Just from
this Hadith itself we deduce that emulating the Kuffar is Haraam in regards to religious and social habits which are confined
to them only!
But indeed it is unfortunate that we find many Muslims openly following many customs of the Kuffar – following the celebration of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthdays and now even Valentine’s Day. In western countries, there is a growing social and religious integration between the Muslims and the non-Muslims. Muslims, today, are fusing their Islamic culture with that of the Kuffar. This absorbency of cultures has been achieved to such an extent that some Muslims have even abandoned their very own Islamic identity and Islamic culture. They are unable to differentiate between what is right and wrong. Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day and Valentine's Day - festivals that are most widely celebrated by non-Muslims - are now being widely accepted and celebrated by Muslims. Many unwary or perhaps ignorant Muslims support these festivals in some form or other - either actively or passively unaware that it is Haraam and forbidden to do so!!!
And so while you are reading this, somewhere in the Muslim world, there are people throning to shopping malls to spend their wealth to purchase Haraam. They will bring this Haraam to their abodes and imprint on these objects of sin more Haraam in the most intimate manner and thereby secure their citizenship of Hell. Yet, they will not be content with that status. To further fortify their place in the eternal blaze, they will pursue their previous Haraam actions with indecency, sickness of the heart and mind, and eventually, Zina! Despicably, they will repeat this ritual every year. But what is this "Valentine's Day" after all? Have we ever thought about it? What is the story behind it? What does celebrating "Valentine's Day" really mean? Where does this fit in a Muslim's life? Infact, does it even fit in it at all?
Looking at the Qur'aan and Sunnah, one should realize that we should not be celebrating it in the first place, because it is a celebration of the non-Muslims. Whatever we need to celebrate has been prescribed to us by Allah and His Messenger (saws) and it is prohibited to celebrate anything else. That is why And Allah said:
"For every nation We have ordained religious ceremonies which they must follow." [al-Hajj:67]
And the Prophet (saws) said: "Every nation has its own Eid (celebration) and this is our Eid (meaning Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha)." [al-Bukhari and Muslim]
And the Prophet (saws) said: "Every nation has its own Eid (celebration) and this is our Eid (meaning Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha)." [al-Bukhari and Muslim]
If we
look into history we see 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. One of the rituals of this festival was the sacrifice of a dog and a goat. Two strong and muscular youths would daub the blood of the dog and goat onto their bodies, then they would wash the blood away with milk. After that there would be a great parade, with these two youths at its head, which would go about the streets. The two youths would have pieces of leather with which they would hit everyone who crossed their path. The Roman women would welcome these blows, because they believed that they could prevent or cure infertility.
The connection between Saint Valentine and this festival:
Saint Valentine is a name which is given to two of the ancient "martyrs" of the Christian Church. It was said that there were two of them, or that there was only one, who died in Rome as the result of the persecution of the Gothic leader Claudius, c. 296 CE. In 350 CE, a church was built in Rome on the site of the place where he died, to perpetuate his memory.
When the Romans embraced Christianity, they continued to celebrate the Feast of Love mentioned above, but they changed it from the pagan concept of "spiritual love" to another concept known as the "martyrs of love", represented by Saint Valentine who had advocated love and peace, for which cause he was martyred, according to their claims. It was also called the Feast of Lovers, and Saint Valentine was considered to be the patron saint of lovers.
One of their false beliefs connected with this festival was that the names of girls who had reached marriageable age would be written on small rolls of paper and placed in a dish on a table. Then the young men who wanted to get married would be called, and each of them would pick a piece of paper. He would put himself at the service of the girl whose name he had drawn for one year, so that they could find out about one another. Then they would get married, or they would repeat the same process again on the day of the festival in the following year.
The Christian clergy reacted against this tradition, which they considered to have a corrupting influence on the morals of young men and women. It was abolished in Italy, where it had been well-known, then it was revived in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when in some western countries there appeared shops which sold small books called “Valentine’s books”, which contained love poems, from which the one who wanted to send a greeting to his sweetheart could choose. They also contained suggestions for writing love letters.
Isn't it then Brothers and Sisters that supporting the cause of Kuffr in any way is a heinous crime and a direct onslaught against Islam and everything that it stands for?!? Islamic scholars have repeatedly written that any form of activity that is closely related to the manners of the Kuffar is a stepping stone to Kuffr, and thus, prohibited in Islam. "Valentine's Day" encourages pre-marital relationships which is freely and widely practised by the West. On these days, cards are exchanged, dinners are eaten, alcohol is consumed excessively, money is spent wildly, dancing and singing takes place and all sorts of lustful and sexual relationships are carried out. These days have also become synonymous to great economic activity as huge amounts of money are spent on advertisements and gifts. This is evident from the sudden economic boom that is experienced before these days are actually celebrated. Many Muslim businessmen tend to decorate their shops in the same way as their non-Muslim counterparts do. Whether this is done to increase the sales or merely as a formality is strictly not permissible.
