# Muslims and Halloween **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2011, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444 "2011-11-01T01:27:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/21 "2011-11-01T12:58:31Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > OK, maybe that is not a great example. They probably wouldn’t want to anyway. But Muslims must have some festivals that are fun, and that Christian kids don’t get to join in with. Well, of course. The two largest fun holidays are the Eids. The more important one is at the end of Ramadan, and looks a lot like Christmas in most Western countries: dress up, get together with family, eat lots of unhealthy but delicious food, and give presents to the kiddies. I forget what the other one commemorates, alas, but I’m assured it’s also fun and involves lots of unhealthy but delicious food as well. I haven’t asked for the religion of the little witches and zombies that have rung my doorbell over the years, but they have not all been ethnic Norwegians and some may well have been Muslim. Heck, I even know one little Muslim girl who gets a Christmas stocking… because it’s Isa’s birthday, you understand, and Isa was a holy man and a prophet - not because Mom can’t resist another chance to spoil her only child 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/22 "2011-11-01T14:42:10Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > A few years ago, I lived in a dusty town in Northern Cameroon. Like all Cameroonian towns of size (and this was of size- we had two restarants and a bank) it was a diverse place. The market was full of bejeweled nomads with tattooed faces, brash Southerners in incongruous shorts and Indomitable Lions jerseys, a smatter of people- like the baker and his gorgeous young daughter- who must surely be at least somewhat Arab, and even, deep in the bush, two Polish nuns. But for the most part, this town was dominated by the Muslim Fulbe. The once rebellious city had come to see Islam as the religion of prestige. It offered a calm, contemplative way of life, some basic human decency and a code of ethics that required behaving with respect towards once hated groups, soberness and devotion to family, and a connection to a rich cultural heritage. And thus i lived in a world of flowing robes, the call to prayer, and a new set of holidays. > > At night in this village, I would hold court in my yard, perched on my traditional stick bed. I…can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/23 "2011-11-01T19:15:04Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > I’ve never heard of a word ever being uttered against Hanukkah or anything Jewish, though. I’m not sure that last compound clause means what you intended it to mean. :j ---
**Author:** ![Cyningablod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Cyningablod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyningablod)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/24 "2011-11-01T19:53:12Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > In the mosques they preach against and teach Sunday-school kids against anything Christian or Pagan, including Christmas, Saint Valentine’s Day, and Halloween. But lots of mosques are cool with Thanksgiving. They call it ‘_Id al-Shukran_. I’ve never heard of a word ever being uttered against Hanukkah or anything Jewish, though. “The” mosques? Which mosques are “the” mosques? _Most_ mosques? _All_ mosques? Just the mosques in your area? How many mosques are you familiar with? :dubious: And you do realize that Muslim children don’t attend “Sunday school”, right? That the day of worship for most Muslims is Friday? Maybe you meant, “Friday-school kids”? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/25 "2011-11-01T20:06:04Z")
Yes, I meant Muslims living in the US, and no, Halloween is not a Christian holiday. Any religious–Christian or Pagan–aspects of its origins are irrelevant to the actual participants. The main aspects of Halloween are: [ul] [li]Putting up spooky or death-themed decorations because for some reason it’s fun. [/li][li]Dressing up in masquarade costumes which increasingly haver noting to do with death.[/li][li]Ritually handing out candy to children who come to the door, which strengthens neighborood ties.[/li][/ul] I’m not aware of any Jewish kids not being allowed to participate in Halloween (Ultra Orthodox?), but yes a minority of Christian households are hard-core fundy enough to ban it. I’m just guessing that a large proportion of Muslims–given how many other aspects of our culture that they abhor–would be particularly freaked out by all the freakish imagery that abounds this time of year. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/26 "2011-11-01T20:20:29Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > I’m just guessing that a large proportion of Muslims–given how many other aspects of our culture that they abhor–would be particularly freaked out by all the freakish imagery that abounds this time of year. So…much like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, your world frightens and confuses them? ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/27 "2011-11-01T20:42:50Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > So…much like Unfrozen Caveman Lawyer, your world frightens and confuses them? Anything having to do with sex typically does. And alcohol too. And again, some fundamentalist Christians think Halloween is a load of Paganism-cum-Satanism. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/28 "2011-11-01T20:48:50Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > Anything having to do with sex typically does. And alcohol too. > > And again, some fundamentalist Christians think Halloween is a load of Paganism-cum-Satanism. I think you need to give Muslims a bit more credit. My family is Muslim and even though I personally don’t really believe/wasn’t raised religiously, I know a lot of people you are, and none of them have beliefs even remotely close to what you’re describing. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/29 "2011-11-01T20:53:54Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > I’m just guessing that a large proportion of Muslims–given how many other aspects of our culture that they abhor–would be particularly freaked out by all the freakish imagery that abounds this time of year. Since your premise is mostly untrue, any conclusions you are drawing from them are probably also untrue. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/30 "2011-11-01T22:07:08Z")
sqweels: > [@](#): > > I’m not aware of any Jewish kids not being allowed to participate in Halloween (Ultra Orthodox?) Then consider yourself educated: Orthodox (“ultra” or otherwise) Jews do not participate in Halloween. That’s not to say that we won’t have candy available for non-Jewish kids who good-naturedly knock on our door, but our kids aren’t out trick-or-treating, and we’re not carving Jack-O’Lanterns. Perhaps the Christian foundations of All Hallows Eve (the day before All Saints Day) have gotten lost in the secular American market-driven society, but they aren’t ignored by Jewish religious law. (And that goes more so if you think of it as a pre-Christian pagan holiday.) ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/31 "2011-11-01T22:47:05Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > Yes, I meant Muslims living in the US, and no, Halloween is not a Christian holiday. Any religious–Christian or Pagan–aspects of its origins are irrelevant to the actual participants. > > The main aspects of Halloween are: > [ul] > [li]Putting up spooky or death-themed decorations because for some reason it’s fun. [/li][li]Dressing up in masquarade costumes which increasingly haver noting to do with death.[/li][li]Ritually handing out candy to children who come to the door, which strengthens neighborood ties.[/li][/ul] > > I’m not aware of any Jewish kids not being allowed to participate in Halloween (Ultra Orthodox?), but yes a minority of Christian households are hard-core fundy enough to ban it. I’m just guessing that a large proportion of Muslims–given how many other aspects of our culture that they abhor–would be particularly freaked out by all the freakish imagery that abounds this time of year. What **cmkeller** said. And when I lived in a majority Jewish neighborhood for a few years, NOBODY went trick-or-treating. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/32 "2011-11-01T22:49:12Z")
Costumes and treats? That’s what Purim is for! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/33 "2011-11-02T03:15:32Z")
> [@Cyningablod](#): > > “The” mosques? Which mosques are “the” mosques? _Most_ mosques? _All_ mosques? Just the mosques in your area? How many mosques are you familiar with? :dubious: The ones in the Washington, DC area and other parts of the country. As a rule, mosques in America are dominated by the more conservative or fundamentalist stripe of Muslims in the community. The exceptions to this are few. > [@](#): > > And you do realize that Muslim children don’t attend “Sunday school”, right? Yes they do. I’ve seen them doing it. Lots of places in different parts of th country. > [@](#): > > That the day of worship for most Muslims is Friday? Maybe you meant, “Friday-school kids”? 😉 No. Friday school is regular school (Monday through Friday). They have Sunday school for kids at the mosque because that’s the day people have off of work in America. I’m talking about American mosques only, because that’s where Thanksgiving is accepted by many Muslims who encounter it. In other countries they’ve probably never heard of it. There are also hardline fundie types who are against everything and they’ll reflexively say Thanksgiving is haraam, because pretty much everything you can think of is haraam by them. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/34 "2011-11-02T03:45:01Z")
