The History of Halalbihalal

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – In the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the term halalbihalal was not used. However, the essence of halalbihalal—mutual forgiveness—was exemplified by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). For instance, during the conquest of the city of Mecca (Fathu Makkah). He forgave all those who had previously harmed him.

Fathu Makkah occurred on 10 Ramadan in the 8th year of the Hijrah. After successfully entering Mecca, the Prophet called out to the inhabitants, “Whoever is in the house of Abu Sufyan will be safe. Whoever enters the mosque will be safe. Whoever enters a house and closes its door will be safe.”

The Muslim forces then destroyed all the idols around the Ka’bah. Although there was no coercion to abandon polytheistic beliefs, the people of Mecca eventually flocked to embrace Islam. It all began with the forgiveness of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Thus, the tradition of halalbihalal can be aligned with efforts to achieve reconciliation among fellow humans, particularly Muslims. Halalbihalal is akin to a “win-win solution.”

Looking back at the history of Fathu Makkah, neither side negated the other. The Islamic forces only destroyed the idols, thereby ending the polytheists. The inhabitants of Mecca were not deprived of their freedom. They remained safe as before. In the end, true victory arrived, namely the growing influence of Islam.

The history of halalbihalal is indeed unique. In the sense that it only occurs in the Nusantara. At least, there are several stories behind the origins of halalbihalal.

Some say the tradition of halalbihalal began during the time of the Wali Sanga. Other sources claim that the term halalbihalal emerged in 1945. Its proponent was President Sukarno when Indonesia experienced its first Eid al-Fitr since 17 August 1945. It is known that the moment of Indonesia’s Proclamation coincided with the holy month of Ramadan.