Valentine's Day
In the morning of a new day, Nora surprised her friends with a red rose attached to her chest. They met her with a smile followed by a question: "What is the occasion?"
- Categories: Prohibited Deeds -
In the morning of a new day, Nora surprised her friends with a red rose attached to her chest. They met her with a smile followed by a question: “What is the occasion?”
“Do not you know that today is the Day of Love that people celebrate it and exchange the gifts and congratulations in it? It is a day for celebrating love, romance and truthfulness; it is Valentine’s Day” Nora said, and proudly talked to them about what she saw in a satellite channel. However, Amal, who was listening attentively, asked Nora in astonishment: “What is the meaning of Valentine?” whereupon Nora replied: “It is love in Latin.” Amal, who is known by her culture and knowledge, laughed at this answer and said: “Do you celebrate something you do not know its meaning! Valentine is a Christian priest lived in the third century”, she continued talking to them about what happened to this priest and informing them that Valentine’s Day is a pure religious ceremony celebrates the memory of a Christian person.
Amal felt sorry for some of our daughters who receive whatever said to them and act upon it without any thinking.
The story of Valentine’s Day:
Amal said to her friends: “The Catholic Encyclopedia mentioned three narrations about Valentine. However, the well-known of these three narrations is what is mentioned by some books about a priest called Valentine lived in the third century under the rule of the roman emperor Claudius II. In 14 February 270 A.C. this emperor executed this priest who opposed some orders to the roman emperor. But, what is the order which is opposed by the priest?” Amal continued: “The emperor noticed that the priest calls for Christianity; so he ordered him to be arrested. Another narration adds that the emperor noticed that the single men could bear the hardships of war better than those who are married and refuse to go to the battlefield; so he ordered that no new marriages are allowed to be held. However, Valentine opposed this order and continued holding marriages in his church, in secret, till his affair became known and he is jailed. In the jail, he became acquainted with the daughter of the jailer who was afflicted with a disease and her father asked the priest to cure her and she was cured, according to the narration; and then he loved her and before his execution he sent to her a card on which he wrote ‘From the sincere, Valentine’ after she had become Christian along with 46 persons from her relatives.
“Another narration mentions that when Christianity was spread in Europe, one of the priests noticed roman ritual in one of the European villages. In this ritual, the young men of the village get gathered every year in the middle of February and write the names of the girls of the village then put the names in a box and every young man withdraw a name of a girl to be his mistress for a year; the young man sends to the girl a card on which he wrote ‘In the name of the Mother God I send to you this card.’ Whereupon the relation begins between them and continues for a complete year! The priests found that this ritual fosters the roman creed and discovered that it is difficult to cancel this ritual; so they decided not to change the ritual itself and to change only the phrase that is written by the young men from ‘In the name of the Mother God’ to ‘In the name of priest Valentine’, because it is a Christian symbol could help in connecting those young men with Christianity.
“Another narration says that this Valentine was asked about the Roman gods; ‘Mercury’ the god of trade, eloquence, deceive and theft, and ‘Jupiter’ the master of the roman gods; whereupon he answered by saying that these are man-made gods while the real god is Jesus the Christ.
“Allah is far above what the wrongful people attribute to him” Amal said.
“A priest says: our fathers and mothers are astonished because of what happened to this religious holiday where some cards include a picture of a child has two wings and rotates round a heart to which he points an arrow” she continued.
“Do you know to what this symbol refers? It is the roman god of love!” Amal said.
And she added that a website has decorated his borders with a heart there is a cross in its middle.
The ruling of celebrating Valentine’s Day
Majda added to the sayings of Amal what she read about the ruling of celebrating the holidays of the Jews and Christians; she said: “In a society is filled with the truthful love and is prevailed by seeking the reward of Allah in the marital relations, strange habits began to appear at small group of our believer girls because of being influenced by some channels. And because some people have been afflicted with the disease of imitation, and especially imitating those who became masters in the field of industry, the fever of dependence is usually spread quickly, especially between the women who are not well-educated. This is a sign of defeatism; therefore, every educated woman has unique identity should beware of it (i.e. imitation) and does not be deceived by this culture.
