Halloween and Sorcery - What Muslims Need to Know About It?

English Esmir Halilović 12:48

Noć vješticaHalloweensihirkeltska kulturapaganski običaji

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The lecture begins with a reflection on October 31, a night internationally marked as Halloween, and poses the question of what Muslims should know and convey to the younger generation about it. The speaker explains that Halloween originates from pagan Celtic culture, which believed that the souls of the dead return from their graves and attack the living, prompting people to disguise themselves as ugly figures, light fires, and make noise to scare away spirits. He then describes how, over the centuries, with the spread of Christianity, this custom was Christianized and moved to November 1, All Saints' Day, making the night before known as All Hallow Eve, or Halloween. He emphasizes that Halloween has nothing to do with Muslims or Islam, neither religiously, culturally, nor identifiably. He particularly criticizes Muslim participation in these celebrations, including dressing children as witches and putting symbols like blood on their faces, noting that this has unfortunately infiltrated some kindergartens and schools, even in Muslim countries, which he considers ignorance. From an aqeedah perspective, he assesses this as heresy and superstition, and from an educational standpoint, he warns that parents, educators, and teachers must explain to children the origins and meanings of such customs to prevent them from going astray. He references a hadith stating that whoever imitates a people belongs to them. He also warns against other customs like the Christmas tree and Valentine's Day, claiming that celebrating Halloween is haram, but emphasizes that one should not insult other people's children and parents as it is their freedom of choice. He concludes by calling for raising awareness among Muslims about the causes and origins of customs and ensuring that children do not uncritically accept everything unrelated to Islam. The recording was made the day after Halloween, and the speaker testifies that he saw children in witch costumes on the streets of Zenica.

Key Points

This lecture recording on Halloween explains its pagan Celtic origins, the later Christianization, and the view that celebrating this night contradicts Islamic beliefs. The speaker warns parents about the educational dangers of dressing up children and calls for raising awareness among Muslims about the origins of such customs.

Summary

The lecture begins with a reflection on October 31, a night internationally marked as Halloween, and poses the question of what Muslims should know and pass on to the younger generation. The speaker explains that Halloween originates from pagan Celtic culture, which believed that the souls of the dead returned from their graves to attack the living, prompting people to dress as ugly figures, light fires, and make noise to scare away spirits. He then describes how, over the centuries, with the spread of Christianity, this custom was Christianized and moved to November 1, All Saints' Day, making the night before known as All Hallow Eve, or Halloween. He emphasizes that Halloween has nothing to do with Muslims or Islam, neither religiously, culturally, nor identitatively. He particularly criticizes Muslim participation in these celebrations, including dressing children as witches and putting symbols like blood on their faces, noting that this has unfortunately infiltrated some kindergartens and schools, even in Muslim countries, which he considers ignorance. From an aqeedah perspective, he deems this heresy and superstition, and from an educational standpoint, he warns that parents, educators, and teachers must explain to children the origins and meanings of such customs to prevent them from going astray. He references a hadith stating that whoever imitates a people belongs to them. He also warns against other customs like Christmas trees and Valentine's Day, asserting that celebrating Halloween is haram, but emphasizes that one should not insult other people's children and parents as it is their free will. He concludes by calling for raising awareness among Muslims about the causes and origins of customs and not allowing children to uncritically accept everything unrelated to Islam. The recording was made the day after Halloween, and the speaker testifies that he saw children in witch costumes on the streets of Zenica.

Key takeaways

Halloween is originally a pagan Celtic tradition marking the night when, according to belief, the souls of the dead return from their graves, which is why people would dress up and light fires to ward them off.
Over the centuries, the tradition was Christianized and moved to November 1st, All Saints' Day, and the name Halloween is a contraction of All Hallow Eve, the night before All Saints' Day.
The speaker emphasizes that Halloween has nothing to do with Muslims or Islam, neither religiously, culturally, nor identitarily.
From an aqeedah perspective, the belief in spirits rising from graves to attack the living is heresy and superstition, so celebrating Halloween is haram.
Dressing children as witches, applying blood and witch symbols on their faces poses an educational problem and exposes children to the dangers of misguidance and deviance.
A hadith is cited: 'Whoever imitates a people is one of them' (Bukhari/Muslim), highlighting that imitation relates to beliefs, convictions, and everyday behavior.
It also warns against other customs like setting up a Christmas tree and celebrating Valentine's Day, which are also problematic for Muslims, and calls for raising awareness about the origins of these customs.