Islam is a code of life-socio-economic-politico Ideology with spirituality and has undoubtedly shown us the correct etiquette's and manners for every occasion. It teaches us every facet of moral behavior in regard to Muslims and non-Muslims. Thus, to borrow these anti-Islamic trait from the Kuffar is not sanctioned by Islam.
In Islam, Muslims do not need specific days to remind them of the obligations they have towards loved ones, that is, loved ones who fall within the confines of what the Shari'ah prescribes. Muslims are warned not to indulge in illicit sexual activities, drink alcohol, behave indecently in public, sing and dance, waste money, etc. So, it is clear that the celebrations of these days are not sanctioned by Islam and that these are purely Kuffar festivals not approved of by Islam. Many are under the false notion that while retaining the basic tenets and teachings of Islam, adoption of a few non-Muslim modes of life would not do any harm. Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran: "...and follow not the lusts (of thy heart) that it deceives you from the Way of Allah. Lo! those who wander from the Way of Allah have an awful doom, for as much as they forget the Day of Reckoning." [38:26]
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. One of the rituals of this festival was the sacrifice of a dog and a goat. Two strong and muscular youths would daub the blood of the dog and goat onto their bodies, then they would wash the blood away with milk. After that there would be a great parade, with these two youths at its head, which would go about the streets. The two youths would have pieces of leather with which they would hit everyone who crossed their path. The Roman women would welcome these blows, because they believed that they could prevent or cure infertility.
The connection between Saint Valentine and this festival:
Saint Valentine is a name which is given to two of the ancient "martyrs" of the Christian Church. It was said that there were two of them, or that there was only one, who died in Rome as the result of the persecution of the Gothic leader Claudius, c. 296 CE. In 350 CE, a church was built in Rome on the site of the place where he died, to perpetuate his memory.
When the Romans embraced Christianity, they continued to celebrate the Feast of Love mentioned above, but they changed it from the pagan concept of "spiritual love" to another concept known as the "martyrs of love", represented by Saint Valentine who had advocated love and peace, for which cause he was martyred, according to their claims. It was also called the Feast of Lovers, and Saint Valentine was considered to be the patron saint of lovers.
One of their false beliefs connected with this festival was that the names of girls who had reached marriageable age would be written on small rolls of paper and placed in a dish on a table. Then the young men who wanted to get married would be called, and each of them would pick a piece of paper. He would put himself at the service of the girl whose name he had drawn for one year, so that they could find out about one another. Then they would get married, or they would repeat the same process again on the day of the festival in the following year.
The Christian clergy reacted against this tradition, which they considered to have a corrupting influence on the morals of young men and women. It was abolished in Italy, where it had been well-known, then it was revived in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when in some western countries there appeared shops which sold small books called “Valentine’s books”, which contained love poems, from which the one who wanted to send a greeting to his sweetheart could choose. They also contained suggestions for writing love letters.
Isn't it then Brothers and Sisters that supporting the cause of Kuffr in any way is a heinous crime and a direct onslaught against Islam and everything that it stands for?!? Islamic scholars have repeatedly written that any form of activity that is closely related to the manners of the Kuffar is a stepping stone to Kuffr, and thus, prohibited in Islam. "Valentine's Day" encourages pre-marital relationships which is freely and widely practised by the West. On these days, cards are exchanged, dinners are eaten, alcohol is consumed excessively, money is spent wildly, dancing and singing takes place and all sorts of lustful and sexual relationships are carried out. These days have also become synonymous to great economic activity as huge amounts of money are spent on advertisements and gifts. This is evident from the sudden economic boom that is experienced before these days are actually celebrated. Many Muslim businessmen tend to decorate their shops in the same way as their non-Muslim counterparts do. Whether this is done to increase the sales or merely as a formality is strictly not permissible.
Islam is a code of life-socio-economic-politico Ideology with spirituality and has undoubtedly shown us the correct etiquette's and manners for every occasion. It teaches us every facet of moral behavior in regard to Muslims and non-Muslims. Thus, to borrow these anti-Islamic trait from the Kuffar is not sanctioned by Islam.
