By: Maulana Muhammad A. K. Azad [ Abu Arif Al Alawi ]
In Spain, after centuries of Muslim rule*, the Moors were overwhelmed by the Christian Army. However, the Moors were fortified in their homes. The Christian armies wanted to get rid of the Muslims somehow. They told the Muslims that they could leave their homes safely and could take only the necessary things from their homes. They were told they could sail away in the ships anchored on the quay side. The Muslims did wonder if this ploy was a trick. The Muslims were requested to go to the quay side to check the ships. They did so and were convinced. They then made preparations to leave. The next day, 1st April, they took their essential belongings and walked towards the quay side. The Christians looted their homes and then set fire to them. Before the Muslims got to the ships, the Christians had set fire to the ships as well. The Christians then attacked the Muslims and killed them all: men, women and children. They then celebrated this carnage. This then became a ritual that was celebrated every year and that has been carried on until this day not only in Spain but in other countries, too.
The origin and history of April Fool's Day [also spelled as "April Fools' Day"], also called "All Fools' Day," are not entirely clear. Many explanations have been advanced to explain its origin.Most commentaries and researchers maintain that the modern celebrations of the day developed in 1582, in France. As the story goes, prior to that year, the New Year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1. In France, however, many people either refused to accept the new date, or did not learn about it, and continued to celebrate New Year's Day on April 1. Other people began to make fun of these traditionalists, sending them on "fools' errands" or trying to trick them into believing something false.
The French came to call April 1 "Poisson d'Avril," or "April Fish." An April fish is a young fish and thus, one which is easily caught. French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying "Poisson d'Avril" when the prank is discovered. Traditionally, French pranks must include or at least relate to a fish. The nickname of "Poisson d'Avril" is said to have been acquired by Napoleon I when he married Marie-Louise of Austria on April 1, 1810.
April Fool's Day was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and the French.
In Scotland, April Fool's Day is actually celebrated for two days. It is also known as "April Gowk," "Gowkie Day" or "Hunt the Gowk." "Gowk" is Scottish for "cuckoo" -- an emblem of simpletons. The second day is also known as "Taily Day."
Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually observed on December 28. In Portugal, April Fool's Day is celebrated on the Sunday and Monday prior to the Lenten Season, with the traditional trick being to throw flour at one's friends.
In spite of the "modern" origins of the day, many historians agree that the day has clearly ancient roots. We are told that ancient cultures, including those as varied as the Romans and the Hindus, celebrated New Year's Day on April 1. The Encyclopedia Britannica points out:
"What seems certain is that it is in some way or other a relic of those once universal festivities held at the vernal equinox, which, beginning on old New Year's Day, the 25th of March, ended on the 1st of April. This view gains support from the fact that the exact counterpart of April-fooling is found to have been an immemorial custom in India. The festival of the spring equinox is there termed the feast of Huli, the last of which is the 31st of March, upon which the chief amusement is the befooling of people by sending them on fruitless errands."
Other sources tell us that throughout antiquity, numerous festivals included celebrations of foolery and trickery. One source, "April Fool's Day: Early Roots," gives the following noteworthy report:
"The Saturnalia, a Roman winter festival observed at the end of December, was the most important of these [celebrations of trickery]. It involved dancing, drinking, and general merrymaking. People exchanged gifts, slaves were allowed to pretend that they ruled their masters, and a mock king, the Saturnalicius princeps (or Lord of Misrule), reigned for the day. By the fourth century AD the Saturnalia had been transformed into January 1 New Year's Day celebration, and many of its traditions were incorporated into the observance of Christmas... Northern Europeans observed an ancient festival to honor Lud, a Celtic god of humor. And there were also popular Northern European customs that made sport of the hierarchy of the Druids... During the Middle Ages, a number of celebrations developed which served as direct predecessors to April Fool's Day. The most important of these was the Festus Fatuorum (the Feast of Fools) which evolved out of the Saturnalia. On this day (mostly observed in France) celebrants elected a mock pope and parodied church rituals. The church, of course, did its best to discourage this holiday, but it lingered on until the sixteenth century. Following the suppression of the Feast of Fools merrymakers focused their attention on Mardi Gras and Carnival."
The same source states this regarding the "modern" origin of "April Fool's Day":
"The calendar change hypothesis might provide a reason for why April 1st specifically became the date of the modern holiday. But it is clear that the idea of the springtime festival honoring misrule and mayhem had far more ancient roots. In addition, the process by which the observance of the day spread from France to Protestant countries such as Germany, Scotland, and England is left unexplained by this theory. These nations only adopted the calendar change during the eighteenth century, at a time when the tradition of April Foolery had already been well established throughout Europe. Finally, it is not clear what, if any, primary evidence (i.e. first-hand accounts written during the 16th and 17th centuries) supports the theory. The link between the calendar change and April 1st appears to be based on modern conjecture rather than archival research. Therefore, while the theory remains a possibility, it should not be treated as a fact."
