Last year we had a discussion on Halloween in Pakistan and this year we’ll try to see the issues faced by the Pakistani community when they try to celebrate or try to shy away from Halloween while living abroad.
It has been boiling inside of me since that fateful day when I went to a mosque for an Iftari last Ramzan. I have a very good friend who is a part of the management at one of mosques and he invited me to come to the mosque for an iftari and a dars (sermon) by the resident maulvi. Coincidentally, I had to pass a few of his earlier invitations because of one commitment or another, so I decided to go this time. I sent him a confirmation email a day before that I will be there. However, I asked him that will he exclude me from Daira-e-Islam (circle of Islam) if I did not listen to Mullah and leave before he speaks. My friend, as expected from a gentleman that he is, sent me an email indicating his agreement with a smiley at the end.
Just to give you a little background. I am not an atheist. I consider myself a proud Muslim. I have indeed gone through my phases of atheism, agnosticism and all kinds of confusions when it comes to religion but I am thankful to God that I have evolved as a believer. When I look back, I realize that I never had any issues with Islam but I have always had issues with Muslims. To this day, I hate to see Islam used and abused by none other than the followers of this great religion.
Anyway, when I arrived at the mosque for the Iftari, my friend introduced me to the Maulvi. He seemed like a decent educated chap. After my meeting with him, my friend asked me again, if I wanted to stay for the sermon. It was hard to say no at that point. The sermon started off well and then at one point the maulvi revealed to the crowd in a very dramatic tone, that if all of the people in the mosque knew that their house was on fire. There was a silence in the room. The maulvi took another dramatic turn and said “ your house is on fire”! There was a murmur in the crowd. The maulvi repeated this statement three or four times and then asked the people, “do you want to know why?”. Some of the front row enthusiasts replied in a yes and the maulvi unfolded the mystery. The point was that our houses were on fire was because we live next to the biggest Satan, the United States. Damn! I mumbled under my breath.
I hate this meaningless US bashing. I am no fan of Mr. Bush and in fact I have several issues with the US policies. I think most of the times they are manipulative and sometimes just plain stupid. Having said that, I want to emphasize on the fact that I have no hard feelings against the American people. As a Pakistani Muslim, I believe we have a political conflict with the Unites States government and it does not translate into a war between Americans against the Muslims. The American people are simple and ignorant people like us. The difference is that they have been trapped inside a bubble. They have no idea about the outside world. All there is to them is the US and all they know about the outside world is via a biased media. It is not their fault that they are not aware of the reality of the Middle Eastern conflict. If you live with these people, you discover that hey are friendly, family oriented people with their own value system. Not every one is having sex with everyone else. Jerry Springer is not depicting the real American culture. Like us, these people too work hard to provide for their families and are not striving or conniving to destroy Islam or Muslims. It’s a political conflict , let’s keep it a political conflict!
The next trigger for this article was an email in one of the mail lists that I subscribe to titled “Surviving Halloween”. The title pretty much describes the essence of the e-mail. Here is a quote from the e-mail.
“How can we worship only Allah, the Creator, if we participate in activities that are based in pagan rituals, divination, and the spirit world? May Allah protect us from such misguidance”.
This email also had several quotations from Quran and forbade muslims to become a part of the pagan ritualistic tradition of Halloween like
“So many people participate in these celebrations without even understanding the history and the pagan connections, just because their friends are doing it, their parents did it (”it’s a tradition!”), and because “it’s fun!” Allah described such people in the Qur’an: “When it is said unto them, ‘Come to what Allah has revealed, come to the Messenger,’ they say, ‘Enough for us are the ways we found our fathers following.’ What! Even though their fathers were void of knowledge and guidance?” (Qur’an > 5:104)
I am not a religious scholar and so the first question I raise is what is the context of this quotation from Quran? Is it not that Arabs had traditions of burying daughters, worshipping idols, etc or it can be applied to children dressing up in cartoon characters and going to every home in the neighborhood to collect candy?
The second question I would raise is what does Quran say about people who use religion and quotations from Quran to serve their personal hidden agendas and what does it say about the people who in their sheer ignorance propagate these views by forwarding such emails. This emotional, exploitive rhetoric is shaping up the views and opinions of our new generation.
The third question is that being a Pakistani Muslim living in North America, if our children go “trick or treating” are they really defying the principles of Islam? I may not have an answer to the first two questions but I do believe that I know the answer to third question. I do believe that Islam is about sharing joy and love. As some one on the same mail list pointed out that we should be celebrating to the extent that we understand that it is sharing in other peoples ‘happiness and festivals’. However, at the same time we should be explicitly clear in our understanding (and our communication to kids) that this is not part of our religion. There should not be any harm as long as this understanding is clear. The gentleman also pointed out a risk that with the passage of time, this understanding or differentiation may not remain clear, and these festivals may be considered a part of Islam. I agree and with my decision to live in the “West”, I took the responsibility to provide and maintain that line of demarcation bteween our’s and their’s culture and religion.
