๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ฬ๐ฆ
Mohamad Mostafa Nassar
Twitter@NassarMohamadMR
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐โ๐ฌ ๐๐๐ฒ
First, Celebrating Valentineโs Day is following the ways and traditions of the Romans, and the Christians. The Christians follow the Pagans as this Day is not included in their festivals. As Muslims we are prohibited from resembling the Christians in their religious practices, then how about an act which is invented and followed by pagans!!
Narrated Abu Saโeed al-Khudri (R.A) the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon Him) said: โYou 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 lizardโs hole, you would follow them.โ We said, โO Messenger of Allah, (do you mean) the Jews and Christians?โ He said, โWho else?!โ
(Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim)
– The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon Him) said:โ Whoever resembles a people in their actions and practices is just like them.โ (Abu Dawud 4021, Ahmed 2/50)
Celebrating Valentineโs Day is imitating the pagans. And not only is it imitating the Romans, but the people of the book (Christians) too.
– The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him said:
Whoever imitates a people is one of them. (Abu Dawud)
Consequently, Muslims do not celebrate any days, festivals, or seasonal celebrations that were not celebrated by the Prophet peace be upon him and his companions.
Furthermore, Valentineโs Day is a celebration that has no basis in anything worthwhile or noble. Its origin lies in Roman history, purportedly connected to a โsaintโ called โValentineโ, who was sentenced to death on 14th February 270 CE.
It began as a pagan ritual started by Romans in the 4th century BC to honor their false god Lupercus. The main attraction of this ritual was a lottery held to distribute young women to young men for โentertainment and pleasureโ โ until the next yearโs lottery.
Romans continued to celebrate this until after they became Christians.
In this way, Valentineโs Day promotes adultery and promiscuous relationships, which undermine and jeopardize the sanctity of marriage and the stability of the family unit.
It leads to major sins
- Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, and all types of prohibited major sins in Islam.
- Drinking Alcohol, smoking drugs etc., and various types of immorality.
Lastly, this day compounds a sense of deprivation, loneliness, and low self-worth among those people who are single.
Islam prohibits dating and sex outside marriage, both of which Valentineโs Day encourages. It is obvious, then, that a Muslim should not celebrate it.
On the other hand, Islam encourages strong bonds of love, community, and brotherhood and sisterhood among Muslims, and families, and does not restrict the expression of this brotherly, sisterly, martial, or familial love to just one day a year.
In Islam, it is not a sin if you feel a special inclination towards a certain individual since itโs a natural thing. But we are responsible and accountable if we get carried away by such feelings and take specific actions or steps that might be forbidden
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: โWe do not think that there is anything better for those who love one another than marriage.โ (Narrated by Ibn Majah, 1847)
Narrated Abdullah ibn Abbas may Allah be pleased with him Allahโs Messenger (peace be upon him) said: โYou have seen nothing like marriage for increasing the love of two people.โ (Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 921)
This message is not meant to hurt anyone or pinpoint on someone for their upbringing. Itโs a general message for All Humankind.
It was narrated that โLady Aishah said:
โI heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: โenjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, before you call, and you are not answered.โโ
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah*
Allah Exalted He
โAnd remind for indeed Reminder benefits the believers’ (Qurโan 51:55).
Allah knows Best.