Full article

Dear friends, peace be upon you.

Last night was October 31st, a night marked as Halloween. What is Halloween, what experiences does the world have with this night, and what should we as Muslims know about it and pass on to our youth?

October 31st is internationally recognized as Halloween. It originates from a pagan custom from Celtic culture. The Celtic culture has connections to our regions during certain historical periods. It spread across Europe, starting from Hallstatt, moving through Switzerland, and reaching France, Germany, Britain, and then many parts of the world.

This culture had its beliefs, its pagan beliefs. It was a pagan culture, and on this night, they celebrated a sacred holiday, believing that the souls of the dead would return from their graves, that their souls would come to this world and enter their homes, or haunt their relatives and acquaintances. To ward off these spirits, they disguised themselves in the ugliest forms, lit various fires, and made different sounds to supposedly drive the spirits away, as they expected them to come and attack them in their homes. This is the origin of Halloween.

However, later, through the centuries, as Christianity spread in these countries with Celtic heritage, there was a so-called Christianization of this custom. Some friars and church scholars believed it should be adapted to new circumstances, to be Christianized, so they moved their saint's day, known as All Saints' Day, to today, November 1st, and thus they marked this night, calling it All Hallow Eve, which translates to the Night Before All Saints' Day.

So, we have two holidays here. What is Halloween? Halloween, which was marked last night, has its Celtic roots. After that, we have the Christianization of this custom, and it was renamed Halloween, short for the Night Before All Saints' Day.

What is All Saints' Day? In Christian, especially Catholic theology, it is the day when they commemorate saints, both canonized and non-canonized. If you take a Catholic calendar and look at the days of various saints, you will see many. Then you have another day, today, November 1st, known as All Saints' Day, where all those saints canonized by the church are commemorated, as well as those not canonized.

The Origin and Meaning of Halloween

These are the foundations of Halloween. This is its linguistic, historical meaning, and it has nothing to do with us as Muslims. It has pagan roots, religious foundations, Christian elements, and an identity dimension that has absolutely nothing positive for us Muslims and is unrelated to us. Therefore, it is essential to discuss this and inform people so they understand that these are not harmless matters.

Thus, participating in these celebrations, dressing children as witches, putting blood on children's faces, and using witch symbols and hats, as we saw even on our streets yesterday, has entered some kindergartens and schools. As we said, religiously, culturally, and identitatively, it has absolutely nothing to do with us.

Of course, an additional problem complicating this matter is the fact that if you search online, you'll see that even in predominantly Arab, Muslim countries, Halloween is celebrated. This celebration is no justification, nor should we justify it. On the contrary, we should condemn it even more sharply, as it reflects a great ignorance. Ignorance of one's own faith, culture, traditions, and customs, and ultimately participating in something that makes no sense.

I also found it interesting that the Catholic Church, besides moving their holiday to this date in the 9th century, condemned Halloween in 2009, criticizing the whole spectacle of dressing children in costumes. However, it's very difficult for them to root this out from their homes, schools, and kindergartens. We need to talk to each other about this, to warn that this is a significant problem and a great danger that could affect our children tomorrow.

Religious and Educational Problems

Why is this the case? To summarize briefly. The first thing, from the perspective of aqeedah, from our belief as Muslims, is that this is absolutely wrong. Why? Because it involves belief in spirits that come from graves, attacking the living, having direct intervention with our people, and so on. This is absolutely something that has no basis. It is either heresy or superstition. In fact, it is both heresy and superstition combined. This is the first issue.

