Well, before we answer that question, I’d like to start with asking who are you –not your name, but in faith? Who do you worship? And what is your ultimate goal for life after death?
Alhamdulilah, we are Muslim, who worship the One and Only, Allah, and we hope by His Mercy we are granted Jannah.
Jannah, Heaven, beautiful gardens beyond our wildest dreams, the perfect eternal abode in which we will enjoy peace and all we desire. Here is a beautiful video series that will stir your heart and inspire you to do what it takes to get to Jannah, inshaAllah. https://yaqeeninstitute.org/series/jannah-home-at-last
Why talk about Jannah when you came here to learn, can you celebrate Halloween in Islam is because before we speak about the roots of Halloween, I wanted to remind you of your roots. In other words, your fitrah (innate nature) that is connected to Allah, longing to go back to it’s original, eternal home. And the only way to enjoy this home once you arrive is by abiding to the commandments of Allah. Just like how we tell our children, if you want to go to Jannah, do good deeds, don’t do bad deeds. We have to practice what we preach! Be the example, the role model for your child!
And so ultimately, we have to SHOW and ACT that we are Muslim and nowhere in the Quran and Sunnah will you find a celebration that celebrates all things spooky.
So, what is Halloween?
Nowadays, Halloween is celebrated by putting on costumes and trick or treating. They say this is just for fun. BUT Halloween has a much darker, deeper symbolism than just “fun”.
The Origins of Halloween
The origins of Halloween is a wide mix of ancient traditions, religious practices, and cultural transformations. Here’s a brief overview of its evolution:
Ancient Celtic Festivals: The roots of Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was celebrated in what is now Ireland, Scotland, and England. The Celtics were an ancient warrior tribe that lived about 2000 years ago. They were an agricultural society that depended on harvest. Samhain- night of October 31st, marked the end of the harvest season. They would collect and gather their harvest and ask their priests (Druids) to pray for them. They also believed that on this night the boundary between the dead and living was blurred and souls or spirits would roam the Earth. To ward off these spirits, people lit bonfires and wore costumes.
Roman Influence: As the Romans conquered Celtic territories, they incorporated some of the Celtic traditions into their own festivals.
Christianization: By the 7th century, the Christian Church began to adopt and adapt pagan festivals to ease the transition of converts from paganism to Christianity. Pope Boniface IV established All Saints’ Day. This was a day to honor saints and martyrs. In 835 CE, Pope Gregory III assigned this day to November 1st in order to combat Samhain. The evening before became known as All Hallows’ Eve, where “Hallows’” means “Holy Saints” The night before it, October 31st, became known as “Hallows’ Eve,” or “Hallow Evening”eventually shortened to Halloween.
Medieval and Early Modern Traditions: In medieval Europe, various customs related to Halloween, such as “souling” (where poor people would go door-to-door, offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food) and “guising” (where people dressed in costumes and performed in exchange for treats), emerged. These practices evolved over time, blending with local customs and traditions.
American Evolution: Halloween was brought to America by European immigrants, particularly the Irish, in the 19th century. The celebration took root in American culture, evolving into the more commercial and secular holiday we know today. The traditions of trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, and costume parties became widespread.
As we can see, Halloween stems from paganistic beliefs and rituals that have evolved over the years. So, no, we cannot celebrate Halloween in Islam as it contradicts many components of our faith. Such as;
Tawhid, belief in the oneness of Allah SWT.
Idolizing the devil while Allah Ta`ala has declared him “Ar-Rajim” (the accursed)
Belief in dead spirits and their returning to the world while the power to raise the dead only lies with Allah.
Costumes typically represent evil spirits, monsters, zombies or other “Satanistic” theme.
Costumes usually do not conform to Islamic standards of modesty.
Muslims don’t celebrate Halloween. It’s as simple as that. Our beloved Prophet Mohammed SAW has demonstrated every aspect of our Islamic heritage. Partaking in a celebration that is so conflicting of the pure morals Islam is grounded in is a sign that we do not hold our own heritage in high enough regard.
Ask yourself why do you feel the need to celebrate something that promotes evil and Shaytan, even if in the name of “fun.”
The argument that Halloween is merely a commercial holiday is incorrect as its roots stem from Celtic and Christian roots.
Our beloved Prophet Mohammed SAW has said,
«مَنْ تَشَبَّهَ بِقَوْمٍ فَهُوَ مِنْهُمْ»
“Whosoever imitates a nation, he is then from amongst that nation.” [Abū Dāwūd]
“You will follow the (wrong) ways of your predecessors so completely and literally that if they should go into the hole of a lizard, you too will go there.” The companions asked, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Do you mean the Jews and the Christians?” He replied, “Whom else?” [Bukhārī]
So, who do we want to be like? Who do we want to be with on the Day of Qiyamah? Don’t we want our children to be in the company of the Prophet SAW? Yes, we do! Therefore, say no to Halloween and embrace your Islamic identity fully. Instead of feeling FOMO from Halloween, let’s try to change our mindset. Think, we should make dua for those celebrating. Think, It’s not sad that we cannot celebrate Halloween, it’s sad that these people do not know the beauty and purity of Islam. Let’s try to combat the FOMO by changing our mindset.
May Allah guide us to what’s right.
Commonly asked questions:
Other Muslim families are doing it, why can’t we?
Ignorance. They may not be aware of the negative implications of Halloween. This is why we need to take on the responsibility of spreading the true symbolism behind Halloween far and wide.
Can we let our kids go trick or treating just for candy?
Well, are you willing to let candy ruin the tarbiyah (upbringing) of your own children?
“My children’s friends are all doing it and they feel left out. Is it okay to allow them to go to a Halloween party at school?”
FOMO, fear of missing out, is unfortunately an extremely common emotion especially amongst the youth. This is when we, as parents, need to step in and speak to our children about values. We have to remind them Islam comes first. But because we live in a multicultural society, we need to respect the cultures and ways of others but that doesn’t mean we have to participate in the same. Speak to your child’s teacher and let them know which activities you do not wish your child to take part in. Take time that week or that night to spend more time with your children as a family. Play games, preferably Islamic themed. learningroots.com has some some great games and puzzles that you can use an oopportunity to bond and build stronger Islamic values.
