Allah has chosen for us Islam as our religion and He will not accept any other religion from anyone, as He says: “And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers.” (Q3:85)
The Prophet (s.a.w) told us that groups of his ummah would follow the enemies of Allah in some of their rituals and customs, in the hadith of Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri (a.s), who narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you, span by span, cubit by cubit, until even if they were to enter a lizard’s hole, you would follow them.” We said, “O Messenger of Allah, (do you mean) the Jews and Christians?” He said, “Who else!?” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari in al-I’tisaam bi’l-Kitaab wa’l-Sunnah, Baab Qawl al-Nabi (s.a.w) La tattabi‘unna Sanan man kaana qablakum, 8/151; and by Muslim in Kitaab al-‘Ilm, Baab Ittibaa’ Sanan. al-Yahood wa’l-Nasaara, 4/2054).
The manner in which Muslims join in the activities of the kufaar especially in the celebration of Valentine’s day is worrisome. What the Prophet (s.a.w) said about Muslims joining the kufaar in their celebration has indeed come to pass. The origin of this celebration was that when the Romans became Christian, the Roman emperor, Claudius II, decreed in the third century CE that soldiers should not get married, because marriage would distract them from going to wars.
This decree was opposed by Saint Valentine. He did not only preach against it, he took up the gauntlet to perform marriages for the soldiers in secret. When the emperor found out, he threw Saint Valentine into jail and later executed him. Before he was executed, Claudius II offered to give him parole on condition that he renounced his Christianity and worship the Roman gods, even with a promise to give him his daughter in marriage. Saint Valentine refused, adhering to his faith.
This angered Claudius II and he was later executed on February 14 270, CE on the eve of February 15, the festival of Lupercalis. So this day was named after him. So many years thereafter, the supreme pontiff of the universal church, the successor of Saint Peter, designated the day of the death of Saint Valentine, February 14, as a festival of love. Today, the celebration is clouded with exchanging of red roses, boxes of gifts, expression of love, among others things.
In many western countries, parties are held during the day and in the evening, where men and women dance in expression of love. Muslims have no business in the celebration of the day. Its background was about paganism; its celebration is not scriptural, just as its mode of celebration is corrosive and morally pervasive.
Even the Christian clergy in Italy, the bastion of Catholicism, denounced it because it was seen as having adverse effect on the minds of young men and women. We must know that it is the trap of shaytan and we must avoid it. In Islam, festivals are clearly defined and well established.
They have been prescribed by Allah, the Prophet taught us for twenty three years and there will be no addition or subtraction to it. In the Quran, Allah says “To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way.” (Q5:48) and also said: ‘For every nation, We have ordained religious ceremonies which they must follow.’ (22:67). If we observe the celebration with them, it is nothing less like accepting what they do as right and that will be tantamount to disobedience to Allah (SWT). The path of Islam as directed by Allah and His Prophet. (s.a.w) is undoubtedly the true way.
Expression of feelings of love is not a justification to allocate a day for its celebration, or to join those who make out a day for celebration of love. Allah has spelt out what should constitute celebration and how it should be celebrated. Yes! Loving your friends and neighbours is part of faith but not necessarily a day celebration.
Loving one another in Islam is all round the year activity. There is no religion which encourages its followers to love and care for one another more than Islam does. This applies at all times and in all circumstances, not just on one particular day.
Indeed, Islam encourages us to express our emotions and love at all times, as the Prophet (s.a.w) said: “If a man loves his brother, let him tell him that he loves him.” (narrated by Abu Dawood, 5124; al-Tirmidhi, 2329;) And he said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you will not enter Paradise until you truly believe, and you will not truly believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of something that, if you do it, you will love one another? Spread (the greeting of) salaam amongst yourselves.” (Narrated by Muslim, 54) It is our duty to enjoin what is good and discourage what is bad.
We all have the responsibility to continue to explain this to our children, our wards and brethren the dos and donts in Islam. Allah will ask us if we fail in our duty to tell those who don’t know or to remind those who seem to know but carried away by the frivolities and social attractions the occasion dangles at them. As Muslims, we must adhere to the Quran and sunnah in all our affairs.
Those who celebrate valentine and of course the Christians will always want us to believe that celebrating Valentine with them or sharing love with them on that occasion does not matter, but we should be smart enough to recognise that they want us to do exactly the same thing they are doing and of course runs contrary to the teachings of our faith. They will always refuse to do what you are doing in your masjid.
The Muslim should seek refuge with Allah and ask for His guidance and endevour to adhere steadfastly to Islamic tenets. None can guide except Allah and none can make one remain steadfast except Him. Allah is the Source of strength. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions, and grant the entire ummah peace.
Source: Vanguardngr.com
