Blindspot!
From Issue: 656 [Read full issue]
Halloween
Halloween has evolved and been influenced by a number of different cultures and religions, the most important of which are paganism, the Romans, the Celts (the people of Ireland, Scotland, Britain, Wales) and Christianity.
However, almost all of the traditions surrounding Halloween as we know it today can be traced back to the Celtic Day of the Dead, a pagan holiday.
Samhain was the name of the Druid god of the dead. The Druids were a religious order amongst the Celts. On this day, they would try to appease their Lord of Death. These Druids also believed that witches rode on broom sticks and that ghosts were the cause of supernatural occurrences.
The belief was that on the eve of the Celtic New Year (which for them was October 31), the souls of the dead people roamed the land of the living. The Devil, spirits and witches were also believed to be moving about and at the height of their power.
Halloween was also a time for MAJOR Shirk (making partners with God).
There were games and rituals which involved fortune-telling. Young people, for instance, would try to see what their marriage prospects were using omens like apple pairings that were thrown over their shoulders, or nuts being burned in a fire.
The Pope, in the eight century, decided to Christianize this pagan holiday since he wanted people to abandon the occult and idolatrous practices associated with it, and made November 1 All Saints' Day or All Hallows' (Holy) Day. This is a day to remember all of the Christians who died for their faith. October 31 was then considered All Hallow's Eve, and this word later evolved into the modern day Halloween.
Following is some advice from the Islamic scholar, Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick, to Muslims on dealing with Halloween:
1. Avoid it, it's a night of evil. Satan is our open enemy and we do not play with evil.
2. Trick-or-treating is really kids begging for candy. Prophet Mohammed (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked and discouraged begging.
3. Remember that some Satanic movements have engaged in dangerous acts, like rape and kidnapping on Halloween.4. Despite our position regarding this holiday, we must respect the rights of those who believe it is a part of their religion or consider it to be just a little fun.
Compiled From:
"Where Does Halloween Come from?" - SoundVision.com