Our Condition

These days we are in delusion with regards to ourselves. We are content thinking our lives are full of ‘good deeds’, But this is far from the truth. If we were to make an assessment of where we stand as far as our deen is concerned, we will realise that of the four branches of Al-A’māl As-Sālihah, mu’āmalāt (dealings) and mu’āsharah (social conduct), are near zero in our lives. Extreme negligence is portrayed in their regard and Allāh ta’ālā forbid at times we regard contrary to Islāmic dealings and social conduct to be the norm of life. As for the third branch, husn al-akhlāq (good characters and traits of the heart), this is unheard of and there is complete ignorance of this aspect of Islāmic teachings and obligation. We now remain with only the fourth branch, ‘ibādāt (acts of worship) which if we were to assess, we will realise that in all fairness this too is next to nothing. Either we are negligent or lax in the fulfilment of the obligations or if there is punctuality, then the inner spirit and quality will definitely be poor. Just taking an evaluation of the ikhlās and concentration in our worships will make us realise where we stand.

It is, indeed, time we made a start. Let us exert every effort to rid ourselves from those actions which displease Allāh ta’ālā and ensure that there is no negligence with regards to the good deeds. If and when an error occurs we need to immediately make Allāh ta’ālā happy by resorting to tawbah; this too is an obligation and failure to repent will increase the displeasure of Allāh ta’ālā.

LATEST FATAAWA

Celebrating Halloween

Halloween: The Devil’s Holiday

Every year on the evening of October 31st, people around the world celebrate the holiday known as Halloween. They decorate their homes with jack-o’-lanterns and figures of ghosts, witches, and skeletons. Children dress up in costumes to go trick-or-treating while the adults throw parties that are rampant with sin. Unfortunately, it has become so common that even Muslims are now involved in these celebrations. Although, it is now largely observed as a non-religious holiday, many of the practices that take place on that night originated from pagan and Christian traditions. It is important that we as Muslims understand why it is impermissible to engage in such practices so that we can educate the next generation before there no longer remains any semblance of Islam in their lives.

Origins of Halloween

The origin of Halloween can be traced back over 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain which marked the start of their new year. It was believed that on the night before the new year, the veil between the world of the living and the dead would thin allowing the souls of the dead to return. People would light bonfires on hilltops and carve frightening faces into root vegetables such as beets, potatoes, and turnips to ward off evil spirits. They would also wear masks and other disguises to avoid being recognized by the spirits. It was in these ways that ghosts, witches, demons, etc. came to be associated with this day. When the Romans conquered the Celts in the 1st century, they added their own festivals for commemorating the dead, and Pomona, their goddess of harvest.

In the 7th century, Pope Boniface IV established Allhallowtide, a celebration which lasted three days: All Saints’ Eve (also called All Hallows’ Eve – later Halloween), All Saints’ Day (also called All Hallows’ Day), and All Souls’ Day. All Saints’ Day originally took place on May 13th but was later changed to November 1st in an effort to supplant the pagan holiday, although the night before (All Hallows’ Eve) was still celebrated in the form of bonfires, costumes, and parades.

After the Protestant Reformation, Halloween was no longer celebrated as a religious holiday, but it continued to be celebrated as a secular one. Eventually, this holiday reached the United States in the 1800s when European immigrants, especially the Irish, brought their customs and traditions with them. Even as a secular holiday, many of the religious traditions remained.

For example, in the 16th century, it was customary in England for the poor to go begging on All Souls’ Day, a practice called “souling”. The people would give them cakes with crosses on top called “soul cakes” in exchange of prayers. This custom was later taken over by children and is believed to be the origin of modern-day trick-or-treating. In the 19th century, it became common among children to play “tricks” on people who would in turn offer candy as protection. This is just one of the many modern Halloween traditions with religious origins.[i]

Islamic Perspective

It is quite clear that virtually all Halloween traditions have origins in either pagan culture or Christianity. From an Islamic point of view, taking part in such traditions is tantamount to kufr.[ii] As Muslims, we are forbidden from imitating the ways of the disbelievers. The Prophet  is reported to have said,

مَن ‌تَشَبَّه ‌بقومٍ فهو منهم

“The one who imitates a people is amongst them”.[iii] Read more…