What is Valentine Day
And if one seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him; and he is among the losers in the Hereafter. [Al ‘Imraan 3:85]
Unfortunately, nowadays, we see the Muslim society adopting the western customs happily. We think their rituals as our own. We see the Muslims wishing each other or the non Muslims on Christmas , “MERRY CHRISTMAS”. You know what this means ? This means that you are testifying that Hazrat Isa (Alaihis Salam) was crucified. (NAUZUBILLAH). You are testifying something contradicting to the Quran and the Authentic Ahadith <<WAKE UP>> . And the Holy Prophet had already Prophecized that
Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allaah be pleased with him), narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you, span by span, cubit by cubit, until even if they were to enter a lizard’s hole, you would follow them.” We said, “O Messenger of Allah, (do you mean) the Jews and Christians?” He said, “Who else?!” (Mutaffaqun Alayh Bukhari 8:151 Muslim 4:2054)
Similarly, We celebrate (or at least we see our friends celebrating) the VALENTINES DAY.
Don’t you think we need to know what actually Valentines day is and Islamic Stance on that?
ORIGIN OF VALENTINES DAY
First of all, we’d like to shed light on the origin of this festival, known as “Valentine Day” or “Festival of Love”:
VALENTINE WAS A ROMAN PRIEST AND PATRON OF LOVERS WHO WAS MARTYRED DURING THE SACK OF ROME AND PERSECUTION OF CHRISTIANS BY CLAUDIUS II, AND WAS BURIED IN ROME. A BISHOP OF TERINI (ITALY) MARTYRED IN ROME AND HIS REMAINS WERE TAKEN BACK TO TERINI.
THAT LUPERCALIA WAS A PAGAN FEAST CELEBRATED ON FEBRUARY 15 IN HONOUR OF THE PASTORAL GOL LUPERCALIA, WHO HAD MANY LOVE AFFAIRS WITH NYMPHS AND GODDESSES. DURING THAT FEAST NAMES OF YOUNG WOMAN WERE PUT IN A POT AND A DRAW WAS HELD. YOUNG MEN THEN DREW THESE NAMES AND THOSE THAT MATCHES EACH OTHER STAYED TOGETHER FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, WHICH BEGAN IN MARCH. THE LUPERCALIA WAS ABLOISHED BY POPE GELASIUS I IN THE TATE 5TH CENTURY BUT THE TRADITION ALLOWED TO MARGE WITH THE CELEBRATIONS OF FEBRUARY 14 ST, VALENTINE’S FEAST DAY
W.LEERUTH writes the following in his famous book, “History of Valentine’s Day”
THE SENDING OF LOVE NOTES ON FEBRUARY 14 AROSE IN THE LATE MIDDLE AGES AND APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN ACCIDENTIAL. WITH THE PASSAGE OF TIME THE VARITY OF VALENTINE,S DAY CARDS AND PURCHASERS HAVE BEEN IN CREASING. MOST OF THE CARDS CARRY THE PICTURES OF TRADITIONAL DEEP RED HEART, LOVERS, KNOT, FLOWERS, CARTOONS OF ANIMALS MAKING FACES AND OTHER CHARACTERS
We get to know that the Festival of Love was one of the festivals of the pagan Romans, when paganism was the prevalent religion of the Romans more than seventeen centuries ago. In the pagan Roman concept, it was an expression of “spiritual love”.
There were myths associated with this pagan festival of the Romans, which persisted with their Christian heirs. Among the most famous of these myths was the Roman belief that Romulus, the founder of Rome, was suckled one day by a she-wolf, which gave him strength and wisdom.
The Romans used to celebrate this event in mid-February each year with a big festival.
Saint Valentine and the Valentine’s Day
Saint Valentine is the main character in the History of the Valentines day. Although the stories may differ but they somewhat contain St.Valentine, the LOVE affairs and the Christian Church.
NONE OF THESE ARE A PART OF THE MUSLIM CULTURE!! Muslims don’t believe in Saints or churches or the Love before Marriage.
Here’s one story for example
In The Story of Civilization, it says that the Church devised a calendar in which every day was designated as the feast day of one of the saints. In England, Saint Valentine’s Day was to come at the end of winter. When that day came, according to them, the birds mated enthusiastically in the forests, and the young men would put flowers on the windowsills of the homes of the girls whom they loved. (The Story of Civilization by Will Durant, 15/23)
DO YOU FIND ANYTHING CLOSE TO THE ISLAMIC CULTURE IN THIS
It was narrated that ‘Adiy ibn Haatim said: “I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing a gold cross around my neck. He said, ‘O ‘Adiy, cast aside this idol.’ And I heard him reciting from Soorat Baraa’ah [al-Tawbah] (interpretation of the meaning): ‘They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah.’ He said: ‘They do not worship them, but when they permit them something they accept it as permitted, and when they forbid them something they accept it as forbidden.’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and it is a Hasan Hadith).
I think all of us are pretty familiar with the other myths and incidents related to the celebration of this festival. Let us discuss the Islamic Stance on that
ISLAMIC STANCE ON FESTIVAL OF LOVE (VALENTINES DAY)
Valetines day is no where close to the Islamic rituals. It is strictly forbidden to celebrate the valentine’s day.
1. An Innovated Christian Ritual
Celebrating Valentine’s Day means resembling or imitating the pagan Romans, then the Christian People of the Book in their imitation of the Romans in something that was not a part of their religion. If it is not allowed to imitate the Christians in things that really are part of their religion – but not part of our religion – then how about things which they have innovated in their religion in imitation of idol-worshippers?! It means that the celebration of this Valentines day becomes a double sin because it is an INNOVATED CHRISTIAN RITUAL.
