Rate this Article
Holiday Myths: Video Review
Ah, October-if you haven't seen it already, malls, schools, and grocery stores will soon be decorated in garish orange and black paraphernalia in preparation for the age old ritual of Halloween.
What tugs the heartstrings though, is not the gaudy decorations, the sales
of cavity-inducing candy and plastic pumpkins, but the adorable children
dressed like Pokemon, the Teletubbies, Spiderman or Wonderwoman. Oh, and
let's not forget: devils and witches.
Halloween, as Islamic scholar Abdullah Hakim Quick explains in the video
Holiday Myths, is really about Celtic rituals, many Christians
agree.
Historically, like so many other rituals, it has been adapted by Christianity
as a way to make the religion more acceptable to the people of the North,
who lived far away from the Middle East, where this message, once a message
of the Oneness of God, was being preached by Prophet Jesus, peace be upon
him.
Quick is also an historian and he clearly presents the history behind celebrations like Halloween, Christmas, Easter and New Year's. He points out that these occasions, which are usually marked by excessive consumerism and superstition, are in reality a hodge podge of Christian beliefs, pagan rituals, and local cultural influences.
He also gives an excellent explanation of specific traditions associated with various holidays.
For example, he talks about how Santa Claus is often associated with St. Nicholas. But who really was St. Nicholas?
He was definitely not an overweight, overbearing man who slid down chimneys once a year. Rather, he was a Christian bishop who lived during the fourth century in Turkey. In fact, he was really a thin man, since he fasted regularly. The chubby Santa is a product of paganism.
Quick also reminds us how Prophet Jesus and his teachings stand in stark
contrast to the crass materialism now associated with the December 25
holiday, which was supposed to be inspired by this Prophet's birth.
But Quick doesn't just expose the paganism behind the partying. He also
suggests practical ways Muslims can take an exception from these rituals,
without offending or condemning those who practice them.
For instance, he mentions the common ground worshippers of One God have in objecting to practices like Halloween. There is also a brief question and answer session at the end of the video which deals with issues like gift-giving on some of these occasions.
This is a good video for parents and teens who wants to know Muslim perspective
on popular holidays.
........... Order this video Holiday Myths
by Samana Siddiqui
Introducing Sound Vision
 helping tomorrow's Muslims today!
About Us Volunteer FAQs Donate
RadioIslam Survey Speakers Bureau
What Our Supporters' Tell Us
Discussion with Sound Vision Team:
[Dawud Wharnsby Ali][Jawad Jafry]
Your Comments
ammi, Chicago -
wrote on 8/21/2005 3:23:39 AM
Rating: 
Comment: In my opinion Halloween should be avoided since it is very dangerous to go out at night. I mean seriously I don't feel comfortable letting my kids go out on a cold night ringing every doorbell on the block begging for candy. Now a days every other family has a child being kidnapped or raped..If I really want candy I can just buy it myself --it is not that expensive. Oh ya, spoiling kids with candy is not a smart idea. They'll just end up with a trip to the dentist's office because of cavities. Simply said, I don't like Halloween and if others want to risk their kid's lives for just few candy bars then that is their choice.
Malynn, Minneapolis MN -
wrote on 10/27/2004 4:20:39 PM
Rating: 
Comment: I also as a Christian do not allow my children to celebrate halloween!! Nor do we celebrate santa clause, easter bunny, tooth fairy or any other pagan or lying myths that a lot of Americans celebrate. I love and respect my fellow Americans and also proud to be an American, but there is a tolerance amoung Americans that is like that of Sodom and Gomorrah! I choose to let it be known that my children will not paticipate at school at relatives homes with these celebrations. While other kids are trick or treating my family does something fun together so my children do not think that because we are Christians that we can't have fun!! I also believe that because you come to this country does not mean that you have to conform to the unholy ways of the culture, the BIBLE states that we are in the world, not of it.
Angilion, England -
wrote on 12/12/2003 8:58:03 PM
Rating:
Comment: I'll take something of a middle ground between your article and the last comment.
I do think that when a person settles in a country, they should become of that country, including taking on the customs of that country to some extent. Halloween in the USA has nothing to do with religion any more.
However, your article does show some tolerance of other people's customs, which is laudable. You're not calling for Halloween to be banned, for example.
Your comments on the origin of Halloween are a) Irrelevant to Halloween today in the USA and b) wrong in a number of ways.
There are two distinct origins of Halloween, though the first one isn't really an origin of Halloween at all.
The first has its origins in Celtic religion, so Satan cannot be involved - those people didn't believe in the existence of Satan. You ignore a vitally important part of the festival of - its purpose was to protect people from evil and to celebrate the new year (which those Celts considered to start at that time of the year). This festival was *not* Halloween - it was Samhain.
The second origin of Halloween is purely Christian. It is the origin of the USA celebration of Halloween, brought over to the USA in the 19th century by Irish Catholics when the appalling famine in Ireland resulted in about a fith of the entire population emigrating to the USA to survive. In the 9th century, All Saints Day, a celebration of, unsurprisingly, all Saints, was moved by the Catholic Church from May to the 1st of November. The evening before All Saints Day was All Saints Eve, more commonly known as All Hallows Eve - the origin of the word "Halloween". That is the origin of Halloween, hence the name, and in any case it is now a cultural festival in the USA, not a religious one.
Tamara Kcehowski, California -
wrote on 2/19/2003 5:15:36 PM
Rating: 
Comment: As a Christian "American" I am offended as to what you are teaching your children! Not all families teach their children the evils associated with holidays as primary only secondary for safety...rather the good and doing good for others. If our beliefs are not yours fine...but yours are not mine and how dare you promote and condemn our beliefs on our soil! If you don't like it...simply go back to where you came from! Never in history of this fine country have we ever had such teachings of hate, bombings and death on our own country. I started this search in order to promote kindness and understanding...as I was sent an email to boycott the new EID US stamp. I wanted to educated my friends as to the meaning of your holidays. Now I am disgusted! You all want what our country has to offer yet at the same time you urinate on it. Again, if your country and beliefs are so above ours then simply go back. We didn't ask you to bring your hatred and insults! Before you point the finger maybe you should do a reality check of your own you hypocrites!
Post your comment
|
 |
 |
| Search |
|
| Search The Quran |
|
| Something to Ask... | O Allah!
With Your Power we have come to the morning, with Your Power we come to the evening, with Your Power we live, and we die, and to You will we return. |
|
 |
|
|
|