A German source, "Faz.Net," points out that neither the Jews nor the Muslims participate in the custom of April Fool's Day. Tagesschau.de wrote on April 1, 2002, that there are 800 theories regarding the origin of "April Fool's Day," and stated that the Catholic Church "has no problem" with its celebration. Dr. Manfred Becker-Huberti explained: "Even though the first April prank has only been recorded in Germany in 1631, the custom seems to be much older. It can be found amongst all Indo-Germanic tribes... One possible origin can be found in the Roman feast of Quirinalia, or of the Indian feast of Huli, during which fools cast out winter and demons. The best explanation is that it derives from a spring festival, like the German "Fastnacht" ["Fastnacht" is part of the German Carnival. The original "Fastnacht" was also celebrated for the purpose of casting out winter and demons]... In honor of [the Greek goddess] Venus, a feast of deception was celebrated in the spring. April 1 was her special day, and that is the reason why she was also called 'Aprilis.' The name of the Indian goddess of love, 'Maja,' has the meaning of 'deception.'"
The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, by James Hastings, points out:
"The origin of the practice is obscure... it was widely prevalent at the close of the 16th century. It seems difficult, therefore, to accept the theory that it was due to the transference of New Year's Day from the First of April to the First of January... The similarity of the fooling in India and the Celtic lands of Western Europe, taken together with affinities in religion and folklore... points to a common origin in very early times... The First of April was kept in ancient Rome as the Feast of Venus and Fortuna Virilis... It is to some Celtic form of this worship of Venus on the First of April that the origin of All Fools' Day must be traced... All Fools' Day may therefore be the relic of a Spring Festival of Llew [a Sun-god of Celtic mythology]."
AN IMPORTANT POINT:
Renowned Larousse Encyclopedia narrated a reason, and declared it more authentic. According to the traditions narrated by the Christians and the Jews, 1st of April was the day when Hazrat Essa (alaihis Salaam) was made the butt of jokes and the victim of mockery by the Romans and the Jews. The so called Gospels presently found with the Christians provide the details of the incident. The following are the words of Luke:
Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and asked him, "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?" And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him. Luke 22:63-65
The gospels also carry a narration of how Hazrat Masih (alaihis salaam) was also harassed by being bounced around from court to court. He was first charged and tried in the court of the Jewish elders and jurists, the Sanhedrin. But it merely transferred his case to the court of the Roman governor, Pilate, who sent the case back to the Jewish king Herod. Finally from the court of King Herod, he was taken back to the court of the Roman governor, Pilate, for decision.
The Larousse Encyclopedia opines that the very purpose of sending Hazrat Masih (alaihis salaam) from one court to another was to highlight his helplessness, to ridicule and deride him, and to subject him to mental distress. That incident, they say, took place on the first of April, and the tradition of April fool was in fact started in memory of that very shameless incident.
The victim of the custom of April fool, the person who is tricked and fooled is called ‘poisson d’avril’ in French. In English, it would be ‘April Fish’. (Encyclopedia Brittanica page 496 V1) So the person who has been tricked and made a fool of is like the first catch of the season, the fist fish that has been netted in the beginning of April, the New Year. In support of its opinion, the Larousse Encyclopedia claims that the French word ‘poisson’ translated into English as ‘fish’ is actually a degenerated form of another similar French word, ‘poison’ which means to ‘cause distress’ and to ‘inflict torture’. This tradition, they say, was actually selected to refresh the memory of the incidences of insult and torture which according to the Christian traditions Masih (alaihis salaam) had to endure on the 1st of April.
According to another French writer the word is indeed ‘poisson’ but it is an acronym. It is a composite of the first letters of five other French words that are when arranged sequentially: Essa, Masih, Allah, son and ransom. According to that writer, too, the origin of April fool is an attempt to memorialize the ridicule and distress inflicted upon Hazrat Essa (alaihis salaam).
So, it can be said that the Jewish community started that custom and gave it currency probably with the intent and object of hurling ridicule upon Hazrat Essa (alaihis salaam). Yet it is amazing that the custom which the Jews initiated to disparage Hazrat Essa (alaihis salaam) was not only accepted by the Christians with cold calmness, but they also joined in the celebration and helped spread the custom. May be the Christian folks were unaware of the origin of this custom, and may be they began celebrating it without giving it much thought in a vacant absent-minded manner. Yet the approach of the Christians and their mental outlook concerning such matters is rather odd, to say the least. As a general rule, the cross upon which Hazreet Essa was crucified in their opinion should have acquired a hate-worthy status in their eyes, because it was employed as a means of torturing and ridiculing Hazrat Masih (Alaihis Salam). But amazingly, they declared it sacred and today it is the holiest symbol of the Christian faith.
ADOPTING APRIL FOOL DAY IS BIDAT:
April fool celebration contains lying, deceiving and inflicting pain upon others. As per Islaam, these are sins. It directly contradicts the morals and teachings of Islaam. Islam forbids lying even in jest, and it forbids frightening a Muslim whether in seriousness or in jest, in words or in actions.
