Halloween - My View as A Muslim

Many Muslim parents will have to grapple with the question, “Why can't we celebrate Halloween?” from their children. For non-Muslims it may seem innocent enough and be a holiday geared towards children, parties, and candies. But for those, Muslim and non-Muslim, who understand the Pagan origins of the holiday and the required offering of food and wearing of costumes to “protect” yourself from evil spirits and the dead, they will immediately identify this as one of the clearest forms of shirk, or associating partners with God, an unforgivable sin according to the Muslim scripture, the Qur’an.

It is very similar to the offering of food items to deities of dead saints or idols or the worship of the graves/mausoleums of saints, where people from South Asia actually go so far as praying to them and tying “dhaagey (thread)” there hoping to get their wishes fulfilled. I personally don't like it because many of the characters, costumes, imagery associated with Halloween are ideas that people are brainwashed about in regards to Islam or Muslims; ie. malevolent magical beings, witches in black cloaks, and vampires who coincidentally look very similar to the 19th century Orientalist envisioning of the suspect near Easterner who Europeans should be worried about and afraid of.

In addition to the expectation of what will happen to you whether or not you take part in this holiday according to folklore, the holiday is a prime example of what is called “laghw” in Islam. Laghw means any activity or action which is useless, vain, and takes your time away from your family, from your goals, and from achieving nearness to God. Living in a first world country with children who have first world problems has its own challenges as opposed to growing up in a developing nation, where survival or getting ahead is no longer the issue, but meaningfulness and the quality of the activities they take part in are now at the forefront of concern, and vigorously screened. With the express entertainment our phones, the Internet, or that certain venues provide, the express knowledge that is easily obtained through a Google search, or the instant food available, people are no longer willing to toil or wait to achieve an experience of value. No longer is reading a book or making an intricate meal, or spending time helping others or with your family at the top of the list. And unsurprisingly this ease and lightness, and in essence “express laghw” behavior comes with a price- a higher number of children and even adults who do not feel happy or content in their lives.

I see Halloween as an extension of this type of express entertainment and a completely vapid activity, and would rather see my child spend it with their family or doing something to benefit someone. In our religion we have a much more respectable way of remembering the dead, and that is by praying for them and offering good works in their name.

Naeema Bhatti