Category: Halloween

NOTE: ‘Umar Bakrī Muḥammad was the founder and leader of al-Muhājirūn in Britain prior to it disbanding in 2004. Since then, there have been a variety of al-Muhājirūn successor groups in Britain as well as the United States (e.g. Islam4UK, Savior Sect, al-Ghurabā’, Islamic Thinkers Society, Revolution Muslim, Iẓhārudīn, Muslims against Crusades, and others). Following the 7/7 attack Bakrī Muḥammad moved to Lebanon after living in London for more than 20 years. He is still currently associated with the British jihadist scene through over the internet communication and live speeches online. al-Muhājirūn and its successor groups have been involved or linked to a variety of terrorist attacks or plots. Some of the larger ones include: Mohammed Bilal Suicide Bombing (India) in 2000, Mike’s Bar Bombing, Tel Aviv in 2003, Operation Crevice in 2004, 7/7 and 7/21 in 2005, Operation Praline in 2005, Toronto 18 in 2006, and 9/11 Anniversary Plot in 2009.
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Every year thousands upon thousands of young children are encouraged to dress-up as devils, witches, ghosts and many other various demonic figures. This act is followed by knocking from door to door requesting a treat or being tricked as part of the Halloween festival. During the Halloween season, schools, movies, cartoons, shops etc work very hard in promoting and legitimizing Halloween as a celebration worth celebrating.
As Muslims who are firm believers in the Day of Judgement and responsible guardians of our children, it is important to take all necessary steps to safeguard ourselves and children from any practices that will lead to Hellfire, a punishment which is seventy times hotter than the fires of this world. Allah (SWT) said,
“O you who believe! save yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones..” [66:6]
Before we encourage our children or ourselves to participate in the Halloween celebrations we must know what does Halloween stand for, and what effect will it have on our deeds on the Day when we will stand before Allah, giving an account for every single deed we do in our lives.
Halloween is a mixture of Paganistic (idol worshippers) and Christian belief and practice. The Idol worshippers believed that during the night of the 31st of October the gods would play tricks/pranks on their worshipers that would bring danger and cause fear on them. To be safeguarded from the mischief of these gods, the worshippers would offer treats to their gods in the form sacrifices, food, gifts etc hence the notion “Trick or Treat”.  In current time children as well as adults dress up as creatures of the evil, scaring people (trick) unless they give a sacrifice (i.e. a treat). For the Christians Halloween is a celebration of all the Saints that have passed away or were martyred/killed in the path of serving and establishing Christianity. Christians would spend the night before (31st October) in holding all night Vigils.
To summarize Halloween is:
–           Belief in evil gods
–           Imitating evil gods
–           Offering sacrifice to evil gods to be free from their mischief
–          Praying and remembering dead Christian activist
Realising this reality of Halloween, the true believer in the One and Only true God (Allah ) we must ask what is the Islamic ruling on: Belief in false gods, pretending to be a false god, offering sacrifice to a false god and praying for the dead from the non-Muslims? What is the Islamic ruling on celebrating Halloween i.e. Dressing up in costumes, asking for treats, offering treats, decorating houses, displaying pumpkins?
To believe in or participate in Halloween is an act of Shirk (associating partners with Allah) the greatest crime any person can commit, so severe it is that Allah (SWT) will never forgive the one that commits Shirk and dies upon it. For Allah said,
“Verily! Allâh forgives not (the sin of) setting up partners in worship with Him, but He forgives whom he pleases sins other than that, and whoever sets up partners in worship with Allâh, has indeed strayed far away.” [4:116]
Any person that offers a treat on the night of Halloween will be upon him the curse of Allah, for verily the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said,
“Allah curses him who sacrifices to other than Allah.” [muslim]
Those that practice any non-Islamic celebrations or imitates/copies the behaviour any people is the same as them, because the Messenger of Allah said,
“Whoever imamates a group of people he is one of them”. [abu dawood]
As Muslims we are responsible for purifying the lands from any corruption hence we are duty bound to eradicate all evil and the worst is Shirk (giving the right of Allah to another).
Dear Muslims we must realise and understand that any practices, celebrations that do not come from Islam are evil, because if it was good then Allah (SWT) would have included it in our Deen. Halloween is an evil celebration which promotes worship and sacrifice to false gods, an evil that pollutes one’s belief and worship to Allah. Halloween is a form of Shirk and disobedience introduced by Shaytaan in the form of a trick, enjoyment and celebration.
Therefore do not participate in this evil, do not purchase anything item to do with Halloween, do not let your children go knocking from door to door for treats, do not give any treats, warn your family members, warn your relatives, warn other Muslims and the non-Muslims about this great evil.