Happy Beltane!
Wishing everyone a Happy Beltane, from our team at the Association of British Muslims!
Beltane is the anglicised spelling of Old Irish Beltain, Scottish Gaelic Bealltainn, the Gaelic name for either the month of May or the festival that takes place on first day of May.
Beltane was historically a Gaelic festival celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. The festival, once one of the key events in the Gaelic calender, regained popularity during the Celtic Revival and remains observed in the Celtic Nations and the Irish diaspora to this day.
Beltane, marking the start of Summer, symbolises coming out of the darkness into the light and as such, is a celebration of the light! This is interesting for Muslims, as Allah states in the Holy Qur’an,
“God is the ally of those who believe; He leads them out of the darkness into the light: As for those who reject, their allies are idols and devils, who lead them from the light into the darkness; these are those stranded in the Fire and there they will remain.” – Holy Qur’an 2:257
