existence of Allah and
believe in the supernatural power instead. And they deny Allah's act of creation and
believe instead, in the process of nature.
Those Muslims who participate or allow their children to participate in the infidels'
festivals commit a grave sin that is tantamount to shirk in many cases. They should also
realize that by allowing their children to participate in such festivals they expose them
to a great danger; their children will grow up accustomed to sacrilegious festivals. A
Muslim must never underestimate the negative effects of these festivals on the youth. Once
children become accustomed to celebrating such festivals, it would be difficult for them
to give them up, or to see anything wrong in participating in them. Participation in
infidels' festivals leads to establishing intimate relationship with them, and
consequently to friendship and love of the enemies of Allah.
Allah, the Supreme, and His Messenger, Sall-Allahu alayhi wa sallam, prohibit us from
celebrating any holiday, festival, or carnival other than the two designated Islamic Eids,
al Fitr and al Adha.
Food for Thought 