MOHAMMEDFALIQ
Junior Member
Can we as muslim children go out and do triker or treating just for the fun of it .?
Can muslim children do this?
- Thread starter MOHAMMEDFALIQ
- Start date
slave.of.AllahSW
Junior Member
AssalamoAlaikum warehmatullahe wabarakatuho,
sister samiha, I would like to make a humble request and hope this doesnt offend you or anybody in any way of form. apologies in advance if it does so. my request is that sis when somebody puts a question and we answer it like for instance in this case you answered that "can you...you can" I think you are giving a fatwah by making it permissable. I dont know if you have really looked into this matter as in asking a scholar about it, but my advice before we answer in certainty we should ask a scholar ( Mufti) about it. or... I have found out from scholars etc etc.
when a Muslim is blessed with the knowledge about anything, may it be in this case trick or treating ( holloween) you become an Aalim of tht particular matter (I have heard this myself from a Mufti aswell). and passing on right/wrong information or our own opinion about Islamic shiriah/FIQH matters comes with alot of responsibilities. One should be very careful as we will be held responsible. My advice, always try to give answers with references from the Quran and sunnah and also by consulting a Mufti about it. I hope I didnt offend anybody. I myself am learning FIQH and Islamic studies. the more I learn, I have found out how much responsibility is there with knowledge of Deen. on the day of judgement we will be responsible for everything we said or did. May Allah swt forgives us and grants us jannah tul firdous with his mercy! InshaAllah , AAMEEEEN!
jazakallahu khayrun
OnlyOne
Junior Member
Very true and wise words of advice. :arabi1:
However, although I don't want to make anything final, I just want to give some advice for thought. In Islam, we always try to separate truth from falsehood. No where in Islam is "trick-or-treating" a part of its tradition, so why should we act upon this holiday? By doing so, we are imitating the kuffar and their traditions, when we know the truth of Islam. Why should we act upon thier falsehood and succomb to that when we know that we are on a straight path? We should try our upmost to oppose their traditions and hold steadfast onto our own.
Assalamu alaikum,
I think what sister samiha is trying to say is that, if we want to do something regardless if it's haraam or not, we have the ability to do so, but the question is.. if we are allowed to?
AsslamuAlaikum Brothers & Sisters.
I am pasting an email contents that I got on the day of halloween from/to our local moque yahoo group that I subscribed to. Here are the contents.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bismillah irRahman irRaheem
In the Name of Allaah, The Most Gracious, The Most Kind
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hijri date: Tuesday 9th Shawwal 1427 A.H.
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatu Allahi Wa Barakatuhu
Little long to read, but a MUST to educate ourselves and our
children about Halloween, as this practice of this pagan
festival is growing every year. May Allah guide us all.
Halloween - Harmless or Haraam? An Islamic Perspective
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
by Feyoun Khan
Every year, on the evening of October 31st, millions of children across
North America paint their faces, dress up in costumes, and go door to
door collecting 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 indulging in this custom, many are also 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 Hallow'een 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 the 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 practice of
leaving offerings of food and drink (now candy) to masked and costumed
revelers, 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 recognized 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 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 malevolent 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.
Iman (faith) is the foundation of Islamic society, and tauheed (the
belief in the existence and Oneness of Allah) is the essence of this
faith and the very core of Islam. The safeguarding of this iman, and of
this pure tauheed, is the primary objective of all Islamic teachings
and legislation. In order to keep the Muslim society purified of all
traces of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and remnants of
error, a continuous war must be waged against all customs and practices
which originate from societies' ignorance of divine guidance, and in
the errors of idol worship.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) issued a stern warning:
"Whoever imitates a nation is one of them!" (Abu Da'oud). Muslims
should heed this warning and refrain from copying or imitating the
kufar in their celebrations. Islam has strongly forbidden Muslims to
follow the religious or social customs of the non-Muslims, and
especially of the idol-worshippers or those who worship the devil. The
Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: "By Him in Whose hands is my life, you are
ordered to enjoin good and forbid evil, or else Allah will certainly
afflict you with torments. Thereafter, even your du'a (supplications)
will not be accepted." (Tirmidhi). From an Islamic standpoint,
Halloween is one of the worst celebrations because of its origins and
history. It is HARAM (forbidden), even if there may be some seemingly
good or harmless elements in those practises, as evidenced by a
statement from the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) "Every innovation (in our
religion) is misguidance, even if the people regard it as something
good" (ad-Daarimee.). Although it may be argued that the celebration of
Halloween today has nothing to do with devil-worship, it is still
forbidden for Muslims to participate in it. If Muslims begin to take
part in such customs, it is a sure sign of weak iman and that we have
either forgotten, or outrightly rejected the mission of our Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) who came to cleanse us from jahiliyyah customs,
superstitions and false practices. Muslims are enjoined to neither
imitate the behavior and customs of the non-Muslims, nor to commit
their indecencies. Behavior-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 paving the way for the Qur'an and Sunnah to be the
correct and pure source for original Islamic thought and behavior. A
Muslim should be a model for others in faith and practice, behavior 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, send their kids "trick-or-treating,"
and 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 Qur'an 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? Allah exposes these types of people in the Qur'an:
"We have sent them the Truth, but they indeed practice falsehood"
(23:10).
