As the world gears up for Halloween - with masks, costumes, horror films, and haunted houses - it becomes an opportunity for Muslims to reflect on something deeper: truth vs illusion, and what it really means to live with clarity in a world full of distractions.

For many, Halloween is just fun and dress-up. But it also says something about society’s deeper currents: an obsession with escapism, a casual approach to darkness, and an increasing comfort with glorifying evil. These aren’t just costumes. They reflect a world that is becoming numb - desensitised to fear, death, spirits, and even Satan himself. This isn’t about judging individuals - it’s about recognising trends.

Seeing Through the Mask

The Qur’an teaches us to see through the illusion - to unmask reality and recognise the truth of our existence. Allah says:

“And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion?” - Surah Al-Hadid (57:20)

We live in a world that constantly pulls us toward distraction and entertainment, often at the expense of depth and reflection. Halloween, in particular, reveals how society has learned to laugh at what should invoke caution - to decorate with symbols of death, evil, and the hereafter without realising the spiritual implications.

Entertainment has its place, but we must always ask: Is this numbing me, or awakening me? Is this feeding my soul, or distracting it?

When the Unseen Becomes a Joke

Evil, devils, spirits - these are not just Halloween props, they’re real parts of the unseen world (ghayb) that Allah has told us about.

“Indeed, he (Shayṭān) and his tribe watch you from where you do not see them…” - Surah Al-A‘rāf (7:27)

When these realities are turned into games, jokes, or aesthetics, it slowly erodes the sense of awe and seriousness that the unseen deserves. Jinn, Shayṭān, the grave - these aren’t stories for thrill. They are signs, reminders, and warnings from the Creator.

What begins as harmless play can - over time - shape how we view evil. If evil becomes entertaining, do we still resist it? If death becomes decorative, do we still prepare for it?

A Symptom of Spiritual Drift

We’re not saying that everyone who participates in Halloween is glorifying evil intentionally. But it is worth asking: why is evil so marketable? Why is fear such a thrill? Why is darkness now aesthetic?

As a society, we’ve moved further away from Allah - and when light is lost, darkness fills the space. We begin to normalise what we once avoided. We entertain what we once feared. This slow drift doesn’t happen overnight. It happens when the heart becomes occupied with everything but Allah.

The Prophet ﷺ warned us of a time when:

“The heart will absorb trial after trial until it becomes black and reversed, unable to recognise good or reject evil.” - Sahih Muslim (144)

A good question we have to ask ourselves is - are we drifting too far from our own fitrah?

A Da’wah Opportunity Hiding in Plain Sight

Rather than attacking Halloween or looking down on those who participate, this is the perfect moment to start conversations.

When someone asks, “Do Muslims celebrate Halloween?” - use that as a door to discuss:

• Our belief in the unseen world (angels, jinn, the Day of Judgment)
  
  

• The Islamic view on life, death, and what happens next
  
  

• How Islam honours reality, clarity, and protection - not illusion and fear
  
  

This week, people are literally thinking about death, spirits, and the afterlife. What better time to share Islam’s answers to those questions?

Share the Light, Not the Lecture

Your tone matters. If someone is dressing up for Halloween or taking their kids trick-or-treating, don’t shame them. Smile. Build trust. Then plant a seed of thought:

“Islam actually talks about these things - angels, spirits, the unseen - but in a really deep and respectful way.”

That one line could stay with someone longer than a debate ever could.

Final Reflection: Light in the Darkness

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveller along a path.” -  Sahih al-Bukhari (6416)

We’re not meant to blend in completely. As Muslims, we’re meant to walk through the world with light, not just follow the crowd into the darkness. During a week when the world celebrates shadows, let’s become those who quietly carry the torch of truth.

Reflect. Gently question. Be the light.