The Origin of Halloween

The Origin of Halloween

Compiled by: Mohammad Omar Faruq (Milky)

Introduction

Halloween a day celebrated around the world when people dress up in costumes, collect candy from neighbors and have parties, but do you ever take time to think about the origins of Halloween? Most people don’t think twice about participating in it saying “It’s all in fun” or “It’s not evil to me”, but is this so called hallow evening really so innocent? Are there ties to paganism and Satanism? Shall we as Jews, Christians and Muslims celebrate Halloween or should we have an alternative name for it like Harvest Festival? Before we get into those questions let’s take a closer look at the history of this night and how it all started.

What is Halloween?

Halloween is a holiday celebrated on the night of October 31^st. On this night, children’s dress up in different costumes and go door to door asking for candies (also known as treat or tricking). Other activities that also take part in this custom are bonfires, costume parties, visiting haunting houses, playing prank on one another, watching horror films, and other Halloween related festivities. Pumpkins are carved out for Halloween with faces and homes are decorated with ghostly and other evil images.