Muslim parents must teach their children to refrain from practicing
falsehood, and not to imitate the non-Muslims in their customs and
festivals. If the children are taught to be proud of their Islamic
heritage, they themselves will, insha Allah, abstain from Halloween and
other non-Muslim celebrations, such as birthdays, anniversaries,
Christmas, Valentines Day, etc.
The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) said: The Final Hour will not come
until my followers copy the deeds of the previous nations and follow
them very closely, span by span, and cubit by cubit (inch by inch).
(Bukhari).
Islam is a pure religion with 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 shari'ah must rule every
aspect of our lives.
"You must keep to my Sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided
Caliphs; cling to it firmly. Beware of newly invented matters, for
every new matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misleading."
(Bukhari)
"When the people see a person committing a wrong, but do not seize his
hand to restrain him or her from the deed, it is likely that Allah will
punish them both." (Abu Da'oud, Nasa'i, Tirmidhi)
"Whoever imitates a nation is one of them." (Abu Da'oud)
What to do on Halloween day ?
We have established, beyond doubt, that the celebration of Halloween is
absolutely forbidden in Islam. It is HARAM. 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,
teach them about the two Islamic festivals of Eid.
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 neighbors about our Islamic
teachings. Inform them in advance that Muslims do not participate in
Hallow'een, and explain the reasons why. (Give them a copy of this
flyer if needed.) They will respect your wishes, and you will gain
respect in the process. "A person who calls another to guidance will be
rewarded, as will the one who accepts the message." (Tirmidhi)
Finally, we must remember that we are fully accountable to Allah 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 Allah as He
himself warned us in the Qur'an: "Then let them beware who refuse the
Messenger's order lest some trial befall them, or a grievous punishment
be afflicted upon them!" (24:63). This is a serious matter and not to
be taken lightly. And Allah knows best. May Allah guide us, help us to
stay on the right path, and save us from all deviations and innovations
that will lead us into the fires of Hell.
I am pasting an email contents that I got on the day of halloween from/to our local moque yahoo group that I subscribed to. Here are the contents.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Bismillah irRahman irRaheem
In the Name of Allaah, The Most Gracious, The Most Kind
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hijri date: Tuesday 9th Shawwal 1427 A.H.
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatu Allahi Wa Barakatuhu
Little long to read, but a MUST to educate ourselves and our
children about Halloween, as this practice of this pagan
festival is growing every year. May Allah guide us all.
Halloween - Harmless or Haraam? An Islamic Perspective
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
by Feyoun Khan
Every year, on the evening of October 31st, millions of children across
North America paint their faces, dress up in costumes, and go door to
door collecting 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 indulging in this custom, many are also 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 Hallow'een 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 the 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 practice of
leaving offerings of food and drink (now candy) to masked and costumed
revelers, 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 recognized 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 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 malevolent 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.
Iman (faith) is the foundation of Islamic society, and tauheed (the
belief in the existence and Oneness of Allah) is the essence of this
faith and the very core of Islam. The safeguarding of this iman, and of
this pure tauheed, is the primary objective of all Islamic teachings
and legislation. In order to keep the Muslim society purified of all
traces of shirk (associating partners with Allah) and remnants of
error, a continuous war must be waged against all customs and practices
which originate from societies' ignorance of divine guidance, and in
the errors of idol worship.
Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) issued a stern warning:
"Whoever imitates a nation is one of them!" (Abu Da'oud). Muslims
should heed this warning and refrain from copying or imitating the
kufar in their celebrations. Islam has strongly forbidden Muslims to
follow the religious or social customs of the non-Muslims, and
especially of the idol-worshippers or those who worship the devil. The
Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: "By Him in Whose hands is my life, you are
ordered to enjoin good and forbid evil, or else Allah will certainly
afflict you with torments. Thereafter, even your du'a (supplications)
will not be accepted." (Tirmidhi). From an Islamic standpoint,
Halloween is one of the worst celebrations because of its origins and
history. It is HARAM (forbidden), even if there may be some seemingly
good or harmless elements in those practises, as evidenced by a
statement from the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) "Every innovation (in our
religion) is misguidance, even if the people regard it as something
good" (ad-Daarimee.). Although it may be argued that the celebration of
Halloween today has nothing to do with devil-worship, it is still
forbidden for Muslims to participate in it. If Muslims begin to take
part in such customs, it is a sure sign of weak iman and that we have
either forgotten, or outrightly rejected the mission of our Prophet
(s.a.w.s.) who came to cleanse us from jahiliyyah customs,
superstitions and false practices. Muslims are enjoined to neither
imitate the behavior and customs of the non-Muslims, nor to commit
their indecencies. Behavior-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 paving the way for the Qur'an and Sunnah to be the
correct and pure source for original Islamic thought and behavior. A
Muslim should be a model for others in faith and practice, behavior 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, send their kids "trick-or-treating,"
and 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 Qur'an 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? Allah exposes these types of people in the Qur'an:
"We have sent them the Truth, but they indeed practice falsehood"
(23:10).
Muslim parents must teach their children to refrain from practicing
falsehood, and not to imitate the non-Muslims in their customs and
festivals. If the children are taught to be proud of their Islamic
heritage, they themselves will, insha Allah, abstain from Halloween and
other non-Muslim celebrations, such as birthdays, anniversaries,
Christmas, Valentines Day, etc.
The Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) said: The Final Hour will not come
until my followers copy the deeds of the previous nations and follow
them very closely, span by span, and cubit by cubit (inch by inch).
(Bukhari).
Islam is a pure religion with 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 shari'ah must rule every
aspect of our lives.
"You must keep to my Sunnah and the sunnah of the rightly-guided
Caliphs; cling to it firmly. Beware of newly invented matters, for
every new matter is an innovation, and every innovation is misleading."
(Bukhari)
"When the people see a person committing a wrong, but do not seize his
hand to restrain him or her from the deed, it is likely that Allah will
punish them both." (Abu Da'oud, Nasa'i, Tirmidhi)
"Whoever imitates a nation is one of them." (Abu Da'oud)
What to do on Halloween day ?
We have established, beyond doubt, that the celebration of Halloween is
absolutely forbidden in Islam. It is HARAM. 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,
teach them about the two Islamic festivals of Eid.
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 neighbors about our Islamic
teachings. Inform them in advance that Muslims do not participate in
Hallow'een, and explain the reasons why. (Give them a copy of this
flyer if needed.) They will respect your wishes, and you will gain
respect in the process. "A person who calls another to guidance will be
rewarded, as will the one who accepts the message." (Tirmidhi)
Finally, we must remember that we are fully accountable to Allah 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 Allah as He
himself warned us in the Qur'an: "Then let them beware who refuse the
Messenger's order lest some trial befall them, or a grievous punishment
be afflicted upon them!" (24:63). This is a serious matter and not to
be taken lightly. And Allah knows best. May Allah guide us, help us to
stay on the right path, and save us from all deviations and innovations
that will lead us into the fires of Hell.
Assalamu Alaykum,
I dont think she meant to say that person is allowed, rather that a person can do it as they can do anything! But, that they shouldnt be doing it. I think she was in a rush. Wasalam.
Trick or treating and Halloween is the Pagan tradition. Many Pseudo Christian Pagans in America and the UK do this ritual.
Halloween is linked to magic, witchcraft, the devil and the dead.
Its obviously haram to do anything that is linked to those things. Why anyone would want their kids to do such thing i do not know.
It is a sign of Muslims weakness if their children feel upset or want to partake in such festivals. There is something wrong in the home if children do not understand why we dont do these sort of celebrations. Children need to be bought up in Islamic environment, where they learn about Allah and Islam, the halal and the Haram etc.
People living in the West need to spend more time at home and teach kids Islam and make sure they have good Eid and have Muslim friends.