I agree that Halloween may have roots in pagan rituals but why do we care? Can’t we look at the bigger picture? Do you know where suit and tie comes from that you wear to work everyday? Tie symbolizes a cross. It is a very Christian thing but wearing a suit and tie does not make me Christian because that is not the ‘Neeyat’ (intention). Even your namaz (prayer) is not complete unless you make a ‘Neeyat’. Do you know where Mehndi (before your wedding) comes from you? Who cares? We adapted Hindu culture because we lived with them from hundreds of years. We didn’t adapt worshipping their gods but things that don’t hurt our basic religious principle are fine. Spreading joy and laughter is not unislamic!!! We live in multicultural society. Why can’t we be a part of other people’s festivities and share happiness? I loved it when my white, Canadian friends come to my house on Eid for Sheer Qurma. Why can’t we stop bashing everything American (even though Halloween is not originally American)? Why can’t we spread some joy and love in the world? Why do we have to highlight the differences and spread hatred? Why can’t the world be just one big happy place?
I watched the Halloween episode of the show “little mosque on the prairie”, and I loved the idea. a Halloween with a cultural twist? Can’t we have our children dressed up like chotay nawab with the kurta, pajama and topi? Can’t we have the bulbul and Jugnoo from Iqbal’s nazm Hamdardee. Can’t we have the Khattak dancer and girl from Thar costumes? If someone comes and tell me this is un-Islamic, the I only thing I can tell them is …Hip Hip Hurrah for Halal-oween!!!
About the Author: Muslim Rizvi is working as a Solutions Manager for an IT service company. He is based just outside of Toronto, Canada . Muslim is a writer, a poet, a painter, a playwright, an actor and a director and has been associated with theatre for over a decade. These days however, he is playing the role of a full time father and in his own words: “the artist in me died when a father in me was born”.
MQ:
There is really no proof about the history of tie. However, a certain section of Muslims predominantly in Iran and Turkey believe that the tie was in reality, a form of a cross. Christians hanged cross necklaces around their neck, now they hang ties around it, and it is now the alternative form. That’s why you see Chinese collar shirts with their suits.
Regards
Deewana Aik,
good question, since you have aboarded on muslim
children festivals alternatives, yes, we experimented
here in Benelux, our centers every month celebrates
open door invitations to local muslims and nons.
We choose a subject, or a personality, around 13 types
of muslim cuisines with traditional muslim
costumes of every culture, languages, little bit of musique,
(others also integrated) all in respect of Islamic limits, and civil decency.
The first one was nearly a flop, the second bit better,
the third time, it was beyond control, so many children,
with families, its very very demanding and tiresome, but
pleasure for the kids.
What alternatives do we have for Muslim children apart from Eids which are only twice a year? What about rest of the year?
Muslim Rizvi,
One little observation about the necktie. You say “tie symbolizes the Cross”. I am not so sure about it. I think tie or some similar neck-wear predates Christianity. In any case, no way, it looks like a cross. If at all, it looks like a noose. And, you know, hangman’s noose is as much a Muslim symbol as it is of any other religion.
Regarding Halloween, most Americans (at least in New York) do not know the exact origins of this festival. They just treat it as an innocent children’s festival. And, I think, that is how it should be treated.
Personally, I like the Holloween pumpkins — their color, shape and size. I am going to take its seeds and try to grow them in Islamabad. Now don’t tell me growing orange-colored pumpkins is also un-Islamic.
Notwithstanding your ‘Mullah-light-my-fire’ routine thrown in for the dramatic or spooky effect? I say, a little over-acting job. But in your zeal to prove your flair for melodrama or for that matter your O Canada, lets not exaggerate.
As a ‘Muslim’ (no pun intended) parent - raising our kids anywhere aint easy - let alone in a non-Muslim country. But the least we can do is to keep the over-all Islamic value-system into practice in various situations, which confront us.
It aint easy, however, if one make compromises, let us recognize them as compromise. In this way, you will not dilute or make any alterations in the ideal, but will recognize and admit that we are not following it completely. Heck, if you are gonna let your kids go trick-or-treat – UNICEF had a program that may solve your dilemma. UNICEF provides boxes to collect loose change for charity and kids can have fun competing to see who can get the most contributions for this good cause.
To answer Mr. Rafay’s questions. You misunderstand my point. Please read my earlier comment. If I was living in Pakistan and my kids were celebrating Halloween, your comments will be right on. However, that is not the case. I will give you an example we had a teacher at IBA who is an American and lived in Pakistan. He wore Shalwar Kameez, had a beard, spoke Urdu, etc etc.. If there other IBA people reading, they will vouch for Jeff’s Pakistaniat. I heard he is no longer at IBA though and is teaching at some other universities in Karachi.
Yarleybrown : Your good intentions are appreciated, however just wanted to make a correction in your understanding of our religion. We believe that our book, the Quran is not written by men. It is divine and that’s what makes it timeless. The issue is that people have interpreted it differently and therefore you see the difference of opinion in the comments here. Islam has very a modern and current outlook, you just have the to understand the essence of it and then life would be simple.
I agree to most of the analysis presented in this post. Lack of education and common sense makes us believe many things. There is nothing wrong in enjoying everything.
“Pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of reigion”
Khalil Gibran.