“It is narrated on the authority of Abu Waqid that when the Messenger of Allah (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) got out to Khaibar he passed by a tree to the polytheists are called Dhat Anwat (i.e. bearer of what are hanged) where they used to hang their weapons. The companions said: O Messenger of Allah, make to us Dhat Anwat as they have Dhat Anwat. Whereupon the Prophet (prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Glorified is Allah! This is like the saying of the people of Moses ‘Make to us god as they have gods’ by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, you will tread the same path that is trodden by those who were before you” [Reported by At-Tirmidhi who said that it is good authentic Hadeeth and Al-Albani authenticated it].
«أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم لما خرج إلى خيبر مر بشجرة للمشركين يقال لها ذات أنواط يعلقون عليها أسلحتهم فقالوا يا رسول الله اجعل لنا ذات أنوط كما لهم ذات أنواط فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم سبحان الله، هذا كما قال قوم موسى: {اجْعَل لَّنَا إِلَـٰهًا كَمَا لَهُمْ آلِهَةٌ}، والذي نفسي بيده لتركبن سنة من كان قبلكم» أخرجه الترمذي وقال حسن صحيح وصححه الألباني
“Although the love of imitation is natural in the self; it is detestable in the Sharia as long as the imitated person has different creed and thoughts, especially if the imitation is related to the creed, acts of worship, symbols or habits. When the Muslims became weak in this time, their dependency to their enemies got increased and many strange affairs are circulated among them, whether they are types of consumption or behaviors. Among these strange affairs is reviving the memory of the priest Valentine, whose story is mentioned to us by Amal. In fact, whoever revives this memory while believing in it is surly has become a disbeliever; however, if he did not intend believing in it, he would have committed a major sin.
Ibn Al-Qayim says: ‘As for giving congratulations because of rituals of disbelieve, it is unanimously forbidden. This is like congratulating them for their holidays or fasting by saying happy holiday or blessed holiday or something like that. If the sayer of such phrases did not become disbeliever, he had committed an evil act. It is like congratulating him for prostrating himself for the cross; rather it is graver in the sight of Allah and more detestable than giving congratulations for drinking wine or killing somebody. Many of those who do not value the religion commit this without understanding the evilness of what they do. This is like the one who congratulated a servant for committing a sin or heresy or infidelity and became liable to Allah’s wrath and anger (because of that).’
“O Majda, what does this have to do with the issue of Al-Wala Wa Al-Bara? Amal asked.
“As long as it is among the bases of the belief of the righteous forefathers to believe in Al-Wala Wa Al-Bara, it is obligatory for everyone who says ‘There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’ to fulfill this basis. It is obligatory for the Muslim to love the believers and hate the disbelievers and consider them enemies and be dissimilar to them. Moreover, he should know that doing this brings uncountable benefits while being similar to them brings multiplied evils” Majda answered.
Also, being similar to them gets their chests opened and makes them pleased. Moreover, being similar to them leads to loving them and having loyalty to them; because when a girl celebrates this holiday and sees Margret or Hilary celebrates it too, she feels a kind of rest. Allah, the Exalted the Glorious, said: {O you who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians as Auliyâ’ (friends, protectors, helpers), they are but Auliyâ’ of each other. And if any amongst you takes them (as Auliyâ’), then surely he is one of them. Verily, Allâh guides not those people who are the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers and unjust)} [Surat Al-Ma’idah 5:51],
{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تَتَّخِذُواْ الْيَهُودَ وَالنَّصَارَى أَوْلِيَاء بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاء بَعْضٍ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّهُم مِّنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ} سورة المائدة: 15
Transliteration: Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo latattakhithoo alyahooda waalnnasaraawliyaa baAAduhum awliyao baAAdin waman yatawallahum minkum fainnahu minhum inna Allaha la yahdee alqawma alththalimeena
and He almighty said: {You (O Muhammad, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him) will not find any people who believe in Allâh and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allâh and His Messenger (Muhammad, prayers and peace of Allah be upon him)} [Surat Al-Mujadilah :22],
{لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ} سورة المجادلة: 22
Transliteration: La tajidu qawman yuminoona biAllahi waalyawmi alakhiri yuwaddoona manhadda Allaha warasoolahu
And He almighty said: {Let not pity withhold you in their case, in a punishment prescribed by Allâh, if you believe in Allâh and the Last Day} [Surat An-Nur 24:2].
{وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُم بِهِمَا رَأْفَةٌ فِي دِينِ اللَّهِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ} سورة النور: 2
Transliteration: walatakhuthkum bihima rafatun fee deeni Allahi in kuntum tuminoona biAllahi waalyawmi alakhiri
The evils of being similar to them include circulating their rituals and making them widespread. And by this way, the Sunnah would be obliterated and mixed with other acts. In fact, there is no new creation in the religion introduced without having some Sunnah obliterated. Also, being similar to them makes them appear many, provides victory to their religion and makes it followed. The Muslim recites in every Rakah {Guide us to the Straight Way. (6) The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (i.e. those who knew the Truth, but did not follow it) nor of those who went astray (i.e. those who did not follow the Truth out of ignorance and error)} [Surat Al-Fatiha 1:6-7];
{اهدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ (6) صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ} سورة الفاتحة: 6-7
Transliteration: Ihdina alssirata almustaqeema (6) Sirata allatheena anAAamta AAalayhim ghayri almaghdoobi AAalayhim wala alddalleena
therefore, how could he ask Allah to guide him to the way of the believers and get him away from the way of those who earned Allah’s anger and the way of those who went astray, and then he follows their way by his own will?!
“My dear beloved sister may say that she does not share them their belief and say that this plants in the hearts, the feelings of love and pleasure in specific. In fact, this is inattentiveness and shallowness in one’s logic. Amal talked about the origin of this holiday and how it became an occasion for exchanging the flowers, even between the gays and lesbians, in the west. Hence, how could a Muslim chaste pure woman accept to be equal to the scum?
“Celebrating this holiday is not an ordinary thing or passing issue; rather it is one of the shapes of importing the western values that govern the relation between the man and woman. Also, it is known that they do not acknowledge any limits protect the society from the evils of perversions; as their destroyed social life exposes clearly in these days. In fact, we have alternatives (we thank Allah for them) do not make us need to go beyond those and imitate them. For example, we have the exalted position of the mother whom we could present gifts to her from time to another, and we have the great rank of the fathers, brothers, sisters, husbands and wives whom we could give presents to them, but in a time other than the time of the celebration of the disbelievers.
“The gift which expresses the love is good thing; however, its being connected with Christian celebrations and western customs leads to being influenced by their cultures and the style of their life.”
Then Majda ended her talking by saying: “Some dealers feel pleasure for the coming of this occasion because it revives the markets of flowers and visiting cards. In fact, as long as it is not permissible to resemble the disbelievers in their holidays, it is not permissible to support this affair or encourage it by anyway.”
Nora began to remove the rose and said: “I need such good company, which guides me to the good and makes me love Allah. And I ask Allah to make this company among those whom He said about them: ‘My love is due to those who love each other for My sake, those who visit each other for My sake and those who support each other for My sake.’” [Authenticated by Al-Albani].
«قال الله تبارك وتعالى: وجبت محبتي للمتحابين في، وللمتجالسين في، وللمتزاورين في، وللمتباذلين في» صححه الألباني
May Allah make our lives filled with love and truthful cordiality facilitates to us getting in Paradise, as wide as the heavens and the earth, is prepared for the pious. And may Allah guard for us our great Islamic identity and set the affairs of the Muslims on the right path. And prayers and peace of Allah be upon our prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.
Fatwa of Sheikh Muhammad As-Salih Al-Uthaymin (may Allah mercy him) in 5/11/1420 A. H.
Question: Celebrating Valentine’s Day has become widespread in the recent time, especially between the student girls, although it is one of the holidays of the Christians. They put on red dress and red shoes and exchange red flowers. We hope that you may explain the ruling of celebrating such holiday and tell us your guidance to the Muslims in such issues. May Allah guard and protect you.
Answer: Peace be upon you.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day is not permitted for reasons:
The first: It is new creation has no origin in the Sharia.
The second: It leads to having the heart occupied with these trivial things which are opposite to the guidance of the righteous forefathers (may Allah be pleased with them). Hence, it is not permissible to make in this day any of the rituals of holiday, whether it is food or drink or clothes or exchanging gifts or any other thing. Moreover, the Muslim should feel honored by his religion and do not be timeserver following each caller. I ask Allah Almighty to protect the Muslims from all the afflictions, whether they are clear or obscure, and I ask Him to guide and grant success to us.
Ruqayyah Al-Muharib
Al-Qasim House