In Islam, Muslims do not need specific days to remind them of the obligations they have towards loved ones, that is, loved ones who fall within the confines of what the Shari'ah prescribes. Muslims are warned not to indulge in illicit sexual activities, drink alcohol, behave indecently in public, sing and dance, waste money, etc. So, it is clear that the celebrations of these days are not sanctioned by Islam and that these are purely Kuffar festivals not approved of by Islam. Many are under the false notion that while retaining the basic tenets and teachings of Islam, adoption of a few non-Muslim modes of life would not do any harm. Almighty Allah says in the Holy Quran: "...and follow not the lusts (of thy heart) that it deceives you from the Way of Allah. Lo! those who wander from the Way of Allah have an awful doom, for as much as they forget the Day of Reckoning." [38:26]
There are forms of expressing love that are acceptable in Islam, while
there are others that are not. Among the forms of love that are
religiously acceptable are those that include the love for Prophets and
Messengers. It stands to reason that the love for Allah, and His
Messenger Muhammad (saws) should have the top
priority over all other forms of love.
Islam does recognize happy occasions that bring people closer to one another, 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 for the sake of Allah all over the whole year, and reducing the whole year to a single day is totally rejected.
Ya Muslimeen, we are supposed to be the best nation among the nations to command good, forbid evil, so other nations can imitate us. We are supposed to be the best model for the kufaar to be followed, not the other way around. We must be working to change these evils customs, traditions, social infrastructure of the society where we live in as the Prophet (saws) did it in Makkah according to Islam as a way of life.
Conclusion:
In conclusion my Brothers and Sisters, celebrating any of the customs/ festivals/ traditions of the disbelievers is Haraam and we hope this is now evident. We encourage you to further research this issue in the vast sources of Islamic knowledge, if you still have doubts. We, as Muslims, should not be celebrating Valentine's day, even if this celebration is between a husband and wife, it is not right to do so because it is a celebration of the non-Muslims. And of course, if it is an illicit relationship, then obviously it is Haraam. We should adhere to the limits set by Allah, and not transgress them just because we see other people doing so. Everything that this day revolves around and is associated with is totally against the pure and pristine teachings of Allah and His Messenger (saws).
Islam does recognize happy occasions that bring people closer to one another, 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 for the sake of Allah all over the whole year, and reducing the whole year to a single day is totally rejected.
Ya Muslimeen, we are supposed to be the best nation among the nations to command good, forbid evil, so other nations can imitate us. We are supposed to be the best model for the kufaar to be followed, not the other way around. We must be working to change these evils customs, traditions, social infrastructure of the society where we live in as the Prophet (saws) did it in Makkah according to Islam as a way of life.
Conclusion:
In conclusion my Brothers and Sisters, celebrating any of the customs/ festivals/ traditions of the disbelievers is Haraam and we hope this is now evident. We encourage you to further research this issue in the vast sources of Islamic knowledge, if you still have doubts. We, as Muslims, should not be celebrating Valentine's day, even if this celebration is between a husband and wife, it is not right to do so because it is a celebration of the non-Muslims. And of course, if it is an illicit relationship, then obviously it is Haraam. We should adhere to the limits set by Allah, and not transgress them just because we see other people doing so. Everything that this day revolves around and is associated with is totally against the pure and pristine teachings of Allah and His Messenger (saws).
One shouldn't even congratulate one another or
commemorate this day in any way or form! As Imam
Ibn al-Qayyim rightly states: “As for congratulating them for the symbols of
kuffr that belong exclusively to them, this is Haraam according to
scholarly consensus, such as congratulating them for their festivals and
fasts, and saying, ‘A blessed festival to you’ and the like. Even
though the person who says this might not become a kaafir by saying this,
it is still forbidden, and it is the same as congratulating them for
prostrating to the cross. Indeed, it is an even greater sin with Allah
and is more hated by Him than congratulating them for drinking wine,
killing people and committing adultery, and so on. Many of those who do
not care about religion do this, and
do not realize how abhorrent their actions are. Whoever congratulates a
person for his sin, bid’ah (innovation) or kuffr exposes himself to the
wrath and anger of Allah. The pious scholars used to avoid
congratulating the tyrants when they were appointed to official
positions, or congratulating the ignorant when they were appointed as
Qadis, teachers or Muftis, because they sought to avoid the wrath and
anger of Allah.” [Ahkaam Ahl al-Dhimmah, 1/144-244]
May Allah guide us and enable us
to be true Muslims who submit earnestly and sincerely to Allah and His (swt) commands - Ameen Ya Rabb!!!
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