Ruling on celebrating Valentine's Day
Praise be to Allah.
Firstly:
Valentine's Day is a jaahili Roman festival, which continued to be
celebrated until after the Romans became Christian. This festival
became connected with the saint known as Valentine who was
sentenced to death on 14 February 270 CE. The kuffaar still
celebrate this festival, during which immorality and evil are
practiced widely. For more details on this celebration, please see:
Celebrating Valentine's Day.
Secondly:
It is not permissible for a Muslim to celebrate any of the
festivals of the kuffaar, because festivals come under the heading
of shar'i issues which are to be based on the sound texts.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may
Allah have mercy on him) said: Festivals are part of
sharee'ah, clear way and rituals of which Allah says
(interpretation of the meaning):
"To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way"
{لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنكُمْ شِرْعَةً
وَمِنْهَاجًاۚ}[al-Maa'idah 5:48].
.Transliteration: likullin jaAAalna minkum shirAAatan wa
minhajan
"For every nation We have ordained religious ceremonies which they
must follow"
{لِّكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنسَكًا
هُمْ نَاسِكُوهُ}[al-Hajj 22:67]
Transliteration: Likulli 'Ummatin Ja`alnā Mansakāan Hum
Nāsikūhu.
-- such as the qiblah (direction faced in prayer), prayer and
fasting. There is no difference between their participating in the
festival and their participating in all other rituals. Joining in
fully with the festival is joining in with kufr, and joining in
with some of its minor issues is joining in with some of the
branches of kufr. Indeed, festivals are one of the most unique
features that distinguish various religions and among their most
prominent symbols, so joining in with them is joining in with the
most characteristic and prominent symbols of kufr. No doubt joining
in with this may lead to complete kufr.
Partially joining in, at the very least, is disobedience and sin.
This was indicated by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) when he said:
«إن لكل قوم عيدًا، وهذا
عيدنا»
«.Every people has its festival and this is our festival» [Agreed
upon]
This is worse than joining them in wearing the zinaar (a garment
that was worn only by ahl al-dhimmah) and other characteristics of
theirs, for those characteristics are man-made and are not part of
their religion, rather the purpose behind them is simply to
distinguish between a Muslim and a kaafir. As for the festival and
its rituals, this is part of the religion which is cursed along
with its followers, so joining in with it is joining in with
something that is a cause of incurring the wrath and punishment of
Allaah. End quote from Iqtida'
al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem (1/207).
He also said (may Allah have mercy on
him): It is not permissible for the Muslims to imitate them
in anything that is uniquely a part of their festivals, whether it
be food, clothing, bathing, lighting fires, refraining from a
regular habit, doing acts of worship or anything else. It is not
permissible to make a feast or to give gifts, or to sell anything
that will help them to do that for that purpose, or to allow
children and others to play games that are part of the festivals,
or to wear one's adornments.
To conclude: the Mulsims should not do any of their rituals at the
time of their festivals; rather the day of their festival should be
like any other day for the Muslims. The Muslims should not do
anything specific in imitation of them. End quote from Majmoo al-Fataawa
(25/329).
Al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: If the Christians have a festival, and
the Jews have a festival, it is only for them, so no Muslim should
join them in that, just as no Muslim should join them in their
religion or their direction of prayer. End quote from Tashabbuh al-Khasees bi Ahl
al-Khamees, published in Majallat al-Hikmah (4/193)
The hadeeth to which Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah referred was
narrated by al-Bukhaari (952) and Muslim (892) from 'Aa'ishah (may
Allaah be pleased with her) who said:
«دخل أبو بكر ، وعندي جاريتين من جواري
الأنصار ، تغنيان بما تقاولت الأنصار يوم بعاث ، قالت : وليستا
بمغنيتين ، فقال أبو بكر : أمزامير الشيطان في بيت رسول الله صلى الله
عليه وسلم ؟ وذلك في يوم عيد ، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم :
يا أبا بكر ، إن لكل قوم عيدا ، وهذا عيدنا»
«Abu Bakr came in and there were two young girls of the Ansaar with
me who were singing about what had happened to the Ansaar on the
day of Bu'aath. She said: And they were not (professional) singing
girls. Abu Bakr said: "Musical instruments of the shaytaan in the
house of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him)?!" and that was on the day of Eid. The Messenger of Allah
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "O Abu Bakr, every
people has a festival and this is our festival."»
Abu Dawood (1134) narrated that Anas (may Allah be pleased with
him) said:
«قدم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
المدينة ولهم يومان يلعبون فيهما فقال ما هذان اليومان قالوا كنا نلعب
فيهما في الجاهلية فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم إن الله قد
أبدلكم بهما خيرا منهما؛ يوم الأضحى ويوم الفطر»
«When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him) came to Madeenah, they had two days when they would play. He
said: "What are these two days?" They said: "We used to play on
these days during the Jaahiliyyah." The Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Allah has given you
instead of them two days that are better than them: the day of
al-Adha and the day of al-Fitr.» [Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in Saheeh Abi Dawood].
This indicates that festivals are among the characteristics by
which nations are distinguished, and it is not permissible to
celebrate the festivals of the ignorant and the mushrikeen
(polytheists).
The scholars have issued fatwas stating that it is haraam to
celebrate Valentine's Day.
