Islamic View on Halloween

Halloween is a holiday many people celebrate in America. While we think it's only fun and games, candy and costumes, its true origins have a dark background. Ahmadi Muslims associate this dark background with "shirk" (the greatest sin in Islam in which a person associates partners with God). The roots of Halloween come from over 2000 years ago, starting with the Celts. The Celts believed that the dead roamed free on Halloween and they are able to tell people their fortune. The Celts left offerings, including food and wine, in their homes for the dead. These people believed they would be able to avoid evil spirits by wearing ghoulish masks and disguises.
Billions of dollars are spent on costumes and candy every year. According to Forbes, almost 9 billion dollars were expected to be paid by consumers just for this holiday. Ahmadi Muslims believe that instead of spending money on candy and costumes, we could donate the money towards charitable causes which includes, homelessness, education, climate change, food banks, orphans, and many others. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him) enjoined charity and at the same time advised against begging and observed that the upper hand (of the donor) was better than the lower hand (of the receiver). This explains that when choosing between giving and receiving something, you should always try to give. On Halloween, when people ring each other's doorbells, and are splaying out their hands for candy, it makes them seem like beggars. It would be more beneficial for children to learn to give to others.
There are many other ways for children to have meaningful fun. When anyone indulges in activities based on false tales, it hinders moral development. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him) also said, "The best charity is to fill a hungry stomach". The emphasis is that it is better to help a needy person rather than spending money on things that aren't as important.
As Ahmadi Muslims, we don't believe that the dead can come back to life or have any power over us. This goes against the idea of unity of God in Islam. In the Holy Quran, chapter 31, verse 31 it states: "That is because it is God alone Who is the True God, and whatever they call upon beside him is falsehood, and because it is God alone Who is the Most High, the Incomparably Great". This verse explains that only God can be God and nothing else can be God, and he is the only one Who can be called upon when anyone needs anything. Whatever other beings that are called upon are false. In chapter 34, verse 23, it says "Say, 'Call upon those whom you assert to be gods besides God. They control not even the weight of an atom in the heavens or in the earth, nor have they any share in either, nor has He any helper among them'". This quote explains that no other being besides God can control anything. We cannot control how the earth rotates around the sun, and we certainly can't even control the smallest of things, like the weight of an atom. The Holy Quran also states: "And when harm touches you on the sea, all those whom you call upon, except Him, become lost to you. But when He brings you safe to land, you turn aside; and man is very ungrateful" (17:68). This verse makes it clear that when someone is in trouble, they will try to call upon whatever they believe will help them. Once they realize that none will help them, they call upon God. Once God helps them, they turn away, ungrateful and ignorant. All this evidence shows that man can waste his resources on things that aren't important. Instead, man should do his best to help those who need it. As Ahmadi Muslims, we believe that instead of celebrating Halloween and wasting money, we should give it to those who really need it.