Wasalam
:salam2:
Yea sis, that is what i meant, but seems to have been taken the wrong way, grrr... i think i'll change it since it could i suppose be taken the wrong way.
Here in America it's like a play on words, if u go up to the teachers when i was littler and asked them if you 'could' go to the bathroom, they waited until you said 'may' i go to the bathroom.
A human person 'CAN' do anything, but that doesn't mean they 'SHOULD' or 'MAY'
Sorry for the confusion!!
and Jazakallahu Khayr for the advice. Trust me, usually when it comes to such things i never give strictly my own fatwas
And don't worry, if you ever feel the need to correct, i'm open to what you have to say.
Assalamu alaykum... so more info on Halloween
Halloween---- The who's the what's and the where it came from.....
Traditions of Halloween:
People once believed that ghosts roamed the earth on Halloween. They also thought that all witches met on October 31 to worship the devil. Today most people do not believe in ghosts or witches but these supernatural beings remain symbols of Halloween.
History
The Celtic festival of Samhain is probably the source of the present day Halloween celebration. The Celts lived more than 2,000 years ago in what is now Great Britain, Ireland and Northern France. Their new year began November 1, a festival that began the previous evening honored Samhain, the Celtic lord of death. The celebration marked the beginning of the season of cold, darkness and decay. It naturally became associated with human death. Celts believed that Samhain allowed the souls of the dead to return to their earthly homes for this evening.
On the evening of that festival, the Druids, who were the priests and teachers of the Celts, had a three-day festival and ordered the people to put out their hearth fires. They believed that on the last night of October spirits of the dead roamed abroad, and they lighted bonfires to drive them away. They built a huge new year bonfire of oak branches, which they considered sacred. They burned animals, crops and possibly even human beings as sacrifices. Then, each family relit its hearth fires from the new year's fire. During the celebration, people sometimes wore costumes made of animal heads and skins. They told fortunes about the coming year by examining the remains of the animals that were sacrificed.
The Romans conquered the Celts in A.D. 43 and ruled what is now Great Britain for 400 years. During this period, two Roman autumn festivals were combined with the Celtic festival of Samhain. One of them called Feralia, was held in late October to honor the dead. The other festival honored Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit, trees, and gardens. It was an occasion of rejoicing associated with the harvest; and nuts and apples, as symbols of the winter store of fruit, were roasted before huge bonfires. Still, these agricultural and pastoral celebrations also had a sinister aspect, with ghosts and witches thought to be on the prowl. Apples probably became associated with Halloween because of this festival.
Even after November 1 became a Christian feast day honoring all saints, many people clung to the old pagan beliefs and customs that had grown up about Halloween. Some tried to foretell the future on that night by performing such rites as jumping over lighted candles. In the British Isles great bonfires blazed for the Celtic festival of Sambain. Laughing bands of guisers, young people disguised in grotesque masks, carved lanterns from turnips and carried them through the villages.
Regional Halloween customs developed among various groups of Celts. In Ireland, for example, people begged for food in a parade that honored the god Muck Olla, The leader of the parade wore a white robe and a mask made from the head of an animal. In Scotland, people paraded through fields and villages carrying torches. They lit huge bonfires on hillsides to drive away witches and other evil spirits. In Wales, every person marked a stone and put it into a bonfire. The people believed that if a person's stone was missing the next morning he or she would die within a year.
In England, Halloween was sometimes called Nutcracker Night or Snap Apple Night. Families sat by the fire and told stories while eating apples and nuts. On All Soul's Day poor people went a-souling (begging). They receive pastries called soul cakes in exchange for promising to say prayers for the dead.
Is it really appropriate for Muslims to imitate ceremonies honoring the god of the dead? Is it appropriate behavior for children to demand a treat or threaten to do a trick? We Muslims really have no need for such activities. The non-Muslims may say that it is harmless fun. But are we to be spending our time in such social activities, here in mixed male and female company? What should we be doing instead?
ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN
~ Halloween - the name means the evening before All Hallows or All Saints' Day, November 1 - is Christian, the day itself is of Druid origin.
~ For the Celtic tribes November 1 was New Year's Day - it also was a joint festival honoring their Sun God and another deity, Samhain, the Lord of the Dead.
~ The Celts, were pastoral people and selected this day because it marked the return of the cattle to the barns for the winter, just as their feast of Beltane on May 1 initiated the pasturing of the animals. The one day signified the beginning of winter and the other the beginning of summer.
