Valentine’s Day?

Why is this day celebrated throughout the western world, even now by some Muslim's?

In many of the Capitalist states, the expression “Let the season of love begin” is being heard again. It’s that time of the year again, when roses abound, trinkets are exchanged and confessions of love and promises (which are rarely kept) are declared - February 14th known as St. Valentine’s Day. It is the time that for centuries has been dedicated to honour lovers.

On this day the postal services will be inundated with the responsibility of playing “cupid”, forwarding messages of “true love”. Our children will be making Valentines cards or, if they’re in Wales, love spoons which they will be encouraged to give to their valentine in the playground.

So what’s the harm in all this, you may well ask? After all it’s only a day to remind your spouse of how much you love them, or for the children it’s just a bit of fun. But have you ever stopped to wonder who St Valentine was and where this archaic tradition of St. Valentine’s Day came from?

During the fifth century the Catholic Church wanted to end a pagan fertility rite that the Romans practised every year since the 4th century BC. During the month of February a lottery was held to celebrate a young man’s rite of passage to the “god” Lupericus. Young teenage girls participated in this lottery where their names were placed in a box and drawn at random by young men. Through the lottery these young men would be assigned to the chosen girl, for ‘mutual pleasure’, for the duration of a year until the next year’s lottery.

The Church was unhappy with the promiscuous nature of this ritual and tried to end it by selecting a “Lover’s Saint”, who would be honoured in replacement of the ritual of Lupericus. They chose a bishop by the name of Valentine, who was executed in the 3rd century AD, for defying the Emperor Claudius who banned marriages saying married men made poor soldiers who did not want to leave their families during battles. Valentine invited lovers to come to him to be married in secret, for which he was killed. However before he died he supposedly sent a farewell message, to the jailer’s daughter whom he had fallen in love with while in prison, that read “From your Valentine.”

Many things may be said about this “tradition”, but there is one important concept that Muslims should draw from it. It is essential for Muslims to realise that Islam is a comprehensive way of life whose source of reference is exclusively the hukm shar’i (divine legislative rule). This is the only source of all rites, traditions and practices that Muslims are permitted to follow. From this source it is clear that Islam prohibits the celebration of kufr festivals. St. Valentines Day is, from its very origin, a pagan festival continuously redefined during various periods of ignorance.

Islam, through the hukm shar’i, clearly recognises what the festivals of the Muslims are and how the festivals of the kuffar should be seen.

It is reported that Anas Bin Malik (ra) said; “When the Prophet (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) came to Medina, the people had two holidays from the days of Jahiliyyah. He (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) said, “When I came to you, you had two holidays you used to celebrate in jahiliyyah. Allah has replaced them for you with better days, the days of slaughter (Adha) and the day of Fitr.”

In reality, the imitation of rituals and practices of the Western society are a subtle means of integrating Muslims into the non-Islamic way of life. In contemporary society, the concept of integration is being drummed into to the Muslim mindset, which demands that we accept and become part of this “multicultural society”. However, the Muslim Ummah must be vigilant and recognise the mechanisms used by the kuffar in order to reshape our understanding of our way of life as revealed in the Qur’an. St.Valentine’s day is one such example; where relationships outside of the institution of marriage are not only accepted but also encouraged - a gross violation of the Sharee’ah, which enjoins modesty and chastity.

Throughout the country countless numbers of schools, universities and clubs are in preparation for balls and parties, inviting the unsuspecting Muslim populace into these havens of free-mixing in the name of integration - and love. It is ironic to think that what the Church tried to achieve so long ago was the preservation of the institution of marriage, in the guise of St Valentines Day. Yet today we see the return of promiscuity in the society where St Valentines Day is used as a tool to instigate illicit relationships resulting in fornication, unwanted pregnancies, abortions and all things that lead to the degradation and loss of honour in society. So is this the kind of message we wish to give our children?

In Islam the sexual relations between a man and woman are clearly defined by the Sharee’ah rules through a particular system, which is marriage.

Ibn Mas’ud narrates that the Messenger of Allah (Sall Allahu Alaihi Wasallam) said; “Oh you youngsters. Whosoever amongst you can afford to marry should marry, because it will help you to lower his gaze, and guard his modesty (ie private parts from unlawful sex). And whosoever is not able to marry he should fast, because it will be protection for him.”

The hukm shar’i ensures that the society established upon it will be free of promiscuity and will exhibit a high level of moral awareness. This is clearly absent in the current Western societies, and unfortunately we see this being introduced into the Islamic lands too. The Sharee’ah recognises the needs and instincts of both man and woman. The family is protected and strengthened by the prohibition of fornication, adultery, free mixing of the sexes and the regulation of the dress code.

As Muslims living in Britain and the West, we need to realise the implications of integration. Every thought and consequent action of a Muslim should be in reference to the hukm shar’i, as it is the only legitimate source of guidance for us. Whether it is a menial task or a major decision in private or public life, we should only act after referring to what Allah (Subhanhu Wa Ta'aala) has revealed. Otherwise we may fall prey to the host of deficient and un-Islamic concepts that surround us in a non-Islamic society, such as freedom, democracy, integration and self-interest. Also if we begin to adopt non-Islamic standards in our lives, for the sake of pleasing those around us, we should be aware that this can only lead us astray, and their pleasure comes only at the expense of our deen.

“And the Jews and Christians will never be pleased with you until you follow their millah (way of life).” [TMQ Al-Baqarah:120]

Behind every kufr fairytale, superstition, novel, song, contract, newspaper, dossier, law and ideology, lurks a dangerous concept that contradicts the hukm shar’i and more importantly has the potential to threaten our understanding of Islam and our resumption of its way of life.

“This Day I have perfected your deen, and completed my favour unto you, and chosen Islam as your religion.” [TMQ Al- Ma’ida:3]

Source: Nazia Jalali
Dhul Hijjah 1423 - February 2003 Edition