8 Reasons Why We Don’t Celebrate Halloween - As Muslims

Assalamu alaikum, 🔺8 Reasons why Muslim families avoid celebrating Halloween🔺 by Asma bint Shameem (adapted) As Muslims we should avoid taking part in Halloween. Why? Read on. 1) Halloween (All Hallows’ Eve) has origins tied to pagan rites and beliefs that honored figures associated with death. 2) The festival includes elements that venerate things like witches, demons, and magic, which are incompatible with Islam. 3) The custom of offering sweets comes from an old belief that the spirits of the dead return that night and must be appeased with treats to avoid mischief - a superstition we do not accept. 4) The jack-o’-lantern story comes from a folk tale about a man tricking the devil and being condemned to wander with a lantern. People use these symbols to scare or repel spirits, which is not something Islam supports. Astaghfirullah. 5) Witchcraft and sorcery are completely against Islam; practicing them is disbelief. The Qur’an and Sunnah warn against magic and its harms (see Surah al-Baqarah 2:102 and the hadith about avoiding things that lead to ruin). 6) Halloween is essentially a celebration of non-Muslim customs. The Prophet ﷺ warned against imitating the people of falsehood, so deliberately joining in their religious or cultural rites is problematic. 7) This is not the behavior of true believers. The Qur’an praises those who do not witness or take part in falsehood (Surah al-Furqan 25:72), and scholars have explained that festivals of disbelievers fall under that meaning. 8) Trick-or-treating is basically asking for sweets from neighbors. Begging or excessive dependence on others for non-needful gifts is beneath the dignity of a Muslim. We should teach our children to be honorable and not to “beg” for treats. Can I at least give out candy to children who come to the door? No. Giving out sweets as part of the ritual celebrations can be seen as supporting or cooperating in something that contradicts tawheed. Allah tells us to help one another in righteousness, not in sin (Surah al-Ma’idah 5:2), and whoever supports a bad cause bears part of its burden (Surah an-Nisa 4:85). What should we do instead? - Do not take part in this festival or help promote it. - You don’t have to hand out candy; turn off your porch light or simply don’t answer the door if you prefer. It’s your home and you are not obliged to open it. - Teach your children why we avoid such practices and explain the beliefs behind our stance in a gentle, age-appropriate way. - You don’t need to invent an elaborate “alternative” event - staying home and treating it as an ordinary day is fine. Be proud of your Muslim identity and honor the guidance Allah gave us. Avoid trying to fit in by imitating celebrations that contradict our faith. A reminder from scholars: a believer should not celebrate the festivals of those who call to falsehood. When the Prophet ﷺ found certain pre-Islamic days being celebrated, he replaced them with the days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, which are in line with Islamic teachings. Conclusion Halloween centers on themes of witchcraft, demons, and superstition that are contrary to Islam. Educate your children about its harms, keep them away from it, and hold firm to Allah’s guidance. رَضِيتُ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا ، وَبِالْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا ، وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَسُولًا And Allah knows best.