Almighty Allah says: "Truly Allah guides not one who transgresses and lies." [40:28]
Almighty Allah also says:"Curse of Allah upon those who lie." [3:61]
Ibn Katheer said: “Then Allaah tells us that His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not a fabricator or a liar, because only the most evil of people who do not believe in the signs of Allaah, the kaafirs and heretics who are known amongst the people for telling lies, tell lies about Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the most truthful of people, the most righteous, the most perfect in knowledge, action, faith and certain belief. He was known amongst his people for his truthfulness; none of them doubted that, to such an extent that he was known amongst them as ‘al-Ameen (the trustworthy) Muhammad.’ Hence when Heraclius, the ruler of Rome, asked Abu Sufyaan about the characteristics of the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), one of the things he asked was, ‘Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said?’ He said, ‘No.’ Heraclius said: ‘If he refrained from telling lies about people he would not go and tell lies about Allaah.’ (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/588)
Al-Nawawi said: “What the commentators and most of the scholars said – which is correct – is that this means that these characteristics are the characteristics of hypocrisy, and the one who has these characteristics resembles the hypocrites in this sense.
The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘he is a pure hypocrite’ mean that he strongly resembles the hypocrites because of these characteristics. Some of the scholars said: this is concerning one in whom these characteristics predominate; one in whom these characteristics rarely appear is not included in this. This is the favoured view concerning the meaning of this hadeeth. Imaam Abu ‘Eesa al-Tirmidhi (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated this meaning from the scholars and said: ‘The meaning of this according to the scholars is hypocrisy in one's actions.’” (Sharh Muslim, 2/46-47)
This is the most serious kind of lie, and the one who does this is subject to a severe warning. Some of the scholars said that the one who does this is to be denounced as a kaafir.
Allaah says : “Say: ‘Verily, those who invent a lie against Allaah will never be successful’” [Yoonus 10:69]
It was narrated that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him): “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Do not tell lies about me. Whoever tells lies about me, let him enter the Fire.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 106). It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever tells lies about me, let him take his place in Hell.”
(narrated by al-Bukhaari, 110; Muslim, 3). Ibn al-Qayyim said:
“… ‘Whoever tells lies about me, let him take his place in Hell’, i.e., let him take his place in Hell where he will abide and settle; it is not like a manzil or camp where he stays for a while and then moves on.” (Tareeq al-Hijratayn, p. 169)
It was narrated from Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three to whom Allaah will not speak on the Day of Resurrection and He will not look at them or praise them, and they will have a painful torment.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) repeated this three times. Abu Dharr said: “May they be doomed and lost, who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “The one who lets his garment hang below his ankles, the one who reminds others of his favours, and the one who disposes of his goods by swearing a false oath.” (Narrated by Muslim, 106) . It was narrated that Hakeem ibn Hizaam (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The two parties involved in a transaction have the option [of cancelling it] until they part. If they are honest and truthful, their transaction will be blessed for them and if they conceal something and tell lies, the blessing of their transaction will be wiped out.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1973; Muslim, 532) . Ibn Taymiyah said:
“Allaah has enjoined truthfulness and honesty, and He has forbidden lies and concealment with regard to matters which should be known and revealed to people, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in a hadeeth whose authenticity is agreed upon: ‘The two parties involved in a transaction have the option [of cancelling it] until they part. If they are honest and truthful, their transaction will be blessed for them and if they conceal something and tell lies, the blessing of their transaction will be wiped out.’ And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):‘O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allaah as just witnesses; and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety’ [al-Maa’idah 5:8].” (Minhaaj al-Sunnah, 1/16)
This refers to when some of them claim to have seen such and such in a dream, but they are not telling the truth, then in the morning he starts to tell the people something that he did not see.
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever tells of a dream that he did not see will be commanded [on the Day of Resurrection] to tie two grains of barley together, but he will never be able to do it. Whoever eavesdrops on people’s conversation when they dislike that – or they try to get away from him - will have molten copper poured in his ears in the Day of Resurrection. And whoever makes an image will be punished and will be told to breathe life into it, and he will not be able to do so.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6635)
Al-Manaawi said: “ ‘to tie two grains of barley together, but he will never be able to do it’ – because tying one to the other is not possible ordinarily. He will be punished until he does that, and he will never be able to do it. It is as if he is saying that he will be enjoined to do something that he can never do, and is being punished for it. This is a metaphor for continuous punishment… The reason why barley (sha’eer) is mentioned specifically is because dreams are connected to feelings (shu’oor); the words sha’eer (barley) and shu’oor (feelings) come from the same root in Arabic. The punishment for that is so severe – even though lies when awake may cause more damage, because they may involve testimony that may lead to execution or a hadd punishment – because lying about a dream is a lie about Allaah, may He be exalted, for dreams are a part of Prophethood, so they come from Him, and lying about the Creator is worse than lying about created beings. (Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/99).
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘I joke, but I speak nothing but the truth.’” (narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Mu’jam al-Kabeer, 12/391) Abu ‘Eesa said: this is a saheeh hasan hadeeth.
