So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

^ Yeah, I've seen photos from throughout the ME and Pakistan. And also it's more my relatives that are immigrants whose kids have gone all out (but maybe I have more of those too).

Afshi, that is interesting. What do the kids say? Do they know why they're there? Or is it just another fun party at the masjid?

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

the kids love it. When they get there they are told why they are here and why they should not participate in halloween activities. and then the lady talked about Eid al-adha and what goes on at Eid and the fun it is, etc etc. that got the kids all pumped up for their own holiday :D

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

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Did any of the kids bring in the Islamic factor?
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- yes. my daughter asked if we can muslims celebrate halloween

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Are you as a parent able to keep Halloween celebrations and your religion separate. Do you feel you're going against Islamic rulings?
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No I don't think it's goes against Islamic ruling. I have not seen one hadith that explains this and makes sense in my brain.

Surprising our Sunday school doesn't bash Halloween. I have explained to the kids what religious celebrations are and what national celebration are (halloween, super bowl, thanksgiving, basant). I discourage over spending on ALL HOLIDAYS and birthdays.

I love dressing up and playing a character. I do that with drama clubs, plays. I actually think it's a good HALAL activity for the kids to participate in.

We don't do trick or treating because my kids don't eat candy and it's freeezing. We like to dress up and hand out candy to the neighbors. We go to the annual township Halloween bash where they have games and food and they give out little trinkets (still no candy because we have a health nut for a director).

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When is a good age to discourage children from trick or treating, buying costumes, if at all?
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I grew out of it when I was a teenager so I think my children will too.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

I am a bit more liberal and if i could i would have probably taken our daughter trick or treating but hubs is totally against halloween, valentines day etc. If someone stopped by we would have handed them some candy but no one did because we are the only house on our street with kids. Everyone else is retired and really old. I am guessing we wouldnt be taking our kids trick or treating ever but perhaps when they are older, i will try to organize something with friends or just at home so they dont feel left out.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

So at our masjid school we focused on the upcoming Eid, handed out pre-Eid goody bags and will have an EId party in school as well. Surprisingly, most kids weren't interested in going trick or treating because it was cold.

Regarding the haram factor...well no one really worships the devil anymore. Halloween is all about dressing up and collecting/passing out candy. I don't think it's a big deal. But I rather spend my $$ and time towards establishing Eid traditions rather than get carried away by Halloween/Valentines marketing!

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

We went to Noor's school on Saturday night for a costume ball......everyone is encouraged to dress up and they have proper entertainment with competitions and activities for the kids.....so that was fun. I dressed as a witch, hubby as a surgeon and Noor as vampira.

By the time Monday evening rolled around Noor was not in the mood to go out. She stayed home and enjoyed handing out candy with us.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

I just don't understand why people would label Halloween as 'haram'. It's purely a cultural practice prevalent in North America. How does dressing up and handing out candy make you any less of a Muslim?!? Obviously one shouldn't go overboard when it comes to spending money on costumes or even candy but dressing up and collecting candy is such a harmless fun activity that kids thoroughly enjoy. Honestly, the more you make a deal out of this, the more curious your child will be to take part in it. And if you take it casually, kids will also take it casually and just see it as a fun activity and will eventually grow out of it by the time they are older.

There is absolutely no need to bring up religion here. I can't wait to dress up my kids and take them trick or treating! And my husband is totally up for it as well!

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

as far as i understand, and i may be wrong.... halloween derived from ancient pagan rituals (stone henge etc) and festivals of the dead from roman times.
Now last time i checked these thigs were against the spirit of islam, therefore there is a relevance.
however i also understand those who say it is a cultural thing, and i think largely it did become commercialised in the US first....
in any case me and my wife are against such things, and we are VERY liberal in our outlook - we just dont think its necessary in our lives.... but we have a goodly selection of sweets for the kids that do come round dressed to thrill!!
Calling it 'haraam' , well technically i suppose it is....
But then muslims do pounce on every opportunity to push things into 'halal' and haraam' boxes!
i

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

I think Halloween is something that is totally innocent for children and it should be alrigth for them to celebrate...

but adults celebrating with adults? (not family friendly parties/celebrations).

I mean why else are so many "adult" female costumes totally trashy...why do ppl joke that its the only time of the year you can be a "slutty pumpkin/nurse/pirate/anything" and not get criticized for using the word "slut"....provocative/vulgar costumes etc..