> [@Cyningablod](#): > > “The” mosques? Which mosques are “the” mosques? _Most_ mosques? _All_ mosques? Just the mosques in your area? How many mosques are you familiar with? :dubious: > > And you do realize that Muslim children don’t attend “Sunday school”, right? That the day of worship for most Muslims is Friday? Maybe you meant, “Friday-school kids”? 😉 I’d just like to point out that the day of worship for Jews is Saturday, yet when I was going to Hebrew School they commonly held classes on Sunday. (Also two weekday evenings.) As **Johanna** said, it made sense: There was no conflict on that day. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/35 "2011-11-02T04:17:39Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Perhaps the Christian foundations of All Hallows Eve (the day before All Saints Day) have gotten lost in the secular American market-driven society, but they aren’t ignored by Jewish religious law. (And that goes more so if you think of it as a pre-Christian pagan holiday.) So the only people who think of it as a religious holiday are those who have nothing to do with it? It’s not a question of any Christian (or mutually exclusive Pagan) “foundations”\* having gotten “lost”; they’ve been _eliminated_. \*(I prefer “origins” to “foundations” because the latter implies something solid, and that’s what it ain’t.) But while I welcome the knowledge that some Jews are superstitious about Halloween even while more aren’t, I’d still like to see some anecdotes about how various Muslims living in areas where Halloween is popular react to it. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/36 "2011-11-02T05:17:43Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > I forget what the other one commemorates, alas, but I’m assured it’s also fun and involves lots of unhealthy but delicious food as well. _[Eid al-Adha](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Adha) (Arabic: عيد الأضحى‎ ‘Īd al-’Aḍḥá, IPA: [ʕiːd al ʔadˁˈħaː], “feast of sacrifice”) or “Festival of Sacrifice” or “Greater Eid” is an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to commemorate the willingness of Abraham (Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Ishmael (Isma’il) as an act of obedience to God_ Fun for the whole family! Hey kids, let’s recreate Abraham and Ishmael’s trek up the mountain! Don’t worry, mom will bring the ram. ---
**Author:** ![ProbablyProcrastinating](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@ProbablyProcrastinating](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProbablyProcrastinating)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/37 "2011-11-02T05:21:07Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > A few years ago, I lived in a dusty town in Northern Cameroon. Oh man, way to share the love. I know Muslims who celebrate Halloween. I know some Christians who do not. I think that this holiday is primarily commercial except to those who oppose it and it depends on the family. Oh, and plenty of masjids have Arabic and Islamic School on Sunday morning, especially in the west, because of scheduling difficulties on Friday. Since they play sports and work and go to school etc. My own kids (I’m not Muslim, my ex-spouse is) did this. :shrug: I wouldn’t go to the ones on Sunday if you’re looking to borrow a turban and an AK-47, though. We are talking about the approximately 1 billion Muslims worldwide who are normal people living normal lives and who just want to watch the game and mow the lawn and get their daughter into guitar lessons and stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![DaveBfd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DaveBfd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaveBfd)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/38 "2011-11-02T05:24:24Z")
> [@sqweels](#): > > So the only people who think of it as a religious holiday are those who have nothing to do with it? > > It’s not a question of any Christian (or mutually exclusive Pagan) “foundations”\* having gotten “lost”; they’ve been _eliminated_. > > \*(I prefer “origins” to “foundations” because the latter implies something solid, and that’s what it ain’t.) > > But while I welcome the knowledge that some Jews are superstitious about Halloween even while more aren’t, I’d still like to see some anecdotes about how various Muslims living in areas where Halloween is popular react to it. Im not sure of when they were younger, but most of my Muslim friends went out on halloween while in highschool. Not necessarily trick or treating though. I know many who dress up for parties also. ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/39 "2011-11-02T05:47:14Z")
> [@DaveBfd](#): > > Im not sure of when they were younger, but most of my Muslim friends went out on halloween while in highschool. Not necessarily trick or treating though. > > I know many who dress up for parties also. OK, good. I can imagine that Muslim women are quite a bit more restricted in how revealing their costumes can be, but so long as none of them feel as though they’re not allowed to go out in costume at all, then that’s fine. ---
**Author:** ![Ibn\_Warraq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e19b73/32.png) [@Ibn\_Warraq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibn_Warraq)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444/40 "2011-11-02T06:00:05Z")
I get the impression Sqweels has met few if any Muslims in real life. To answer his question, no, for most Muslims Halloween is not something that is forbidden. > [@](#): > > Anything having to do with sex typically does. And alcohol too. Yes, just like blacks go crazy whenever they’re in the presence of fried chicken. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/muslims-and-halloween/601444.md?page=3)