As in New Year's festivals around the world, this was a time when the dead flocked back to mingle among the living. The Celts believed that the sinful souls of those who had died during the year had been relegated to the bodies of animals; Through gifts and sacrifices the sins could be expiated and the souls freed to claim a heavenly reward.
They also believed Samhain judged the souls and decreed in what form their existence was to continue, whether in the body of a human being or in an animal. Horses as well as human beings were sacrificed. Later Romans prohibited human sacrifice. The tradition did continued in the Middle Ages of Europe when black cats would be thrown to the flames in wicker cages (parallel to the Druids putting humans in wicker cages and burning them alive)
Christian Church's involvement:
~ In the 8th Century Pope Gregory III moved the church festival of All Hallows, or All Saints' Day to November 1. The following century, Pope Gregory IV decreed that the day was to be universal church observance.
~ The horse sacrifices of the Celts was still being performed at the feast of Samhain in the year 400 A.D. Later, the Church assimilated this practice into its own services with the use of oxen. In the words of Pope Gregory: "They are no longer to sacrifice beasts to the Devil, but they may kill them for food to the praise of Godà"
The Origins of Halloween Activities - Modern Day/Pagan
(MD for Modern Day, P for Pagan)
MD: Going door-to-door begging for candies and foods, masking and dressing in costumes
P: Ghosts were thought to gather about the houses of the living were greeted with a banquet-laden table. At the end of the feast, masked and costumed villagers representing the dead paraded to the outskirts of town leading the ghosts away. ALSO in Medieval times there was the practice of displaying relics of saints and poorer churches could not afford relics so they had parishioners dress up as patron saints, angels, devils, etc and parade around the churchyard.
MD: Mischief Night
P: Old belief in ghost and fairies who roamed the roads on Halloween night curdling mild and riding people's horses to exhaustion. Any practical joke was blamed on these beings.
MD: Apples and nuts (Bobbing for apples, etc)
P: The Romans honored their goddess of fruits, Pomona, with a harvest festival at this time. There was also the practice of placing nuts representing lovers side-by-side before the fire. How the nuts burned determined the quality of the lovers' affections. Apples had been used for telling fortunes and games.
MD: Jack O' Laterns
P: Based on a story (an old tale) involving a man named Jack and the Devil (long, but you get the idea)
MD: Goblins and Fairies
P: The Celtic/Irish Halloween was the time for the gathering of goblins and fairies. They believed them to have started out as ghosts of kings and heroes who may have been divine and were changed by the ringing of church bells and Holy Water. In Scotland, they believed a person could learn the names of those who would die during the year by sitting on a three-legged stool at he meeting of three roads and hear the fairies whisper the names as they congregated. They believed a garment thrown would be sufficient to take away impending death.
Halloween is sick. It's Pagan, it's celebrating the God of the Dead, spirits, death and etc., but truly we all as Muslims know, that death is no treat for most people and is nothing to celebrate.
Halloween---- The who's the what's and the where it came from.....
Traditions of Halloween:
People once believed that ghosts roamed the earth on Halloween. They also thought that all witches met on October 31 to worship the devil. Today most people do not believe in ghosts or witches but these supernatural beings remain symbols of Halloween.
History
The Celtic festival of Samhain is probably the source of the present day Halloween celebration. The Celts lived more than 2,000 years ago in what is now Great Britain, Ireland and Northern France. Their new year began November 1, a festival that began the previous evening honored Samhain, the Celtic lord of death. The celebration marked the beginning of the season of cold, darkness and decay. It naturally became associated with human death. Celts believed that Samhain allowed the souls of the dead to return to their earthly homes for this evening.
On the evening of that festival, the Druids, who were the priests and teachers of the Celts, had a three-day festival and ordered the people to put out their hearth fires. They believed that on the last night of October spirits of the dead roamed abroad, and they lighted bonfires to drive them away. They built a huge new year bonfire of oak branches, which they considered sacred. They burned animals, crops and possibly even human beings as sacrifices. Then, each family relit its hearth fires from the new year's fire. During the celebration, people sometimes wore costumes made of animal heads and skins. They told fortunes about the coming year by examining the remains of the animals that were sacrificed.