A similar hadeeth was narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat (8/305) and classed as hasan by al-Haythami in Majma’ al-Zawaa’id, 9/17
‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Laylaa said: the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that they were travelling with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). A man among them fell asleep and some of them went and took his arrows. When the man woke up, he got alarmed (because his arrows were missing) and the people laughed. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “What are you laughing at?” They said, “Nothing, except that we took the arrows and he got alarmed.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It is not permissible for a Muslim to frighten another Muslim.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5004; Ahmad, 22555 – this version narrated by Ahmad). This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7658) It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed from his father from his grandfather that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “None of you should take the belongings of his brother, whether in jest or otherwise. Whoever has taken the stick of his brother, let him return it.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5003; al-Tirmidhi, 2160 in brief) The hadeeth was classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7578
Lying when playing with children: We must beware of lying when playing with children, because that will be written down (in the record of deeds of) the one who that. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) warned against doing that. It was narrated that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “My mother called me one day when the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was sitting in our house. She said, ‘Come here, and I will give you (something).’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, ‘What do you want to give him?’ She said, ‘I will give him a date.’ The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘If you had not given him something, you would have been lying.’”
And it was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever says to a child, ‘Come here and take this,’ then does not give him something, this is counted as a lie.’” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4991) This hadeeth was classed as hasan by Shaykh al-‘Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1319.
Lying to make people laugh: It was narrated that Mu’aawiyah ibn Haydah said: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘Woe to the one who talks to make the people laugh and tells lies, woe to him, woe to him.’”
(narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 235. He said: this is a hasan hadeeth. Also narrated by Abu Dawood, 4990).
The punishment for lying: The liar is warned of destructive punishment in this world, and humiliating punishment in the Hereafter. These include: Hypocrisy in the heart. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him, because they broke that (covenant with Allaah) which they had promised to Him and because they used to tell lies ." [al-Tawbah 9:77]‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: “You may know the hypocrite by three things: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something he betrays that trust.”. He said: “Recite this aayah (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And of them are some who made a covenant with Allaah (saying): “If He bestowed on us of His Bounty, we will verily, give Sadaqah (Zakaah and voluntary charity in Allaah’s Cause) and will be certainly among those who are righteous.” Then when He gave them of His Bounty, they became niggardly [refused to pay the Sadaqah (Zakaah or voluntary charity)], and turned away, averse. So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him, because they broke that (covenant with Allaah) which they had promised to Him and because they used to tell lies
[al-Tawbah 9:75-77].”(Musanaaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 6/125) .
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “He is not a liar who reconciles between people and narrates something good or says something good.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2546; Muslim, 2605)
So, if we dwell upon the origin and reality of this evil custom seriously, we can easily comprehand the significance of its avoidance .Even the Christian Scholars advises to refrain from this fake custom. Church of the eternal God website writes:
"Considering all the evidence of the origin of April Fool's Day, as it has become available to us, as well as the very nature of the celebrations and activities accompanying that Day, we must conclude that true Christians should refrain from participating in it."
The 1946 April Fool's day tsunami in Hilo,Hawaii
April Fools' Day is celebrated across the globe on the 1st April of every year. Sometimes referred to as All Fools' Day, April 1 is celebrated as a day where everyone plays all kinds of jokes, foolishness and hoaxes on friends, family members, teachers, neighbors, work associates, etc. On that day people lie, play jokes and mock in the name of entertainment. This evil practice of lying, has caused great harm to many. Even trauma and deaths. Wikipedia reports: "The April 1, 1946 Aleutian Island earthquake tsunami that killed 165 people in Hawaii and Alaska resulted in the creation of a tsunami warning system, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, established in 1949 for Pacific Ocean countries. The tsunami in question is known in Hawaii as the "April Fools' Day Tsunami" due to people drowning because of the assumptions that the warnings were an April Fools' prank".
Yet this strange tradition is not only practiced among the common masses, but also newspapers and magazines participate in it by publishing false news on April 1. What is more awkward is that it isadmired as a commendable act and a mark of excellence.
CONFUSIONS & THEIR ANSWERS
In our Muslim Society, two types of unwanted standpoints are noticed:
(1) A Few brothers try to propagate that April fool is the celebration of Muslim's defeat in Spain. So this day's celebration is the celebration of the defeat of Muslim ummah and
(2) Many Muslim youths, in blind imitation of Western Culture, not only observe it but consider it commendable act.
Both these standpoints are against the guidelines of Islaam. Celebration of 1st April is definitely anti-islaamic. The same is about the propagation that it is the celebration of Muslims' defeat at the hands of Christians.
FABRICATED STORY
A good Muslim hates lies and fabrications especially in presenting facts about the history of Islam. Regarding the rumor claiming that April Fool’s Day is a celebration of the defeat of Muslims in Spain, it is clear the whole thing is a fabricated story. It is in fact a lie made by the nonbelievers to mislead Muslims and in realty create a “Muslims Fool Day”! A Mumin never propagates lies especially when it comes to the history of Islam. It is our duty to educate our Muslim youths on these issues.
A Website has written:
"When the Muslims ruled Spain, approximately 1000 years ago, they were a force that could not be destroyed. The western Christians wished that they could wipe Islam from the face of the earth, and they succeeded to some extent. They tried to limit the spread of Islam in Spain and to put an end to it, but they did not succeed. They tried numerous times and never succeeded. After that, the disbelievers sent their spies to Spain to study and find out the secret of the Muslims’ strength which could not be defeated. They discovered that adhering to Taqwa (piety or consciousness of Allah) was the reason. That was the time they started to think of strategies to break this strength. On this basis they began to send wine and cigars to Spain for free.