2. Imitation of the Non-Muslims
Imitating the kuffaar(adopting rituals and dresses particular with them) in general –whether they are idol-worshippers or People of the Book – is Haraam, whether that imitation is of their worship – which is the most serious form – or of their customs and behavior. This is indicated by the Qur’aan and the authentic Ahadith. And it is not difficult to think that Valentine day is a ritual particular with them when we see its origin. “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (narrated by Ahmad, 2/50; Abu Dawood, 4021)
3. A Road to Zina
The love referred to in this festival ever since the Christians revived it is romantic love outside the framework of marriage. The result of that is the spread of zinaa (fornication and adultery) and immorality. Hence the Christian clergy opposed it at some stage and abolished it, then it came back again.
Most of the young people celebrate it because it lets them fulfil their desires, without thinking of the issues of imitation and resembling that are involved. Look at this tragedy, where they go so far as to commit major sins such as zinaa and the like, by imitating the Christians in something which is part of their worship and which may even be kufr
4. Does Islam Forbid Love?
There is no religion which encourages its followers to love and care for one another more than Islam does. This applies at all times and in all circumstances, not just on one particular day. Indeed, Islam encourages us to express our emotions and love at all times, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If a man loves his brother, let him tell him that he loves him.” (narrated by Abu Dawood, 5124; al-Tirmidhi, 2329; it is Saheeh).
And he said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you truly believe, and you will not truly believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread (the greeting of) salaam amongst yourselves.” (Narrated by Muslim, 54)
Love in Islam is more general and more comprehensive; it is not restricted only to one kind of love, that between a man and a woman. There are many more kinds of love. There is the love of Allaah, love of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them), love for good and righteous people, love and support for the religion, love of martyrdom for the sake of Allaah. There are many kinds of love. It is a dangerous mistake to restrict this broad meaning to this one kind of love.
5. Love Throughout
Islam does recognize happy occasions that bring people closer to one another, and add spice to their lives. However, Islam goes against blindly imitating the West regarding a special occasion such as Valentine’s Day. Hence, commemorating that special day known as the Valentine’s Day is an innovation or bid`ah that has no religious backing. Every innovation of that kind is rejected, as far as Islam is concerned. Islam requires all Muslims to love one another all over the whole year, and reducing the whole year to a single day is totally rejected.
6. The Luper Calia
Consider Valentine’s Day, a day that after dying out a well deserved death in most of Europe (but surviving in Britain and United States) has suddenly started to emerge across a good swath of Muslim countries. Who was Valentine? Why is this day observed? Legends abound, as they do in all such cases, but this much is clear: Valentine’s Day began as a pagan ritual started by Romans in the 4th century BCE to honor the god Lupercus. The main attraction of this ritual was a lottery held to distribute young women to young men for “entertainment and pleasure”–until the next year’s lottery. Among other equally despicable practices associated with this day was the lashing of young women by two young men, clad only in a bit of goatskin and wielding goatskin thongs, who had been smeared with blood of sacrificial goats and dogs. A lash of the “sacred” thongs by these “holy men” was believed to make them better able to bear children. Christianity tried to stop the evil celebration of Lupercalia. Its only success was in changing the name from Lupercalia to St. Valentine’s Day
7. The Identity of Islam
Further, Islam is very sensitive about maintaining its purity and the unique identity of its followers. Islamic laws and teachings go to extra lengths to ensure it. Salat is forbidden at the precise times of sunrise, transition, and sunset to eliminate the possibility of confusion with the practice of sun worship. To the voluntary recommended fast on the tenth of Muharram, Muslims are required to add another day (9th or 11th) to differentiate it from the then prevalent Jewish practice. Muslims are forbidden to emulate the appearance of non-Muslims.
8. The Day of Repentance instead of the Valentines Day
A Muslim is a Muslim for life. During joys and sorrows, during celebrations and sufferings, we must follow the one straight path — not many divergent paths. It is a great tragedy that under the constant barrage of commercial and cultural propaganda from the forces of globalization and the relentless media machine, Muslims have begun to embrace the Valentines, the Halloween ghost, and even the Santa Claus. Given our terrible and increasing surrender to paganism the only day we should be observing is a day of mourning. Better yet it should be a day of repentance that could liberate us from all these days.
MUSLIM’S ATTITUDE TOWARD THE VALENTINE DAY
1. A Muslim should not celebrate it, or join others in their celebrations of it, or attend their celebrations, because of the evidence quoted above which shows that it is forbidden to celebrate the festivals of the kuffaar.
2. He should not help the kuffaar in their celebrations, because it is one of the rituals of kufr, so helping them and approving of what they do is helping them to manifest kufr and make it prevail, and approving of it.
3. We should not accept congratulations on Valentine’s Day, because it is not a holiday or an Eid for the Muslims. If the Muslim is congratulated on this occasion, he should not return the congratulations.
4. We should repent in this DAY if he had been celebrating the Valentines day in our past
5. We must explain the true nature of this holiday and other festivals of the kuffaar to those Muslims who have been deceived by them, and explain to them that it is essential for the Muslim to be distinguished by his religion and to protect his belief (‘Aqeedah) from anything that may damage it.
6. Here I would like to mention doing any of the things which are particular with this day like exchange of flowers, red bands, roses, red clothes and singing and dancing will be like the imitation of the west and its like inviting the wrath of ALLAH SubHanuhu wa Ta’ala.