The second thing that is definitely wrong and, I can say freely, in layman's terms, grotesque, is dressing children, especially younger ones, in various costumes that have no connection to reason, our faith, our traditions, or anything that could be justified as 'beautiful.' What is beautiful about putting red, I don’t know, colors that symbolize blood on a child? What is beautiful about putting some mixture on a child or hats that make them look like sorcerers or witches? There is definitely nothing good in that. This is actually the biggest problem.

Why? Because the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ clearly says: 'Whoever imitates a people is one of them.' Whoever imitates a people, in what way regarding the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? Precisely in beliefs, convictions, and daily behavior. In the implications left behind, in the implications of their actions. This is a definite problem. Thus, it is an aqeedah problem. The second issue is an educational problem.

Danger for Children and Parental Responsibility

If we allow our children to participate in everything that others do, whether they know or don’t know what it symbolizes, what it all means, then we truly have a significant problem and expose our children to a great danger of going astray or falling into deviations tomorrow.

Why? Because we as parents, educators, teachers, and professors have not explained the sources of certain customs, the challenges of certain customs, things that do not stand from the perspective of reason, faith, or culture related to us. Therefore, we certainly do not want to offend other people's children, God forbid, or their parents. That is their free will. They can do whatever they want.

But here we want to warn ourselves and each other that we must not endorse such things in our homes. We must not allow, for example, as December approaches, that Christmas trees come into many Muslim homes. Because some might think: 'Well, it doesn't matter, what's wrong with putting up a tree?' Without knowing at all what beliefs, superstitions, or idolatry lie behind it, because it is not something harmless.

Valentine's Day and Other Customs

So, many others will come after that, I don't know, February, Valentine's Day, the celebration of St. Valentine and other things that are definitely problematic for understanding and problematic for us as Muslims. Therefore, we need to raise awareness among Muslims to say that it's not just haram. There is no doubt that celebrating Halloween is haram.

There is no doubt that it would be haram for Muslims today to go, I don't know, to Christian cemeteries or even Muslim cemeteries to light candles or something similar, because that is strictly forbidden by our faith. Again, I say, we don't interfere with others. Your faith is for you, our faith is for us. But that implies living that faith fully. It involves aspects of faith where we simply and culturally distinguish ourselves from what is not part of our culture, our identity, and so on.

Raising Awareness About the Origins of Customs

Therefore, I believe it is important to raise awareness among Muslims, to know the reasons behind certain patterns of behavior, to understand why some customs exist, why people do certain things, that it is something pagan, something that is 2,500, 3,000 years old, something connected to their deep beliefs, something that has really left a mark today in many parts of the world, in various superstitions, beliefs, customs, and so on. But we, as Muslims, must not allow our children to accept, especially not critically, anything that has nothing to do with Islam and Muslims.

That's why I recorded this briefly, especially the day after Halloween, so that no one judges anyone, because I personally saw here in Zenica yesterday children dressed in those witch costumes simply walking down the streets and so on. You already have pictures of that on the internet, both here, as I say, in our areas and in Arab countries, which is even more sad and I dare say sicker, to see such abnormal scenes that people witnessed yesterday.

I ask the Lord of the worlds to make us proud Muslims, to be pleased with us in this world and the hereafter. Thank you very much, and follow us. Until next time, assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.

HadithBuhari/Muslim: 'Ko bude oponašao neki narod, on pripada tom narodu'

Topics#Halloween#Halloween#sorcery#Celtic culture#pagan customs#creed#child upbringing#forbidden

Transcript (English)

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0:00 Dear friends, peace be upon you.

0:02 Last night was the 31st.

0:05 October, a night that is marked as Halloween.

0:09 What is Halloween, what experiences does the world have with this night, so to speak, and what is it that we as Muslims should know about it and pass on to our youth.

0:24 Namely, the 31st of October is internationally recognized as Halloween.

0:26 It is a pagan tradition that comes from Celtic culture.

