Sedang kita melakukan sesuatu, tiba-tiba rakan-rakan di pejabat menjerit “April Fools”. Terkedu dan tiba-tiba tidak semena-mena kita dijadikan bahan jenaka dan gelak ketawa rakan di pejabat. Begitulah suasana di kebanyakan tempat di seluruh negara. Ada yang ditipu untuk berbuat sesuatu, ada yang menerima perkhabaran palsu, ada yang termasuk perangkap sehingga diaibkan secara jenaka, dan bermacam-macam lagi senda dan gurauan demi menyambut “April Fools”.

Asal usul "April Fools" tidak jelas. Ada beberapa teori yang dapat dikaitkan dengan asal usul hari yang kini seolah-olah menjadi suatu perayaan di seluruh dunia. Yang pertama, "April Fools" dikatakan mula-mula diraikan selepas pertukaran Kalendar Julian kepada Kalendar Gregorian. Ungkapan “April Fools” telah secara jenaka dirujuk kepada sesiapa yang masih menggunakan Kalendar Julian yang sepatutnya telah digantikan dengan Kalendar Gregorian. Ada juga teori yang menyatakan bahawa “April Fools” bermula pada zaman pra-Kristian. May Day (May 1) pada masa itu diraikan sebagai hari pertama musim panas yang menandakan permulaan musim penanaman. Kaitannya dengan “April Fools” apabila ada orang yang menyambut hari tersebut lebih awal, iaitu ketika masih dalam bulan April. Ada juga yang mengaitkan “April Fools” dengan tragedi berdarah lagi ngeri yang melibatkan pembunuhan orang Islam ketika Granada jatuh ke tangan orang Kristian suatu ketika dahulu. Yang berikut adalah antara sumber yang dikaitkan dengan asal usul April Fools:

Menurut Encyclopedia Britanica Online:

“April Fools' Day

Also called ALL FOOLS' Day, first day of April, named from the custom of playing practical jokes or sending friends on fools' errands on that date. Although it has been observed for centuries in several countries, the origin of the custom is unknown. It resembles other festivals, such as the Hilaria of ancient Rome (March 25) and the Holi festival of India (ending March 31). Its timing seems related to the vernal equinox (March 21), when nature "fools" mankind with sudden changes in the weather.

On April Fools' Day all people are given an excuse to play the fool. In France the fooled person is called poisson d'avril ("April fish"), but the origin of the name is unknown. In April the cuckoo, emblem of simpletons, comes, so in Scotland the victim is called gowk (cuckoo). The custom of playing April Fools' jokes was taken to America by the British. It has continued to be observed by children and adults and sometimes involves rather elaborate hoaxes as well as merely simple jokes.”

Menurut Wikipedia:

“The origin of April Fools' Day is obscure. One likely theory is that the modern holiday was first celebrated soon after the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar; the term referred to someone still adhering to the Julian Calendar, which it replaced.[2] In many pre-Christian cultures May Day (May 1) was celebrated as the first day of summer, and signalled the start of the spring planting season. An April Fool was someone who did this prematurely. Another origin is that April 1 was counted the first day of the year in France. When King Charles IX changed that to January 1, some people stayed with April 1. Those who did were called "April Fools" and were taunted by their neighbors.[citation needed] In the eighteenth century the festival was often posited as going back to the times of Noah. An English newspaper article published on April 13th, 1789 said that the day had its origins when he sent the raven off too early, before the waters had receded. He did this on the first day of the Hebrew month that corresponds with April.[3] A possible reference to April Fools' Day can be seen in the Canterbury Tales (ca 1400) in the Nun's Priest's tale, a tale of two fools: Chanticleer and the fox, which took place on March 32nd.[4]”

Di bawah ini pula merupakan kisah yang dikaitkan dengan "April Fools" ketika kejatuhan kerajaan Islam di Granada Sepanyol. Kisah ini masih lagi berlegar-legar dalam ruangan siber di serata dunia. Biarpun tidak diketahui kebenarannya, namun kisah ini diharapkan tidak dijadikan pencetus api kemarahan dan kebencian antara umat manusia berbilang bangsa dan agama di seluruh dunia. Jika tragedi ini benar-benar berlaku, jadikanlah peristiwa tersebut sebagai pengajaran agar umat Islam pada hari ini tidak menerima nasib yang sama pada masa akan datang:

“The Fall of Granada, Spain and 1st April - APRIL FOOL

In Spain, after centuries of Muslim rules, the Moors were overwhelmed by the Christian Army. However, the Moors were fortified in their homes. The Christian armies wanted to get rid
of the Muslims somehow. They told the Muslims that they could leave their homes safely and could take only the necessary things from their homes. They were told they could sail away in the ships anchored on the quay side. The Muslims did wonder if this ploy was a trick. The Muslims were requested to go to the quay side to check the ships. They did so and were convinced. They then made preparations to leave. The next day, 1st April, they took their essential belongings and walked towards the quay side.

The Christians looted their homes and then set fire to them. Before the Muslims got to the ships, the Christians had set fire to the ships as well. The Christians then attacked the Muslims
and killed them all: men, women and children. They then celebrated this carnage. This then became a ritual that was celebrated every year and that has been carried on until this day not only in Spain but in other countries, too. The Muslims celebrate 1st April as well as playing jokes on others on this day through sheer ignorance of the story. We should bring out the facts of the story to all in order to put a stop to the practice of celebrating this bloody
and shameful episode.”

Tanpa mengira asal usulnya, “April Fools” kini disambut oleh manusia merentasi benua dan sempadan. Bukan sahaja di Barat, kedatangan “April Fools” kini ditunggu-tunggu oleh masyarakat Islam di serata dunia. Hakikatnya, tiada “April Fools” dalam Islam. Yang wujud hanyalah propaganda untuk melalaikan kita yang adakalanya menyebabkan kita menzalimi rakan-rakan dengan pelbagai tipu muslihat. Seperti juga Valentine’s Day, tiada apa-apa manfaatpun yang dapat diperoleh daripada amalan menyambut “April Fools”. Yang ada hanyalah gelak ketawa yang sebenarnya menggores hati sahabat baik kita. Oleh itu, janganlah membodohkan orang lain untuk diperbodohkan oleh “April Fools”.