The Romans conquered the Celts in A.D. 43 and ruled what is now Great Britain for 400 years. During this period, two Roman autumn festivals were combined with the Celtic festival of Samhain. One of them called Feralia, was held in late October to honor the dead. The other festival honored Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit, trees, and gardens. It was an occasion of rejoicing associated with the harvest; and nuts and apples, as symbols of the winter store of fruit, were roasted before huge bonfires. Still, these agricultural and pastoral celebrations also had a sinister aspect, with ghosts and witches thought to be on the prowl. Apples probably became associated with Halloween because of this festival.
Even after November 1 became a Christian feast day honoring all saints, many people clung to the old pagan beliefs and customs that had grown up about Halloween. Some tried to foretell the future on that night by performing such rites as jumping over lighted candles. In the British Isles great bonfires blazed for the Celtic festival of Sambain. Laughing bands of guisers, young people disguised in grotesque masks, carved lanterns from turnips and carried them through the villages.
Regional Halloween customs developed among various groups of Celts. In Ireland, for example, people begged for food in a parade that honored the god Muck Olla, The leader of the parade wore a white robe and a mask made from the head of an animal. In Scotland, people paraded through fields and villages carrying torches. They lit huge bonfires on hillsides to drive away witches and other evil spirits. In Wales, every person marked a stone and put it into a bonfire. The people believed that if a person's stone was missing the next morning he or she would die within a year.
In England, Halloween was sometimes called Nutcracker Night or Snap Apple Night. Families sat by the fire and told stories while eating apples and nuts. On All Soul's Day poor people went a-souling (begging). They receive pastries called soul cakes in exchange for promising to say prayers for the dead.
Is it really appropriate for Muslims to imitate ceremonies honoring the god of the dead? Is it appropriate behavior for children to demand a treat or threaten to do a trick? We Muslims really have no need for such activities. The non-Muslims may say that it is harmless fun. But are we to be spending our time in such social activities, here in mixed male and female company? What should we be doing instead?
ORIGINS OF HALLOWEEN
~ Halloween - the name means the evening before All Hallows or All Saints' Day, November 1 - is Christian, the day itself is of Druid origin.
~ For the Celtic tribes November 1 was New Year's Day - it also was a joint festival honoring their Sun God and another deity, Samhain, the Lord of the Dead.
~ The Celts, were pastoral people and selected this day because it marked the return of the cattle to the barns for the winter, just as their feast of Beltane on May 1 initiated the pasturing of the animals. The one day signified the beginning of winter and the other the beginning of summer.
As in New Year's festivals around the world, this was a time when the dead flocked back to mingle among the living. The Celts believed that the sinful souls of those who had died during the year had been relegated to the bodies of animals; Through gifts and sacrifices the sins could be expiated and the souls freed to claim a heavenly reward.
They also believed Samhain judged the souls and decreed in what form their existence was to continue, whether in the body of a human being or in an animal. Horses as well as human beings were sacrificed. Later Romans prohibited human sacrifice. The tradition did continued in the Middle Ages of Europe when black cats would be thrown to the flames in wicker cages (parallel to the Druids putting humans in wicker cages and burning them alive)
Christian Church's involvement:
~ In the 8th Century Pope Gregory III moved the church festival of All Hallows, or All Saints' Day to November 1. The following century, Pope Gregory IV decreed that the day was to be universal church observance.
~ The horse sacrifices of the Celts was still being performed at the feast of Samhain in the year 400 A.D. Later, the Church assimilated this practice into its own services with the use of oxen. In the words of Pope Gregory: "They are no longer to sacrifice beasts to the Devil, but they may kill them for food to the praise of Godà"
The Origins of Halloween Activities - Modern Day/Pagan
(MD for Modern Day, P for Pagan)
MD: Going door-to-door begging for candies and foods, masking and dressing in costumes
P: Ghosts were thought to gather about the houses of the living were greeted with a banquet-laden table. At the end of the feast, masked and costumed villagers representing the dead paraded to the outskirts of town leading the ghosts away. ALSO in Medieval times there was the practice of displaying relics of saints and poorer churches could not afford relics so they had parishioners dress up as patron saints, angels, devils, etc and parade around the churchyard.
MD: Mischief Night
P: Old belief in ghost and fairies who roamed the roads on Halloween night curdling mild and riding people's horses to exhaustion. Any practical joke was blamed on these beings.