This tactic on the part of the west produced results, and the faith of the Muslims began to weaken, especially among the young generation in Spain. The result of that was that the western Catholic Christians subdued the whole of Spain and put an end to the Muslim rule of that land which had lasted for more than 800 years. The last stronghold of the Muslims, in Granada, fell on April 1st; hence they considered this to be the “trick of April.”
Another Website has written:
Let us verify some points and arrive to the conclusion on these sorts of fabrications:
First, Muslim Spain ended on the 12th of January in the Christian year of 1492 A.D. Yet 'April Fool's Day was not heard of until over fifty years later. The most authentic reports according to Christian historical books such as Encyclopedia Britannica as well as many others trace the roots of the holiday back to 16th century France. Prior to the year 1582, the new year was celebrated for eight days, starting with the 25th of March. The celebration culminated on April 1st. With the reform of the Christian calendar under King Charles IX, through the influence of Pope Gregory, the Gregorian calendar was introduced, and New Years Day was moved to the first of January. However, due to lack of communications in those days, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the most obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the New Year on April 1. These backward people were classified as “fool” by the general public and were often subject to some ridicule. Hence, the tradition of April Fool’s Day began.
Second, we should acknowledge the fact that tobacco products were not even invented until after the time of the fall of Muslims in Spain. According to the State College in Framingham, they quote that smoking of any kind did not exist in Spain until after it was brought back from the New World in the times after King Ferdinand of Spain had come to power. Tobacco use did not become widespread until the 19th century.(Introduction to human biology, Framingham State College, Roger N. Morrissette, Ph.D.)
Encyclopaedia Britannica states :
April Fools' Day also called ALL FOOLS' Day, first day of April, named from the custom of playing practical jokes or sending friends on fools' errands on that date. Although it has been observed for centuries in several countries, the origin of the custom is unknown. It resembles other festivals, such as the Hilaria of ancient Rome (March 25) and the Holi festival of India (ending March 31). Its timing seems related to the vernal equinox (March 21), when nature "fools" mankind with sudden changes in the weather. On April Fools' Day all people are given an excuse to play the fool. In France the fooled person is called poisson d'avril ("April fish"), but the origin of the name is unknown. In April the cuckoo, emblem of simpletons, comes, so in Scotland the victim is called gowk (cuckoo). The custom of playing April Fools' jokes was taken to America by the British. It has continued to be observed by children and adults and sometimes involves rather elaborate hoaxes as well as merely simple jokes.
ORIGIN OF APRIL FOOL DAY
Encyclopaedia Britannica states :
April Fools' Day also called ALL FOOLS' Day, first day of April, named from the custom of playing practical jokes or sending friends on fools' errands on that date. Although it has been observed for centuries in several countries, the origin of the custom is unknown. It resembles other festivals, such as the Hilaria of ancient Rome (March 25) and the Holi festival of India (ending March 31). Its timing seems related to the vernal equinox (March 21), when nature "fools" mankind with sudden changes in the weather. On April Fools' Day all people are given an excuse to play the fool. In France the fooled person is called poisson d'avril ("April fish"), but the origin of the name is unknown. In April the cuckoo, emblem of simpletons, comes, so in Scotland the victim is called gowk (cuckoo). The custom of playing April Fools' jokes was taken to America by the British. It has continued to be observed by children and adults and sometimes involves rather elaborate hoaxes as well as merely simple jokes.
ORIGIN OF APRIL FOOL DAY
The French came to call April 1 "Poisson d'Avril," or "April Fish." An April fish is a young fish and thus, one which is easily caught. French children sometimes tape a picture of a fish on the back of their schoolmates, crying "Poisson d'Avril" when the prank is discovered. Traditionally, French pranks must include or at least relate to a fish. The nickname of "Poisson d'Avril" is said to have been acquired by Napoleon I when he married Marie-Louise of Austria on April 1, 1810.
April Fool's Day was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and the French.
In Scotland, April Fool's Day is actually celebrated for two days. It is also known as "April Gowk," "Gowkie Day" or "Hunt the Gowk." "Gowk" is Scottish for "cuckoo" -- an emblem of simpletons. The second day is also known as "Taily Day."
Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually observed on December 28. In Portugal, April Fool's Day is celebrated on the Sunday and Monday prior to the Lenten Season, with the traditional trick being to throw flour at one's friends.
In spite of the "modern" origins of the day, many historians agree that the day has clearly ancient roots. We are told that ancient cultures, including those as varied as the Romans and the Hindus, celebrated New Year's Day on April 1. The Encyclopedia Britannica points out:
"What seems certain is that it is in some way or other a relic of those once universal festivities held at the vernal equinox, which, beginning on old New Year's Day, the 25th of March, ended on the 1st of April. This view gains support from the fact that the exact counterpart of April-fooling is found to have been an immemorial custom in India. The festival of the spring equinox is there termed the feast of Huli, the last of which is the 31st of March, upon which the chief amusement is the befooling of people by sending them on fruitless errands."