1 -Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (may Allah
have mercy on him) was asked:
In recent times the celebration of Valentine's Day has become
widespread, especially among female students. It is a Christian
festival where people dress completely in red, including clothes
and shoes, and they exchange red flowers. We hope that you can
explain the ruling on celebrating this festival, and what is your
advice to Muslims with regard to such matters; may Allah bless you
and take care of you.
He replied:
Celebrating Valentine's Day is not permissible for a number of
reasons.
1- It is an innovated festival for which there is no basis in
Islam.
2- It promotes extravagant passion and infatuation.
3- It calls for hearts to be preoccupied with foolish matters that
are contrary to the way of the righteous salaf (may Allah be
pleased with them).
It is not permissible on this day to do any of the things that are
characteristic of this festival, whether that has to do with food,
drinks, clothing, exchanging gifts or anything else.
The Muslim should be proud of his religion and should not be a weak
character who follows every Tom, Dick and Harry. I ask Allah to
protect the Muslims from all temptations, visible and invisible,
and to protect us and guide us.
End quote from Majmoo' Fataawa
al-Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen (16/199)
2 - The Standing Committee was
asked: Some people celebrate Valentine's Day on the fourteenth of
February every year. They exchange gifts of red roses and wear red
clothes and congratulate one another. Some bakeries make red
colored sweets and draw hearts on them, and some stores advertise
products that are especially for this day. What is your opinion on
the following:
1- Celebrating this day
2- Buying things from the stores on this day
3- Storekeepers who are not celebrating it, but selling things that
may be given as gifts to people who are celebrating it?
They replied:
The clear evidence of the Qur'aan and Sunnah - and the consensus of
the early generations of this ummah - indicates that there are only
two festivals in Islam: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Any other
festivals that have to do with a person, a group, an event or
anything else are innovated festivals, which it is not permissible
for Muslims to observe, approve of or express joy on those
occasions, or to help others to celebrate them in any way, because
that is transgressing the sacred limits of Allah, and whoever
transgresses the sacred limits of Allah has wronged himself. If the
fabricated festival is also a festival of the kuffaar, then the sin
is even greater, because this is imitating them and it is a kind of
taking them as close friends, and Allah has forbidden the believers
to imitate them and take them as close friends in His Holy Book.
And it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be
upon him) said: «من تشبه بقوم فهو
منهم». «Whoever imitates a people is one of them.» [Narrated
by Abu-Dawood, Classed as saheeh by Al-Albani], Valentine's Day
comes under this heading because it is an idolatrous Christian
festival, so it is not permissible for a Muslim who believes in
Allah and the Last Day to observe it or approve of it or
congratulate people on it. Rather he has to ignore it and avoid it,
in obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and so as to keep away
from the causes that incur the wrath and punishment of Allah. It is
also haraam for the Muslim to help people to celebrate this or any
other haraam festival by supplying any kind of food or drink, or
buying or selling or manufacturing or giving or advertising etc.,
because all of that is cooperating in sin and transgression and is
disobedience towards Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him). Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue,
righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and
transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in
punishment"
[al-Maa'idah 5:2] {وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى
الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ
وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ
الْعِقَابِ}
Transliteration: Wa Ta`āwanū `Alá Al-Birri Wa At-Taqwá Wa Lā
Ta`āwanū `Alá Al-'Ithmi Wa Al-`Udwāni Wa Attaqū Allāha 'Inna Allāha
Shadīdu Al-`Iqābi.
The Muslim must adhere to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah in all
his affairs, especially at times of fitnah when evil is widespread.
He should be smart and avoid falling into the misguidance of those
who have earned Allah's anger and who have gone astray, and the
evildoers who have no fear of Allah and who do not have any pride
in being Muslims. The Muslim must turn to Allah and seek His
guidance and remain steadfast in following it, for there is no
Guide except Allah and no one can make a person steadfast but Him.
And Allah is the source of strength. May Allah send blessings and
peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End
quote.
3 - Shaykh Ibn Jibreen (may
Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
Among our young men and women it has become common to celebrate
Valentine's Day, which is named after a saint who is venerated by
the Christians, who celebrate it every year on February 14, when
they exchange gifts and red roses, and they wear red clothes. What
is the ruling on celebrating this day and exchanging gifts?
He replied:
Firstly: it is not permissible to celebrate these innovated
festivals, because it is an innovation for which there is no basis
in Islam. It comes under the heading of the hadeeth of 'Aa'ishah
(may Allah be pleased with her), according to which the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
«من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس فيه فهو
رد»
«Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not
part of it will have it rejected.» [Agreed upon ]
Secondly: it involves imitating the kuffaar and copying them by
venerating that which they venerate and respecting their festivals
and rituals, and imitating them in something that is part of their
religion. In the hadeeth it says:
«من تشبه بقوم فهو منهم»
«Whoever imitates a people is one of them» [Narrated by Abu Dawood,
Classed as Saheeh by Al-albani].
Thirdly: it results in evils and haraam things such as wasting
time, singing, music, extravagance, unveiling, wanton display, men
mixing with women, women appearing before men other than their
mahrams, and other haraam things, or things which are means that
lead to immorality. That cannot be excused by the claim that this
is a kind of entertainment and fun. The one who is sincere towards
himself should keep away from sin and the means that lead to
it.
And he said:
Based on this, it is not permissible to sell these gifts and roses,
if it is known that the purchaser celebrates these festivals or
will give these things as gifts on those days, so that the seller
will not be a partner of the one who does those innovations. And
Allah knows best. End quote.
And Allah knows best.
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