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Halloween: The Chilling Facts

no name given · Jamiatul Ulama KZN – Council of Muslim Theologians (Suedafrika) · 2026-10-31 · Durban · Source

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Die Teilnahme an Halloween ist für Muslime eine spirituelle Gefahr, da sie als Nachahmung heidnischer und satanischer Praktiken gilt und die religiöse Identität sowie den Glauben untergräbt.

Mit unserer eigenen gesegneten Identität und dem vollständigen Deen ist es für uns als Muslime von entscheidender Bedeutung, uns vollständig von Halloween und all seinen Praktiken zu distanzieren

Der Text analysiert die heidnischen Ursprünge von Halloween, insbesondere das keltische Fest Samhain, und beschreibt historische Praktiken wie Geisteranrufung und Tierverbrennung. Er verweist auf einen beobachtbaren Anstieg der Teilnahme muslimischer Kinder an Halloween-Feiern in südafrikanischen Schulen. Der Autor argumentiert, dass die Teilnahme an solchen Bräuchen als Nachahmung nicht-muslimischer Praktiken gilt und den Glauben (Imaan) gefährdet. Zitate aus dem Koran und Hadith werden herangezogen, um die spirituellen Gefahren durch Shirk und Sihr zu untermauern. Die zentrale Forderung lautet, sich vollständig von Halloween und seinen Symbolen zu distanzieren, selbst wenn diese als harmloser Spaß oder Geschäftsanlass getarnt sind. Der Text betont die Notwendigkeit, die eigene religiöse Identität zu wahren und die Feindschaft gegen Satan anzuerkennen.

Worldview

what this means

What, according to this text, is the root of the evil?: Turning away from God, indifference, idolatry; Ignorance, illusion, a false view of reality
Where does the evil reside?: with a named other group
What helps against it?: keeping the commandments, maintaining order, fulfiling one's duties; contentment, fasting, voluntary sacrifice, letting go
What is human being according to this text?: fallen, not able to be made whole by one's own strength
Where is history heading?: it is getting worse, an order is coming to an end
What does the text base its claim on?: on the founder or prophet of the tradition; on the holy scripture of its own tradition
To whom does the text's call for devotion apply?: to one's own fellow believers
Where is the text's criticism directed?: at others, at society, at other groups

Related texts from other traditions

by similarity of the analysis, one text per tradition

Der „Karneval des Bösen“ steht vor der Tür

Orthodox · 2021-10-27 · 86 %

Ein orthodox-christlicher Text, der Halloween als neuheidnisch ablehnt und Eltern praktische Alternativen für die Kindererziehung an die Hand gibt.

Als islamische Religionslehrerin abgelehnt − wegen fehlendem Kopftuch?

Humanist · 2026-09-16 · 78 %

Ein Fall in Österreich zeigt, wie religiöse Gemeinschaften im Religionsunterricht diskriminieren können, und plädiert für staatliche Neutralität.

07.08.2026 | Dankbarkeit im Leben des Heiligen Propheten (saw | Deutsche Übersetzung

Ahmadiyya · 2026-08-08 · 78 %

Der Text vergleicht die extreme Dankbarkeit des Propheten für kleine Gaben mit der Unzufriedenheit der heutigen Gläubigen und ruft zur Nachahmung dieser Haltung auf.

Great is Your Faith

Protestant · 2026-08-16 · 78 %

Der Text definiert Glauben als beharrliche Liebe, die sich gegen Widerstände stellt und so Gottes Barmherzigkeit über Grenzen hinweg erweitert.

Rosh Hashanah: The Faith of Survivors

Orthodox · 2026-09-07 · 77 %

Der Text definiert Glauben als die Fähigkeit, trotz tiefem Leid und Trauma weiterzuleben und sich Gott zuzuwenden, was besonders in der aktuellen Zeit der Verletzlichkeit relevant ist.

What the text calls for

sich von Halloween und seinen Praktiken distanzieren (ritual)
sich von den Feinden Allahs an ihren Festtagen fernhalten (social)

Passages cited

Koran 35:6 · Abu Dawud

Measured

Basic stance: -2 from -2 to 2
Insistence: 3 of 3
Reach: 3 of 5
Concreteness: 3 of 3
Boundary: 3 of 3, named: Nicht-Muslime, Christen, Satanisten, Teilnehmer an Halloween
Time: past 2, present 2, future 2

Analysed with qwen/qwen3.8-27b, version v3. The same standards apply to every tradition, see Values.

Show the full text

Ebrahim Moosa Each year the night of October 31 is commemorated by some in the non Muslim world as Halloween. This is an occasion with unmistakeable pagan roots that has also been co-opted by some Christians. In South Africa, in recent years, with many Muslims having relocated into the ‘suburbs’ and with their children now attending former Model C schools, there has observably been an upsurge in the number of Muslims participating in observances and activities associated with Halloween. Whilst much of this participation ostensibly occurs in the name of fun, for a Muslim – guided by his/her own unique moral values – there are several compelling reasons why we should have nothing to do with this event or its accompanying practices: Paganism: What became known as Halloween was once the eve of the pagan festival of Samhain, wherein they honoured their ‘lord of the dead’. It was believed that evil spirits would be everywhere on this occasion and the souls of those who passed away during the year would be assembled on this occasion. False beliefs: On this day, offerings of food and drink were made for the spirits. Practices on this day included rituals and games intended to foretell one’s future. Violent and backward: Due to superstition, prisoners of war, criminals and animals were burnt alive in weirdly shaped baskets on this day. Cats were believed to be human beings changed into animals by evil powers and were hence seen as dreaded. As a result, on this day, a number of cats would be burnt alive Evil Symbols: The practice of wearing masks on this day has its roots in the pagan belief that the spirits would return on this day. Fearful of the spirits, people would wear masks so that they would not be recognised by the spirits or to scare them off. Costumes were worn to imitate the spirits. The lanterns associated with this day were said to represent the spirits. Also, Halloween bonfires were deemed to have protective and cleansing powers and used for divination or attempting to foretell the future. Satanism: Many Satanists consider the evening of October 31 st to be among their most sacred occasions. Muslims and Halloween With our own blessed identity and Complete Deen, it is imperative for us as Muslims to completely distance themselves from Halloween and all its practices even if Halloween were to feature in the name of fun and merrymaking, school events or business opportunities. Being part of Halloween celebrations in any way can have grave consequences on our Imaan as the origins of this event are steeped in practices of Shirk and Sihr. “Indeed, Shaytaan is an enemy to you, so take him as an enemy. He only invites his followers that they may become among the Companions of the Blazing Fire” (Quran 35:6) Nabi Muhammad SAW said: “Whoever imitates a nation is one of them” (Abu Dawud) Sayyidina Abdullah ibn Amr RA: “Whoever resides in the lands of the non Arabs and then celebrates their religious occasions…and emulates their practices and thereafter dies in such a condition, he shall be raised with them on the day of Qiyamah” Sayyidina Umar RA said: “Keep away from the enemies of Allah on their festivals”