Other sources tell us that throughout antiquity, numerous festivals included celebrations of foolery and trickery. One source, "April Fool's Day: Early Roots," gives the following noteworthy report:
"The Saturnalia, a Roman winter festival observed at the end of December, was the most important of these [celebrations of trickery]. It involved dancing, drinking, and general merrymaking. People exchanged gifts, slaves were allowed to pretend that they ruled their masters, and a mock king, the Saturnalicius princeps (or Lord of Misrule), reigned for the day. By the fourth century AD the Saturnalia had been transformed into January 1 New Year's Day celebration, and many of its traditions were incorporated into the observance of Christmas... Northern Europeans observed an ancient festival to honor Lud, a Celtic god of humor. And there were also popular Northern European customs that made sport of the hierarchy of the Druids... During the Middle Ages, a number of celebrations developed which served as direct predecessors to April Fool's Day. The most important of these was the Festus Fatuorum (the Feast of Fools) which evolved out of the Saturnalia. On this day (mostly observed in France) celebrants elected a mock pope and parodied church rituals. The church, of course, did its best to discourage this holiday, but it lingered on until the sixteenth century. Following the suppression of the Feast of Fools merrymakers focused their attention on Mardi Gras and Carnival."
The same source states this regarding the "modern" origin of "April Fool's Day":
"The calendar change hypothesis might provide a reason for why April 1st specifically became the date of the modern holiday. But it is clear that the idea of the springtime festival honoring misrule and mayhem had far more ancient roots. In addition, the process by which the observance of the day spread from France to Protestant countries such as Germany, Scotland, and England is left unexplained by this theory. These nations only adopted the calendar change during the eighteenth century, at a time when the tradition of April Foolery had already been well established throughout Europe. Finally, it is not clear what, if any, primary evidence (i.e. first-hand accounts written during the 16th and 17th centuries) supports the theory. The link between the calendar change and April 1st appears to be based on modern conjecture rather than archival research. Therefore, while the theory remains a possibility, it should not be treated as a fact."
A German source, "Faz.Net," points out that neither the Jews nor the Muslims participate in the custom of April Fool's Day. Tagesschau.de wrote on April 1, 2002, that there are 800 theories regarding the origin of "April Fool's Day," and stated that the Catholic Church "has no problem" with its celebration. Dr. Manfred Becker-Huberti explained: "Even though the first April prank has only been recorded in Germany in 1631, the custom seems to be much older. It can be found amongst all Indo-Germanic tribes... One possible origin can be found in the Roman feast of Quirinalia, or of the Indian feast of Huli, during which fools cast out winter and demons. The best explanation is that it derives from a spring festival, like the German "Fastnacht" ["Fastnacht" is part of the German Carnival. The original "Fastnacht" was also celebrated for the purpose of casting out winter and demons]... In honor of [the Greek goddess] Venus, a feast of deception was celebrated in the spring. April 1 was her special day, and that is the reason why she was also called 'Aprilis.' The name of the Indian goddess of love, 'Maja,' has the meaning of 'deception.'"
The Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, by James Hastings, points out:
"The origin of the practice is obscure... it was widely prevalent at the close of the 16th century. It seems difficult, therefore, to accept the theory that it was due to the transference of New Year's Day from the First of April to the First of January... The similarity of the fooling in India and the Celtic lands of Western Europe, taken together with affinities in religion and folklore... points to a common origin in very early times... The First of April was kept in ancient Rome as the Feast of Venus and Fortuna Virilis... It is to some Celtic form of this worship of Venus on the First of April that the origin of All Fools' Day must be traced... All Fools' Day may therefore be the relic of a Spring Festival of Llew [a Sun-god of Celtic mythology]."
AN IMPORTANT POINT:
Now the men who were holding Jesus mocked him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and asked him, "Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?" And they spoke many other words against him, reviling him. Luke 22:63-65
The gospels also carry a narration of how Hazrat Masih (alaihis salaam) was also harassed by being bounced around from court to court. He was first charged and tried in the court of the Jewish elders and jurists, the Sanhedrin. But it merely transferred his case to the court of the Roman governor, Pilate, who sent the case back to the Jewish king Herod. Finally from the court of King Herod, he was taken back to the court of the Roman governor, Pilate, for decision.
The Larousse Encyclopedia opines that the very purpose of sending Hazrat Masih (alaihis salaam) from one court to another was to highlight his helplessness, to ridicule and deride him, and to subject him to mental distress. That incident, they say, took place on the first of April, and the tradition of April fool was in fact started in memory of that very shameless incident.
The victim of the custom of April fool, the person who is tricked and fooled is called ‘poisson d’avril’ in French. In English, it would be ‘April Fish’. (Encyclopedia Brittanica page 496 V1) So the person who has been tricked and made a fool of is like the first catch of the season, the fist fish that has been netted in the beginning of April, the New Year. In support of its opinion, the Larousse Encyclopedia claims that the French word ‘poisson’ translated into English as ‘fish’ is actually a degenerated form of another similar French word, ‘poison’ which means to ‘cause distress’ and to ‘inflict torture’. This tradition, they say, was actually selected to refresh the memory of the incidences of insult and torture which according to the Christian traditions Masih (alaihis salaam) had to endure on the 1st of April.
