Designing for Halloween and Christmas Themes
Question
Salam respected Imam, I am a graphic designer. With Halloween coming up, is it permissible for me to create mock-up designs for my portfolio and to sell these designs on shirts and other wares? Moreover, does this ruling apply to Christmas as well? What if I avoid religious symbols and just have Christmas-themed designs like trees and snowflakes? Finally, can I create a bundle of graphic assets and sell those to people for use, even if they may use it in Christmas or Halloween or other mediums? Jazak Allah khairan.
Answer
Alhamdulillah, wassalatu wassalamu ala rasulillah, wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajmain.
Principle: الوسيلة تأخذ حكم المقصد
“The means take the ruling of their ends.”
If the design is created as a means to directly support a prohibited practice, then it shares in its ruling.
1. Designs for Halloween or Christmas
- If a design’s sole purpose and only use is for Halloween or Christmas — whether imagery, slogans, or symbolic themes — then it is haram, because the design becomes a direct means of promoting festivals not legislated in Islam.
- This includes both religious aspects (e.g., crosses, nativity scenes) and secular-symbolic ones (e.g., jack-o’-lanterns, Santa hats) if the intent and end-use is tied to the holiday itself.
2. Neutral or Multi-Purpose Designs
- If a design is neutral and can reasonably be used in other contexts — for example, a snowflake (which could be used in winter themes outside Christmas) or a pumpkin (which could be used in autumn/harvest themes outside Halloween) — then its permissibility depends on intent and usage.
- Here, the principle applies: the design is permissible to create and sell, since its use is not restricted to haram purposes. If someone else later uses it in a prohibited context, the sin does not transfer to you, as long as you did not intend or market it for that purpose.
3. Selling Graphic Bundles or Assets
- Selling bundles of assets (patterns, textures, icons) that can be used across fields is permissible, because the end-use is not restricted to non-Islamic festivals.
- The key distinction is whether your design intentionally directs itself to serving the holiday, or whether it remains general-purpose and may be used in many different ways.
4. Supporting Principle: الحرام لا يتعدى ذمتين
“Sin does not extend to two parties.”
If you sell or create something that can be used in both halal and haram ways, then your responsibility ends with providing it in a neutral, permissible manner. If someone else later uses it in a prohibited way, the sin falls upon them, not you.
Final Ruling
Creating designs intended specifically for Halloween or Christmas is not permissible, as the means (design) shares the ruling of the end (promoting those festivals). However, creating neutral designs that can be used in multiple contexts is permissible, even if buyers might later use them in ways you did not intend. Bundled graphic assets that are general-purpose also fall into the permissible category. The sin, if any, belongs to the one who misuses them, not to the one who created them.
And Allah knows best.