MD: Apples and nuts (Bobbing for apples, etc)
P: The Romans honored their goddess of fruits, Pomona, with a harvest festival at this time. There was also the practice of placing nuts representing lovers side-by-side before the fire. How the nuts burned determined the quality of the lovers' affections. Apples had been used for telling fortunes and games.
MD: Jack O' Laterns
P: Based on a story (an old tale) involving a man named Jack and the Devil (long, but you get the idea)
MD: Goblins and Fairies
P: The Celtic/Irish Halloween was the time for the gathering of goblins and fairies. They believed them to have started out as ghosts of kings and heroes who may have been divine and were changed by the ringing of church bells and Holy Water. In Scotland, they believed a person could learn the names of those who would die during the year by sitting on a three-legged stool at he meeting of three roads and hear the fairies whisper the names as they congregated. They believed a garment thrown would be sufficient to take away impending death.
Halloween is sick. It's Pagan, it's celebrating the God of the Dead, spirits, death and etc., but truly we all as Muslims know, that death is no treat for most people and is nothing to celebrate.
slave.of.AllahSW
Junior Member
AssalamoAlaikum warehmatullahe wabarakatuho,
sis.. I realise that you did not mean it that way. Im not and wasnt judging you. I just wanted to be more careful and was asking you to be more careful with words.. since we have alot of new Muslims part of this community. I was just trying to make it a point that you know and I know that it is not permissable at all. but for a new Muslim, reading "can you...you can" it does leaves an impression that it is permissable. Islamically it is a big deal. A person can do anything and will do anything regardless of if its haram or not IF they want to. its between them and Allah swt. we should just answer to the point and only according to Qur'an and shiriyah. Avoid giving out extra information not pertaining to the question... this is best for us and this is what I was advised by my teachers who are scholars and muftis.
Jazakallahu khair
sis.. I realise that you did not mean it that way. Im not and wasnt judging you. I just wanted to be more careful and was asking you to be more careful with words.. since we have alot of new Muslims part of this community. I was just trying to make it a point that you know and I know that it is not permissable at all. but for a new Muslim, reading "can you...you can" it does leaves an impression that it is permissable. Islamically it is a big deal. A person can do anything and will do anything regardless of if its haram or not IF they want to. its between them and Allah swt. we should just answer to the point and only according to Qur'an and shiriyah. Avoid giving out extra information not pertaining to the question... this is best for us and this is what I was advised by my teachers who are scholars and muftis.
Jazakallahu khair
Abdul Hasib
Student of Knowledge
Halloween? No!
1. Halloween was a pagan murdering ritual.
2. People dress up as beasts and Stan's and jinns.
3. People get murdered on Haloween.
Halooween are at dark times. people come from Gothic and Satanism and kill others. People scare each other.
So, don't get involved in it, AND if someone rings your doorbell, don't open it.
Why, do you want to? Sorry, but...
1. Halloween was a pagan murdering ritual.
2. People dress up as beasts and Stan's and jinns.
3. People get murdered on Haloween.
Halooween are at dark times. people come from Gothic and Satanism and kill others. People scare each other.
So, don't get involved in it, AND if someone rings your doorbell, don't open it.
NewMuslim
Slave of Allah
seekingtruth2
Junior Member
since we already have very very good answers mine is in agreement.... never... NO... Not in a million years.... we should educate our children as to why they cannot join and not let them have anything to do with this celebration......
q8penpals
Junior Member
LOL! I think this is kinda humorous - at the school I taught at last year in Kuwait, it was mixed Kuwaitis & westerners (Muslims & Christians). When Halloween time came, it was the KUWAITI (Muslim) Mothers that voluntarily planned the class Halloween parties, and we had 9 American (Christian) families that kept all of their kids home from school that day because they felt Halloween was pagan and anti-Christian!
Lana
Lana
It is very good to discuss all these details to enhance our knowledge! From the Islamic point of view, the issue is very clear, The prophet strongly discouraged ( Nay, Forbade ! ) muslims from participating in any non-muslim festivals and traditions . Infact, In a saheeh hadith he goes to the extent of saying that those who follow the traditions (or festivals ) of non-muslims ( or Un-Islamic traditions or festivals ) will be raised up with those people on the day of judgement. This is a serious matter since " being raised up with them " means that you will be counted among them.
This also applies by the way to celebration of birth days, new year clebrations etc.etc.
This also applies by the way to celebration of birth days, new year clebrations etc.etc.