Valentine’s Day!… Islamic Perspective
By Khadijat Aroyehun
What Is Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day also known as Saint Valentine’s Day, is celebrated on February 14, when lovers express their love and affection with greetings and gifts.
Origin of Valentine’s Day
The true origin of Valentine’s Day is vague at best. Valentine’s Day did not come to be celebrated as a day of romance until the 14th century. Although there were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, the day may have taken its name from a priest who was martyred about 270 CE by the emperor Claudius II Gothicus.
According to legend, the priest signed a letter “from your Valentine” to his jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and, by some accounts, healed from blindness. Other accounts hold that it was St. Valentine of Terni, a bishop, for whom the holiday was named, though it is possible the two saints were actually one person.
Another common legend states that St. Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare their husbands from war. It is for this reason that his feast day is associated with love.
Valentines commonly depict Cupid, the Roman god of love, and hearts, traditionally the seat of emotion. Because it was thought that the avian mating season begins in mid-February, birds also became a symbol of the day. Traditional gifts include candy and flowers, particularly red roses, a symbol of beauty and love.
The day is popular in the United States as well as in Britain, Canada, and Australia, and it is also celebrated in other countries, including Argentina, France, Mexico, and South Korea. In the Philippines, it is the most common wedding anniversary, and mass weddings of hundreds of couples are not uncommon on that date. The holiday has expanded to expressions of affection among relatives and friends. Many schoolchildren exchange valentines with one another on this day.
Valentine’s Day in Islam
Islam is a way of life that encompasses and engulfs a Muslim’s complete life and self. From the faith and belief that resides in their hearts, to their thoughts, to their outward actions that are visible to others. All are affected and based on the guidelines of Islam.
It is very important in Islam for a believer to ensure that there is no contradiction between their outward actions and their innate beliefs and faith.
Therefore, whether a Muslim is alone or in the public eye, they strive to unequivocally obey their Lord, Allah, by following His Messenger, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), at all times.
Islam is not merely a set of physical worship rituals, though these are important in their own right. It is also a set of guidelines, responsibilities towards others, and rights, which impact a Muslim’s social customs, interactions, and obligations.
The word “Muslim” means, “the one who submits (to God)”, hence, he or she gives preference to the unquestioning obedience and acquiescence to the commands of Allah sent to His messenger over and above the approval of Allah’s creation, and even above his or her own personal desires.
Allah has commanded Muslims to remain united, keep close community bonds with each other to form a strong, global brotherhood, and not follow the ways of the disbelievers.
Hence, the conscientious Muslim is not a slave to passing trends and customs that have no basis in Islam.
Keeping all of the above in mind, it becomes clear that a Muslim does not follow the crowd when it comes to celebrations of any kind: he or she follows the Quran and the sunnah (way) of Prophet Muhammad (S. A. W).
Instead of thinking, why not? What is the harm?, before following the crowd and their seasonal whims; a Muslim thinks, should I? Will Allah be pleased with this?
The Prophet (S. A.W) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them. (Abu Dawud).
Consequently, Muslims do not celebrate any days, festivals, or seasonal celebrations that the Prophet and his companions did not celebrate.
Furthermore, Valentine’s Day is a celebration that has no basis in anything worthwhile or noble. Its origin lies in Roman history, purportedly connected to a “saint” called “Valentine”, 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 honour their false god Lupercus.
The main attraction of this ritual was a lottery held to distribute young women to young men for “entertainment and pleasure”, until the next year’s lottery.
Romans continued to celebrate this until after they became Christians.
In this way, Valentine’s Day promotes adultery and promiscuous relationships, which undermine and jeopardize the sanctity of marriage and the stability of the family unit.
It leads to unnecessary expenditure and promotes fornication, drinking, and 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 Valentine’s 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, marital, or familial love to just one day a year.
Giving gifts has also been encouraged in Islam, and once again, not restricted to just one day.
Any wise person, even a non-Muslim, who has witnessed life and its trials, will willingly and objectively attest to the absolute absurdity and superficial, flimsy foundation of Valentine’s Day.
Businesses, on the other hand, capitalize on this day to earn as much revenue as possible by offering customized products and services, hence the hoopla around it.
If we take the commercial aspect of Valentine’s Day out of the picture, this so-called “festival” does not have a single leg to stand on.
Therefore Valentine’s Day celebration is not encouraged in Islam.
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