In this Lighthouse session from 10/18, Shaykh Yasir Qadhi explains the fiqh and ethics of celebrating holidays, focusing on Halloween and how Muslims can navigate cultural customs in a non-Muslim society. He traces its origins, discusses what makes a holiday religious versus cultural, and outlines the principles scholars use when addressing modern celebrations.
Shaykh Yasir also answers common questions about giving candy, dressing up, and joining social events, while reminding us that true celebration in Islam is rooted in gratitude, remembrance, and the joy of our own Eid traditions.
Perfect for parents, students, and anyone seeking clarity on where Islam draws the line between culture and faith.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:00:05 Choosing which authority you take from
0:04:41 The Arrogance of a Blind Follower who Debates
0:05:33 Nuance is required in lots of issues
0:06:05 When the Scholars are disconnected from the masses
0:08:28 Pre-Summarizing the Verdict
0:09:44 Stop Trivializing words like “Haram”, “Shirk”, or “Kufr”
0:10:44 There are 3 arguments for impermissibility
0:13:34 Argument #1: All festivals are Haram by default
0:16:34 Celebrations are divided into 3 categories
0:16:39 The Sharia is silent about Personal Celebrations
0:18:37 Are Communal Festivities Cultural or Ritualistic?
0:21:37 Religious Scholars should not be at the forefront of encouraging non-religious festivals
0:21:53 The Dangers of being too strict about Islam
0:24:10 Ali RA at Nawruz
0:26:58 Communal Festivities are neither Haram nor Bid’ah
0:27:39 Religious Festivities are different from personal and communal
0:28:02 There is nothing really wrong about taking advantage of Communal Festivities
0:29:03 Religious Festivals MUST NOT be celebrated by Muslims
0:29:46 A Convert is allowed to chill with his family on Christmas
0:30:57 So you can’t argue that Celebrations are Haram
0:31:11 Argument #2: Halloween has Pagan Origins
0:32:27 The current status quo matters more than the Origins
0:33:42 The Pagan Origins of the Days of the Week
0:35:28 The Origins of the Olympics
0:36:16 Fatwas on wearing Nike Shoes
0:37:00 The Mehendi events at Weddings
0:39:22 Wedding Rings
0:40:17 Yoga
0:42:55 The Origins of Halloween
0:48:00 Halloween is no longer associated with Paganism
0:49:40 Certain Theological Issues remaining regarding Halloween
0:50:48 Demonic associations are not strong enough to make it Haram, but maybe Makruh
0:51:27 Thanksgiving has nothing to do with religion
0:51:49 Christmas is still Religious but it might not be 100 years from now
0:52:50 Quick Recap
0:53:08 Argument #3: Imitation of the Kuffar is Haram
0:54:01 They exempt Language, Clothing, and Food
0:54:44 Learning English and wearing Western Clothes was considered Haram in 1800s India and Egypt
0:55:54 Sir Syed Ahmed Khan of Aligarh was Takfired for wearing suits and teaching English
0:56:57 There’s a difference between correlation and wanting to imitate
0:57:54 The Prophet ﷺ had the same culture as the Pagans of his time
0:58:49 Imitation of Kuffar is something characteristic of Kufr that is foreign to your civilization
1:00:03 The Prophet ﷺ and the Sahabahs adapted from the other civilizations
1:02:14 Celebrations are Cultural
1:02:59 No Religion Takes Halloween as a Religious Festival
1:03:50 The Final Verdict on Actively Celebrating
1:04:58 The Ruling on those who celbrate out of ignorance
1:04:47 Halloween would be permissible if associated with Cartoon Characters instead of the unseen
1:06:28 Conclusion
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► Credits:
*Note: No musical instruments were used in this video, all background noise is human acapella.*
Intro & Outro Nasheed
Artist: Ibraheem Bakeer
Produced by: MAQAMAT INSTITUTION
Copyright reserved and reproduced exclusively with permission for Yasir Qadhi’s Official YouTube Channel.
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