Recently, a controversy has arisen online regarding the prohibition for Muslims to blow out candles during birthday celebrations.
According to Sin Chew Daily, a netizen anonymously asked on social media whether blowing out candles, such as on a birthday cake, is a halal act. The poster responded by advising the netizen to stop this practice, stating that it is not part of the Muslim lifestyle.
The individual behind the post explained that “This act is ‘Tasyabbuh bil Kuffar’ (imitating non-believers)”.
Original response in Bahasa Melayu:
- Tinggalkan, sebab ini bukan gaya hidup orang Islam. Perbuatan ini adalah Tasyabbuh bil Kuffar (mengikuti perbuatan orang kafir).
This viewpoint sparked a number of responses from netizens, many of whom commented that, according to Islamic teachings, blowing out candles is indeed considered a non-halal act. They also lamented that such behaviors have become normalized because most people in society do it.
One netizen emphasized that blowing out candles is a pagan practice and that Muslims should not imitate it. Another expressed gratitude that their parents never allowed them to blow out candles on birthdays, so they naturally grew up understanding that this practice was not acceptable.
On another social media platform, another netizen concurred, stating that blowing candles on cakes was literally an Ancient Greek pagan (religious) tradition with no practical value at all. In fact, it can even be considered wasteful.
"At first, I felt sad because my friends could blow out candles on their birthdays, but when I realized that my parents' approach was in line with Islamic teachings, I felt incredibly happy!" - netizen commented.
However, not everyone agreed with this perspective, and some netizens raised doubts. They questioned why Muslims would focus so much on whether something is halal or not when they still use "non-halal" inventions like phones and social media, created by non-believers.
The topic of halal practices in Islam is complex. It can only be said that, while respecting traditional culture, one should also adopt an open and inclusive attitude toward accepting different cultures and viewpoints.
References: Sin Chew Daily, NOODOU, X
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