Halloween is just around the corner and with that is the issue of the celebration of this much awaited day of pranks, ghost stories, and other scary stuff.
In Islam, there is one plain answer to Halloween – there is no Halloween in Islam.
Well, that’s sad some may say. But these are the reasons why.
PAGAN IN ORIGIN
Most of us know this already. That it is known as the All Hallows Eve in October 31. Many historians point out its origin from pre-Christian Ireland in a festivity called Samhain and the Roman Feast of Pomona.
When Christianity became the official religion of Europe, early Christians persecuted anyone who practices pagan religions and practices. But Emperor Constantine of Rome, upon his conversion changed all this by being too tolerant of the pagan religions and even making them Christian celebrations. This leads to Halloween becoming a Christian tradition while Saturnalia becomes Christmas, the day of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Pope Gregory I also was instrumental in the absorption of pagan traditions into Christianity and allowed the mixing of the pagan religion and Christianity. Pope Gregory III in the 8th century finally made Samhain into a Christian holiday by declaring November 1 as All Saints’ Day. All Saints’ day attempts to unify all the celebrations in honor of the different saints venerated by the pagans. In the 10th century, the Roman Catholic Church declared November 2 as All Souls’ day to venerate those who died the past year.
This is unacceptable in Islam because all festivities are considered religious acts and therefore, we could neither simply invent holidays or celebration nor borrow from other religions. Allah said in the Quran:
“This day, I have perfected for you your religion, have completed for you your blessings and chosen Islam as your religion.” ~Quran 5:3.
The perfection meant by Allah is the perfection of Islam as a lifestyle and religion and its completeness in doctrine and acts of worship, that there is no need to add or remove anything from its teachings.
THE DEAD DOES NOT COME BACK TO LIFE
The Celts believed that on these nights the border between the world of the dead and the living is so thin that those who died last year may be walking the earth again.
But the ghost of evil people may even go back to earth as well. And these are the spirits that they wish to appease so that they would not be disturbed. So they bring offerings of foods and sweets. This is the origin of trick or treat. People would also gather around elders listening to stories of evil spirits roaming the earth. This is the origin of the ghost stories. Samhain night is also a night of offering to the gods and other supernatural creatures for good fortune since it is at the time of changing seasons.
Pre-Christian Irish people put ember inside turnips with cutouts for eyes and face. When the Irish reached the United States, they continued the tradition and used pumpkins instead, this is the origin of the Jack o’ Lantern which is used to drive off evil spirits.
This belief is totally in contradiction to Islamic doctrines even if sometimes, these were meant as simple entertainment. Allah said in the Quran:
“And behind them is Barzakh (barrier) until the day they are raised from the dead (in Judgement Day).” ~Quran 23:100.
The dead remains dead and their spirit cannot come back to earth because of this barrier.
WHAT ABOUT REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEAD
Muslims remember death and the dead – ALWAYS. We do not need a special holiday for this. Prophet Muhammad has emphasized this by saying:
“Make many remembrances of the destroyer of happiness.” ~Reported by Ibnu Hibban.
Muslims offer prayers to Allah for forgiveness for the dead Muslims whether they are family, friends or someone unknown.
GHOST AND MONSTERS IN ISLAM
So what about the apparitions, possessions and other supernatural events? Although Muslims do not believe in the ghosts and Aswang, the Philippine version of goblins, Muslims believe that Allah created another sentient being that lives with us here on earth. They are unseen however and they are called – JINN.
You may have heard of JINNEE in Alladin, and that cartoon character is sort of an incomplete representation of the Jinn in Islam. Allah said in the Quran:
“And the jinn, We created aforetime from the smokeless flame of fire” ~Quran 15:27
The creation of the Jinn from fire meant that they would have different characteristic from us humans who were made from clay. The jinn has abilities that we do not have like flying, traveling long distances fast, super strength and most of all invisibility from the human eye. Allah has made them part of the Al Ghayb or the unknown world that we do not know much of except from what Allah and prophet Muhammad mentioned about them.
There are good Jinn and there are bad Jinn and bad Jinn are the ones who cause trouble. They are the ones who make things move without any physical reason. And these bad Jinn that we call as devils or demons have the ability to possess like what you see in exorcism films. And most of all they have the ability to imitate the image of humans including those of the dead that make us believe that we are seeing ghosts of dead people. In Islam we were never seeing ghosts, we are seeing Jinn.
The chief of the evil Jinn is Satan himself. In Islam, he is also called Iblis. Iblis is a Jinn and not a fallen angel as Christians believe him to be. It is impossible for Angels to disobey Allah because they have no free will but the Jinn have. Jinn are like humans in their free will. They may decide to follow Allah or disobey Allah. And since there are bad Jinn, there are also good, Muslim Jinn who usually simply stay away from people, unlike the devils or demons who are evil Jinn who injure humans.
This is why there is no Halloween in Islam. This is our article for today. If you want to know more about Islam, watch Mensahe TV via Cignal channel 184 or visit www.mensahetv.com. If you have questions feel free to email me at mujahidnavarra@gmail.com.
