Let’s
roast a turkey on Christmas day; it’s not as if we celebrate Christmas
anyway…Why not book her engagement day for Valentine’s Day instead… In
fact I think I should pick up a quick gift for him since it’s nearly the
14th of Feb…
These
are just a few of the very familiar words that seem to escape the
mouths of so many Muslims today…Infact Did you know that ‘Valentine’s
Day’ is actually remembered and celebrated by so many different people
around the world today, that statistics indicate it is second only to
Christmas in fame and popularity…giving preference over many other
religious and non-religious celebrations. Why not, after all it is the
festival of love!
However
beneath all this fun and enjoyment we appear to be experiencing during
such occasions of the year, is a very important aspect that seems to
have been deeply buried away…the aspect of Islam and its teachings with
regards to such occasions. For it was narrated that Nabii Salallahu
Alaihi Wasalam said,
‘You
will certainly follow the ways of those before you, hand span by hand
span, cubit by cubit, until even if they entered the hole of a lizard,
you will do so too’-
we asked ‘O messenger of Allah, do you mean the Jews and the Christians?’ He Salallahu Alaihi Wasalam said, ‘Who else’. (Bukhari/ Muslim)
In fact in another Hadith Nabii Salallahu Alaihi Wasalam said
‘The
(final) hour will not begin until my Ummah follows in the footsteps of
those who came before it, hand span by hand span, cubit by cubit...’(Bukhari)
But
can there really be so much harm, in uttering the words ‘happy
Valentine ’s Day…or hurling out a quick card and present on the day,
even if we don’t believe in all its nonsense? Well we ask you to read
the following and answer for yourselves what significance this day, as
well as many others has in the court of Allah and his final Prophet Muhammad salallahu alaihi wasalam. So how exactly did it all originate?
It
was actually one of the festivals of the Pagan Romans; more than 17
centuries ago. The Romans believed that Romulus, the founder of Rome,
was suckled one day by a she-wolf, which gave him strength and wisdom.
The Romans would celebrate this event in mid-February each year, with a
big festival. Amongst the ugly rituals of this day, they would sacrifice
a dog and a goat, and smear the blood onto two youths which they would
then wash off with milk. These two youths would then lead a great parade
of people and walk the streets lashing young women with pieces of
leather.
This
festival and its reason of celebration have connected myths and legends
which no sound mind can accept, let alone the mind of the Muslim who
believes in Allah, and His Final Messenger Salallahu Alaihi Wasalam. Of
course already the above myth goes totally against the Aqeedah and
belief of Muslims, as it is only Allah who bestows us strength and
wisdom- not the milk of a she-wolf.
Another
common belief of this day is that when the Romans became Christians,
the Roman Emperor Claudius decided that no man from his army can get
married as it will divert him from fighting. Now a saint of the time,
called Saint Valentine, disagreed with this and secretly got many
soldiers married.
When
the Emperor found out, he put him in jail and sentenced him to
execution. In prison, the Saint fell in love with the jailer’s daughter.
But remember, all this was a secret, because according to the Christian
laws, priests and monks were forbidden to marry or fall in love. This
saint was killed and had his head chopped off on the 14th of February,
therefore the Pope designated the day of the death of Saint Valentine
(14th Feb) as a festival of love; today known as Valentine’s Day.
It was a total innovation and reminds us of the Ayat in which Allah says, “They (the Jews and the Christians) took their Rabbis and monks to be their Lords besides Allah,” (At
Taubah). Meaning they obeyed their saints and leaders in things which
they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires, without
being ordered by Allah.
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 a year; then they would get married or repeat the
same process the next year.
Allah
forgive such filth, how wrong were these actions, how wrong is the
belief of this day and yet it is being remembered and celebrated by
thousands of Muslims, yes Muslims themselves. So wrong it is that even
the Christian clergy reacted against this tradition, and the Church
wished to ban the whole idea, for it was corrupting the morals of the
men and women.
Therefore,
whether you and I believe in such stories, whether today these customs
are still believed and sanctified or not, to simply affirm to it by even
1% will be totally erroneous and impermissible for you and I as
believing servants of Allah.
Many
may not go so far, but if need be will participate in a school or work
celebration by wearing an item of red on this day. Others will send
cards and gifts whilst the least of these actions is simply to say,
‘Happy Valentine’s Day.’ Never the less, whatever it may be, big or
small, all these acts are totally condemned in Islam and must be stopped
by you and I.
Besides
dear listeners truly what does it mean to express ones love on one day
of the year? What about the other 364 days of a year, where 4,000 wives
lose their lives due to beating in America, 2 million women face beating
in France, and 88% of love marriages end in failure.
Remember
as Muslims there is a much better purpose in life then all of the
above. We are taught to carry out the rights of our close and dear ones,
every day, of every week of the year. Giving gifts can be done
throughout the year why on this day that has no significance whatsoever
in the eyes of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.
In
short our soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.
Let us strengthen it through our good deeds, and cultivate it via our
attachment to Allah, his Prophet and his Deen. For in our desire to look
the best, want the best, and be the best we are losing our identity as
the best of Allah’s creation- ‘The believing nation’
We
must always keep in mind that every good deed will make a difference in
our scale of the heavens which we will one day come to see, whilst
every sin has the potential to bring us down on that day. Let us leave
this one act today solely for the pleasure of Allah so that in its
happiness he brings us one more step closer to his pleasure and one leap
further from his wrath and anger!
May Allah guide us, unite us, assist us and allow us to taste the true beauty and sweetness of Faith. Ameen
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