0:32 Celtic culture that has connections to our regions in certain historical periods.

0:36 A culture that spread across Europe, starting from Hallstatt, further up through Switzerland.

0:43 It spread to France, Germany, Britain, and then traveled to numerous parts of the world.

0:49 It spread in France, Germany, Britain, and then traveled to numerous parts of the world.

0:58 This culture had its beliefs, it had its pagan beliefs.

1:03 It was about a pagan culture, and on this night they celebrated a holy holiday.

1:29 They believed that the souls of the dead would return from their graves.

1:33 Their souls would come to this world and enter their homes or haunt their relatives.

1:36 That's why they disguised themselves as the ugliest figures.

1:49 That's why they lit various fires.

1:54 They made different sounds to supposedly scare those spirits away.

2:09 They expected that these spirits would come and attack them in their homes.

2:32 This is the origin of Halloween or All Hallows' Eve.

2:35 However, later on, as Christianity spread in these countries with Celtic heritage,

2:48 So, here we have two holidays.

2:52 What is, then, Halloween?

2:53 Halloween, which was celebrated last night, has, as we said, its Celtic roots.

3:02 And then after that, we have the Christianization of this custom, and it shifts to being called Halloween, which is shortened from the Night Before All Saints' Day.

3:16 What is All Saints' Day now?

3:17 All Saints' Day, in Christian, especially Catholic theology, is the day they commemorate the saints, both canonized and non-canonized.

3:29 What you will have the opportunity to see if you take, for example, a Catholic Christian calendar, is the day of this saint, the day of that saint, the day...

3:38 and so on.

3:38 So, there is a lot, a lot of it.

3:40 And then after that, you have another day, which is today, the 1st.

3:44 November, says All Saints' Day.

3:47 So, they are commemorated as all those saints canonized by the church,

4:00 that is, the church declared them saints, and there are also non-canonized ones.

4:05 So, these are the foundations of Halloween.

4:09 This is the linguistic, historical meaning and basis.

4:13 And it is both, it has nothing to do with us as Muslims.

4:33 So, it has pagan roots, religious roots, Christian roots,

4:42 and it has a certain identity dimension that really has absolutely nothing positive for us Muslims.

4:56 And that's why it's really necessary to speak about this and convey it to people,

5:01 so that people are aware that these are not harmless things.

5:06 So, as we said, religiously, spiritually, culturally, identitively, it has absolutely nothing to do with us.

5:15 Of course, what adds to the problem and complicates this matter is the situation that if you search online, you'll see that even in Arab, Muslim-majority countries, Halloween, or the Night of Witches, is celebrated.

5:34 Of course, their celebration is no justification, nor should we justify it.

5:38 On the contrary, we should condemn it even more sharply, as it speaks of great ignorance.

5:45 Ignorance of one's own faith, ignorance of one's own culture, ignorance of one's own tradition, ignorance of one's own customs, and ultimately participating in something that has no connection to reason.

5:58 I also found it interesting that the Catholic Church, besides the fact that it seems, in the 9th century, 835,

6:04 the Pope moved their holiday to this day, even the Church, it seems, condemned Halloween in 2009,

6:06 condemned the whole, in a way, spectacle of dressing children in those costumes, various things.

6:13 However, it is very, very difficult for them now to eradicate it, to remove it from their homes, schools, kindergartens, and so on.

6:24 However, it is very, very difficult for them now to uproot, to remove from their homes, schools, kindergartens, and so on.

6:33 And this is exactly what we need to tell each other, to warn that this is a big problem and a great danger that could happen to our children tomorrow.

6:44 Why is that so?

6:46 To summarize briefly.

6:47 The first thing, from the perspective of aqeedah, from the perspective of our belief, from the perspective of what we believe as Muslims, this is absolutely wrong.

6:56 Why?

6:57 Because this belief in spirits that come from graves, that attack the living, that have direct intervention with our people, is completely unfounded.

7:09 So, this has absolutely no basis.