According to another French writer the word is indeed ‘poisson’ but it is an acronym. It is a composite of the first letters of five other French words that are when arranged sequentially: Essa, Masih, Allah, son and ransom. According to that writer, too, the origin of April fool is an attempt to memorialize the ridicule and distress inflicted upon Hazrat Essa (alaihis salaam).
So, it can be said that the Jewish community started that custom and gave it currency probably with the intent and object of hurling ridicule upon Hazrat Essa (alaihis salaam). Yet it is amazing that the custom which the Jews initiated to disparage Hazrat Essa (alaihis salaam) was not only accepted by the Christians with cold calmness, but they also joined in the celebration and helped spread the custom. May be the Christian folks were unaware of the origin of this custom, and may be they began celebrating it without giving it much thought in a vacant absent-minded manner. Yet the approach of the Christians and their mental outlook concerning such matters is rather odd, to say the least. As a general rule, the cross upon which Hazreet Essa was crucified in their opinion should have acquired a hate-worthy status in their eyes, because it was employed as a means of torturing and ridiculing Hazrat Masih (Alaihis Salam). But amazingly, they declared it sacred and today it is the holiest symbol of the Christian faith.
ADOPTING APRIL FOOL DAY IS BIDAT:
April fool celebration contains lying, deceiving and inflicting pain upon others. As per Islaam, these are sins. It directly contradicts the morals and teachings of Islaam. Islam forbids lying even in jest, and it forbids frightening a Muslim whether in seriousness or in jest, in words or in actions.
Almighty Allah says: "Truly Allah guides not one who transgresses and lies." [40:28]
Almighty Allah also says:"Curse of Allah upon those who lie." [3:61]
Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, " I guarantee a home in the middle of Jannah for one who abandons lying even if its just for the sake of fun'' [Abu Dawud].
Messenger of Allah(peace be upon) said:"The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something, he betrays that trust."(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 33; Muslim, 59)
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah[RA] said: "They said, 'O Messenger of Allaah, you joke with us.' He said, 'But I only speak the truth. " (narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1990)
The Prophet (pbuh) said: 'Woe to the one who talks to make the people laugh and tells lies, woe to him, woe to him." (narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 235. He said: this is a hasan hadeeth. Also narrated by Abu Dawood, 4990).
The Messenger of Allaah (pbuh) said: "It is not permissible to tell lies except in three (cases): when a man speaks to his wife in a way to please her; lying in war; and lying in order to reconcile between people." (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1939)
Allaah says :“It
is only those who believe not in the Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses,
lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allaah, who fabricate falsehood,
and it is they who are liars
[al-Nahl 16:105]
[al-Nahl 16:105]
Ibn Katheer said: “Then Allaah tells us that His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not a fabricator or a liar, because only the most evil of people who do not believe in the signs of Allaah, the kaafirs and heretics who are known amongst the people for telling lies, tell lies about Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was the most truthful of people, the most righteous, the most perfect in knowledge, action, faith and certain belief. He was known amongst his people for his truthfulness; none of them doubted that, to such an extent that he was known amongst them as ‘al-Ameen (the trustworthy) Muhammad.’ Hence when Heraclius, the ruler of Rome, asked Abu Sufyaan about the characteristics of the Messenger of Allaah(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), one of the things he asked was, ‘Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said?’ He said, ‘No.’ Heraclius said: ‘If he refrained from telling lies about people he would not go and tell lies about Allaah.’ (Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 2/588)
2. It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something, he betrays that trust.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 33; Muslim, 59)
Al-Nawawi said: “What the commentators and most of the scholars said – which is correct – is that this means that these characteristics are the characteristics of hypocrisy, and the one who has these characteristics resembles the hypocrites in this sense.
The words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), ‘he is a pure hypocrite’ mean that he strongly resembles the hypocrites because of these characteristics. Some of the scholars said: this is concerning one in whom these characteristics predominate; one in whom these characteristics rarely appear is not included in this. This is the favoured view concerning the meaning of this hadeeth. Imaam Abu ‘Eesa al-Tirmidhi (may Allaah be pleased with him) narrated this meaning from the scholars and said: ‘The meaning of this according to the scholars is hypocrisy in one's actions.’” (Sharh Muslim, 2/46-47)
1. The most evil kinds of lies are: Lies told about Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).
Allaah says : “Say: ‘Verily, those who invent a lie against Allaah will never be successful’” [Yoonus 10:69]
It was narrated that ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him): “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Do not tell lies about me. Whoever tells lies about me, let him enter the Fire.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 106). It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever tells lies about me, let him take his place in Hell.”