I'm all for kids celebrating/adults celebrating with kids...but I also understand the "haram" argument too.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

I saw some TV show at someone's house a few days ago where they were interviewing a mom and her daughter.The mom had dressed up her daughter as a hooker for halloween and she was perfectly fine with that.The daughter was maybe 6 years old,I think.
The host asked her what did she want her daughter to be when she grew up and she said she can be a Miss World or a neurosurgeon,whatever she wants.
That mother was disgusting and that is taking 'dressing up' to pathetic levels.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

I don't understand why halloween is haraam? I know originally it was a pagan festival but not anymore. Now its just an excuse to get dressed up and get candy. I'm pretty sure no one I know or have ever met claims it holds a religious meaning to them. Does anyone even know any pagans anymore? By the same token is Thanksgiving haraam too? Because I see both of these as cultural traditions not religious events.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

my daughter is still not ready to completely give up on halloween. but this yr we did bring the islamic factor in. so i told her this is her last yr to go trick n treat. i took baby steps.
last yr she went to halloween school dance with our neighbours. but this yr i did not send her to dance even she insisted, then there was halloween at zoo where all her friends were going. i didn't send her there either coz same day her islamic school arranged early eid party and gave them candies etc. however on halloween eve she went trick n treat with her friend and her mom and got this really huge pillow filled like a a santa's bag. the next few days she and my lil one ate nothing but candies. no more candies next yr. the idea of them having cavities kill me. so next yr may be i'll ask her to buy candies, make goody bags for each of her friends and give to them instead going and collecting candies. we'll see next yr but for me its def a time to gradually stop the fun. :)

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

for those who say halloween is haram but still hand out candy to neighborhood kids, isn't that being a wee bit hypocritical? you're not participating in it by dressing up but you're still being an enabler for those who are, so doesn't that make you as guilty of going against islamic rulings as those who dress up and go trick or treating?

i don't find it to be haram, personally. like someone else said, its just as cultural as thanksgiving or canada day or labour day bbq's or even tailgating at a football game. obviously if you don't want to participate in cultural events of the area you live in, then thats a different story, but halloween is a dress up FOR FUN occasion and then you eat a bunch of candy (or give it away, because lets face it, most of the candy is kind of gross. those mini-bars are meh.) thats it. and actually, i work at a kids publishing company so i've always given away pencils, fun erasers, books, noisemakers, etc. rather than candy, so hah! its educational stuff! lol
if you're going to worship the devil, i'm sure you can do it in plain ole jeans and a t-shirt too so why pick on dressing up?

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

i just dont get the grown up costumes for women either. its so ludicrous. if i have a girl child there will definitely be limits on what she can be. just like i'd never let my boy child dress up as a pimp.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

In Islam so many things are Haram even if they “appear harmless” to most people.

Halloween is haram in Islam…there is no debate on that.

Some people will try to justify allowing their kids to celebrate it because you aren’t worshipping satan or peforming paganist rituals but simply having harmless innocent fun by dressing up and trick or treating.

The acts of dressing up in costumes and trick or treating are actually rooted in paganistic practices. Read up on the history of Halloween and you will realize why this is strictly forbidden for Muslims to celebrate.

I’ve posted a really good link below that explains in detail why it is haram.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

^ I'm not saying that Halloween is "halal," but a lot of stuff we do is routed in the practices of other religions and cultures. Does that necessarily mean it is "haram"? I don't think so. Intent matters a lot in Islam.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

^ Intent matters definitely. But actions do too. :)

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?

^ Um yeah. Actions matter. But getting dressed up and going to different houses for sweets doesn't really sound all that different from our Eid celebrations. The action in this case is not the problem.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?


Thats what we do to but sometimes I buy kids costumes on their birthdays and for playing. And other than religious views I don't feel safe kids going house to house asking for candy. I think people should have some parties but this candy asking thing in this age is not safe.

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Re: So how many of you took the kids out to trick or treat?


No dear because in ISLAM when someone comes to your house asking or begging for some candy you cannot just say I don't have it plain rudely. You cannot sent someone empty handed especially when you can afford it. Sometimes if I turn my lights off and people don't come then that's fine but if someone still rings a bell you cannot just be rude. Islam is not a rude religion.