7:12 Either it is heresy or it is superstition.

7:14 In other words, it is both heresy and superstition in one.

7:18 So, that is the first thing.

7:20 The second thing that is definitely wrong and, I can freely say, in popular terms, grotesque, is dressing children, especially younger ones, in various costumes that have no connection to reason, our faith, our tradition, or anything that we could justify and say: "Well, look, there is something beautiful here."

7:44 "What is beautiful about putting a red color, I don't know, which symbolizes blood on a child?"

7:51 "What is beautiful about putting a certain, I don't know, mixture on a child or some hats, or making children look like sorcerers, witches, and so on?"

8:05 There is definitely nothing good in that.

8:09 And that is actually the biggest problem.

8:11 Why?

8:11 Because the Messenger Muhammad ﷺ

8:12 a.

8:12 w.

8:12 s.

8:13 He states decisively: "Whoever imitates a people belongs to that people."

8:21 Whoever imitates a people, what about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?

8:24 Precisely in that, therefore, in beliefs, in convictions, and in daily behavior.

8:31 Thus, in the implications left behind, in the implications of one's actions.

8:36 And that is the definitive problem.

8:38 Therefore, it is an ideological problem.

8:40 Another issue is the educational problem.

8:41 If we allow our children to participate in everything others do, whether they know or not what it symbolizes, what it all means, then we truly have a big, big problem and we expose our children to a huge danger of going astray tomorrow, of deviating.

9:04 Why?

9:04 Because we, as parents, as educators, as teachers, as professors, have not explained the sources of certain customs, the challenges of certain customs, things that do not stand from the position of reason, faith, or culture related to us.

9:25 And for that reason, of course, we do not want to offend other people's children, God forbid, or their parents.

9:31 That is their free will.

9:33 They can do whatever they want.

9:35 But here we want to warn ourselves, each other, that we must not support such things in our homes.

9:53 We must not allow, for example, as December approaches, December 31st,

9:57 when the Christmas tree will come into many Muslim homes.

10:01 Because some will think: "Well, you know, it doesn't matter, what's wrong with putting up a tree?"

10:13 Not knowing at all what lies behind it, what belief, what superstition, what idolatry is behind it, because it's not something innocent.

10:29 Or, therefore, many others, after that, February will come, Valentine's Day, the celebration of St. Valentine and other things that are definitely problematic for understanding and problematic for us as Muslims.

10:35 And for that reason, we need to raise awareness among Muslims to say that it is not just haram.

10:40 There is no doubt that it would be haram for Muslims today to go, I don't know, to Christian cemeteries or even Muslim cemeteries to light candles or something similar, as this is strictly forbidden by our faith.

10:50 Again I say, we do not interfere with others.

10:54 To you is your faith, and to us is our faith.

10:56 This implies living that faith in its entirety.

11:01 It implies aspects of faith where we simply and culturally distinguish ourselves from what is not part of our culture, our identity, and so on.

11:11 Therefore, I believe it is important to raise awareness among Muslims, to understand the reasons behind certain patterns of behavior, to know why some customs exist, why people do certain things, and that some of these are pagan, something that is ancient.

11:28 500, 3.

11:28 A thousand years, something connected to their deep beliefs, something that has truly left a mark today in many parts of the world, in various superstitions, beliefs, customs, and so on.

11:49 We must not allow our children, as Muslims, to accept anything, especially not critically, that has nothing to do with Islam and Muslims.

11:59 That's why I recorded this briefly, especially the day after Halloween, so that no one judges anyone. I personally saw children here in Zenica yesterday dressed in those witch costumes just walking down the streets and so on.

12:17 You can already find images of this online, both here in our regions and in Arab countries. It's truly sad and I can freely say, more disturbing, to see such abnormal scenes that people witnessed yesterday.

12:35 I ask the Lord of the worlds to make us proud Muslims, that He is pleased with us in this world and the hereafter.

12:42 Thank you very much, and please stay with us.

12:44 Until we meet again, peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.

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