(narrated by al-Bukhaari, 110; Muslim, 3). Ibn al-Qayyim said:
“… ‘Whoever tells lies about me, let him take his place in Hell’, i.e., let him take his place in Hell where he will abide and settle; it is not like a manzil or camp where he stays for a while and then moves on.” (Tareeq al-Hijratayn, p. 169)
It was narrated from Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are three to whom Allaah will not speak on the Day of Resurrection and He will not look at them or praise them, and they will have a painful torment.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) repeated this three times. Abu Dharr said: “May they be doomed and lost, who are they, O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “The one who lets his garment hang below his ankles, the one who reminds others of his favours, and the one who disposes of his goods by swearing a false oath.” (Narrated by Muslim, 106) . It was narrated that Hakeem ibn Hizaam (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘The two parties involved in a transaction have the option [of cancelling it] until they part. If they are honest and truthful, their transaction will be blessed for them and if they conceal something and tell lies, the blessing of their transaction will be wiped out.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1973; Muslim, 532) . Ibn Taymiyah said:
“Allaah has enjoined truthfulness and honesty, and He has forbidden lies and concealment with regard to matters which should be known and revealed to people, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said in a hadeeth whose authenticity is agreed upon: ‘The two parties involved in a transaction have the option [of cancelling it] until they part. If they are honest and truthful, their transaction will be blessed for them and if they conceal something and tell lies, the blessing of their transaction will be wiped out.’ And Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):‘O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allaah as just witnesses; and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety’ [al-Maa’idah 5:8].” (Minhaaj al-Sunnah, 1/16)
3. The prohibition on lying about visions and dreams
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbaas that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever tells of a dream that he did not see will be commanded [on the Day of Resurrection] to tie two grains of barley together, but he will never be able to do it. Whoever eavesdrops on people’s conversation when they dislike that – or they try to get away from him - will have molten copper poured in his ears in the Day of Resurrection. And whoever makes an image will be punished and will be told to breathe life into it, and he will not be able to do so.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6635)
Al-Manaawi said: “ ‘to tie two grains of barley together, but he will never be able to do it’ – because tying one to the other is not possible ordinarily. He will be punished until he does that, and he will never be able to do it. It is as if he is saying that he will be enjoined to do something that he can never do, and is being punished for it. This is a metaphor for continuous punishment… The reason why barley (sha’eer) is mentioned specifically is because dreams are connected to feelings (shu’oor); the words sha’eer (barley) and shu’oor (feelings) come from the same root in Arabic. The punishment for that is so severe – even though lies when awake may cause more damage, because they may involve testimony that may lead to execution or a hadd punishment – because lying about a dream is a lie about Allaah, may He be exalted, for dreams are a part of Prophethood, so they come from Him, and lying about the Creator is worse than lying about created beings. (Fayd al-Qadeer, 6/99).
5.
A similar hadeeth was narrated by al-Tabaraani in al-Awsat (8/305) and classed as hasan by al-Haythami in Majma’ al-Zawaa’id, 9/17
‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Laylaa said: the companions of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us that they were travelling with the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). A man among them fell asleep and some of them went and took his arrows. When the man woke up, he got alarmed (because his arrows were missing) and the people laughed. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said, “What are you laughing at?” They said, “Nothing, except that we took the arrows and he got alarmed.” The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It is not permissible for a Muslim to frighten another Muslim.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5004; Ahmad, 22555 – this version narrated by Ahmad). This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7658) It was narrated from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn al-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed from his father from his grandfather that he heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “None of you should take the belongings of his brother, whether in jest or otherwise. Whoever has taken the stick of his brother, let him return it.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 5003; al-Tirmidhi, 2160 in brief) The hadeeth was classed as hasan by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 7578
6.
And it was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever says to a child, ‘Come here and take this,’ then does not give him something, this is counted as a lie.’” (Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4991) This hadeeth was classed as hasan by Shaykh al-‘Albaani in Saheeh al-Jaami’, 1319.
7.
(narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 235. He said: this is a hasan hadeeth. Also narrated by Abu Dawood, 4990).
The punishment for lying: The liar is warned of destructive punishment in this world, and humiliating punishment in the Hereafter. These include: Hypocrisy in the heart. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him, because they broke that (covenant with Allaah) which they had promised to Him and because they used to tell lies ." [al-Tawbah 9:77]‘Abd-Allaah ibn Mas’ood said: “You may know the hypocrite by three things: when he speaks, he lies; when he makes a promise, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted with something he betrays that trust.”. He said: “Recite this aayah (interpretation of the meaning): ‘And of them are some who made a covenant with Allaah (saying): “If He bestowed on us of His Bounty, we will verily, give Sadaqah (Zakaah and voluntary charity in Allaah’s Cause) and will be certainly among those who are righteous.” Then when He gave them of His Bounty, they became niggardly [refused to pay the Sadaqah (Zakaah or voluntary charity)], and turned away, averse. So He punished them by putting hypocrisy into their hearts till the Day whereon they shall meet Him, because they broke that (covenant with Allaah) which they had promised to Him and because they used to tell lies
[al-Tawbah 9:75-77].”(Musanaaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, 6/125) .
The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “He is not a liar who reconciles between people and narrates something good or says something good.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 2546; Muslim, 2605)
So, if we dwell upon the origin and reality of this evil custom seriously, we can easily comprehand the significance of its avoidance .Even the Christian Scholars advises to refrain from this fake custom. Church of the eternal God website writes:
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