Question:
is it correct for masājid to have programs about Halloween being haraam and thereafter tell jinn stories and finally give them candy.
Clarification: is the candy part correct, does that make it resembling the kuffār since its giving candy on Halloween day? or should the part about taking the children out from Trick-or-treating be considered?
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-Salāmu ‘Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullāhi Wa-Barakātuh.
It is the duty of every Muslim individual to inculcate the love and honour of Islam in the hearts of the upcoming youth. Islam has honoured us with our own days of joy and happiness such as the two Eids (Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha) and there is no need for us to delve and participate in festivals or customs that have the elements of shirk and kufr such as Halloween.
Therefore, in the enquired situation, one may have pure intentions of saving the youth and deterring them from participating in the customs of Halloween by inviting them to the Masajid for various educational programs, however, the events kept afterwards as stated in the query seem to be contrary to the tenants of Shariah. The sole purpose of inviting the youth and educating them about the impermissibility of Halloween will result in vain. It is best to tell the incidents/stories of Sahabah and Prophets whereby they will understand what sacrifices they went through in order for the message of Islam to reach us instead of narrating Jinn stories. As for dispensing candy after the program, it will not be permissible as this entails resemblance with the Kuffar and their evil practices of shirk/kufr (i.e., trick or treat). Instead, one may substitute it with different types of snacks or food items.
Islam strongly prohibits us from imitating the customs and practices of the kuffar in whichever manner it may be in. [1]
It has been narrated in Sunan Abi Dawud on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar رضي الله عنهما that:
عن ابن عمر، قال: قال رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم -:، من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم“
“Rasulullah ﷺ said, “Whoever resembles a nation/group, then he/she is from them”.
It has been narrated in Baihaqi:
عن عبد الله بن عمرو، قال: ” من بنى ببلاد الأعاجم وصنع نيروزهم ومهرجانهم وتشبه بهم حتى يموت وهو كذلك حشر معهم يوم القيامة “.
“Abdullah bin ‘Amr said, “Whoever resides in the lands of the non-Arabs and then celebrates their religious occasions (such as Nairuz and Mihrajan – Persian holidays) and emulates their practices and thereafter dies in such a condition, shall be raised with them on the Day of Judgement.”
And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best.
Shaheed Rashid Shaikh
Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, U.S.A.
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Muhammad Zakariyya Desai.
