{
  "id": 17618549,
  "title": "Don’t blindly adopt pop culture events like Halloween, young Muslims told",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/01/dont-blindly-adopt-pop-culture-events-like-halloween-young-muslims-17618549",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-11-01T13:45:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/11/01/don-t-blindly-adopt-pop-culture-events-like-halloween-young-muslims-told"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Muslims, especially young people, have been cautioned against participating in popular cultural events such as Halloween, according to deputy minister Marhamah Rosli. She emphasized the importance of evaluating such activities against Islamic principles, as they could potentially undermine one's faith and belief in the oneness of Allah. The deputy minister stressed that the public must assess whether such practices align with religious requirements, as trends on social media could lead individuals to adopt foreign cultural practices without considering their compatibility with Islamic law.\n\nMarhamah Rosli made these remarks while visiting Kampung Kedai Buluh in Kota Bharu, Kelantan. She urged everyone to safeguard their faith and tauhid (monotheism), as cultural events and festivals are becoming increasingly difficult to control. \"Whenever someone organizes something and it goes viral, everyone wants to follow,\" she cautioned. Instead of adopting cultural practices that could potentially affect their faith, Marhamah Rosli suggested that people engage in other enjoyable activities. She also advised parents to play a crucial role in teaching their children what is permitted and prohibited under Islam.\n\nFurthermore, Marhamah Rosli reminded Malaysians planning to marry abroad to ensure that the person solemnizing their marriage is accredited with Islamic authorities. This is to avoid any potential problems when registering the marriage in Malaysia. She emphasized the importance of doing so honestly and in accordance with the law, considering the lineage of any children born from such marriages.",
  "summary": "A deputy minister says social media trends could encourage people to follow foreign cultural practices without considering their compatibility with religious requirements.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}