Valentine’s Day- Facts, History and Ruling in Light of Islam

Human beings have a natural inclination towards two things: haste and love for novelty. If they don’t use their minds to understand the commands of Shariah and spend their lives accordingly within the bounds of Shariah, these two habits keep them entangled in evils on every step of their life and they don’t even realize the error of their ways and they remain stuck in this dark whirlpool of sins without finding a way out of it. Another natural tendency of an individual is living together with other fellow humans so it is necessary for him to live with others and since non-Muslims also live in the world along with Muslims and the former happen to be larger in numbers and in Muslims also, there are both righteous and the insolent, so more causes of malformation are made available to him than reformation. Moreover, in this digital age when spreading evils, characterlessness and vulgarities is one of the purposes of large media corporations and robbing people of their inner peace and tranquility by constantly showing them inciting and provocative scenes is one of their goals, and evil is being spread in an organized manner at such a swift pace that every sinful innovation and trend introduced by non-Muslims goes viral in a fleeting moment.

This is the reason why its devastating effects are observed in the society now more than ever and everyone is well aware of that. Then there are two kinds of people who fall prey to evil and immodest trends: 1) The rich class who live a comfortable and luxurious life with prominence and a high status in the society and 2) Those who are weak of intellect and lack proper understanding. They fall prey to them easily because they do not have the ability to decide what is good and bad for them and thus, when people who are apparently smarter than them promote their message among them, they are easily influenced by them and since the number of people calling towards evil is more, so evils spread wider and more quickly among the masses and despite the fact that those who try to protect them from those evils are extremely wise and religious but are few in numbers, so those who refrain from evils end up being less in number as well. Whereas the people who are well-off whether they are the ruling class or not, the main reason for their indulgence in these immodest activities is seeking the world and the pleasures that lie within which makes them a prisoner of their whims and desires and takes them far away from the righteous path. Almighty Allah states in the Holy Quran Pak:

وَ مَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِیْنَ حَتّٰى نَبْعَثَ رَسُوْلًا(۱۵)وَ اِذَاۤ اَرَدْنَاۤ اَنْ نُّهْلِكَ قَرْیَةً اَمَرْنَا مُتْرَفِیْهَا فَفَسَقُوْا فِیْهَا فَحَقَّ عَلَیْهَا الْقَوْلُ فَدَمَّرْنٰهَا تَدْمِیْرًا(۱۶)

“And We never punish until We have sent a Noble Messenger. And when We will to destroy a township We send the commands to its prosperous people, thereupon they do not obey them, and so the Word is proved upon it - We therefore destroy and ruin it.”

(Isra 17:15-16)

This blessed verse tells us that one reason for going astray and deviance is excessive affluence and rule and influence in the society. These types of people are more at risk of committing the disobedience of Almighty Allah and it is also observed commonly. This is the condition of our innate tendencies while on the other hand; a Muslim is not an ordinary human being, as he has been blessed with the treasure of faith by the mercy and grace of Almighty Allah. Hence, being a Muslim, his religion and faith instruct him to remain conservative where necessary while being somewhat modernistic, to lead his life moderately within the bounds mapped by Shariah despite being naturally hasty and to refrain from and not be influenced by evil desires while normally co-existing in a society of people. But unfortunately, Muslims nowadays recklessly cross the boundaries of Shariah and commit sins while celebrating festivals and following trends the main reason for which is not understanding the natural weaknesses from an Islamic point of view and distancing themselves from Islamic morals, etiquettes, and deeds. This is why, they cannot prevent themselves from the harmful effects of innovation, haste, foolishness, unnecessary socializing and bad company or they choose to remain in this state happily and don’t want to come out of it.

As a result, whatever new trend is introduced by non-Muslims, they are so inspired by their mundane worldly progress that they immediately fall for it head over heels and however filthy or impermissible that innovation is, they cannot distance themselves from it. The purpose of describing all this is that the reasons for celebrating such a vulgar and sinful occasion i.e. Valentine’s Day without any sort of moral and ethical boundaries which is becoming quite popular amongst young boys and girls, are the same that have been explained above i.e. natural weaknesses, love for novelty, haste, being a prisoner of the desires of Nafs and Satan, distance from religion, neither complying with religion nor directing the children to follow the rules of Islamic manners and etiquettes etc. Let’s have a look at the history of Valentine’s Day and how it is celebrated:

Valentine’s Day- History and Shameless Manner of Celebration

The history of Valentine’s Day is said to date back to the 3^rd century CE. There was a priest named Valentine who lived in the kingdom of the Roman Emperor Claudius II. Due to some sort of disobedience, the king had the priest thrown into prison. The priest and the jailor’s daughter fell in love with each other and the girl abandoned her religion and reverted to Christianity which was the faith of the priest out of her love for him. From then on, the girl would come to meet the priest every day with a red rose. When the king came to know about their affair, he ordered the priest to be hanged. When the priest was informed about this order that he had been sentenced to death, he wished to spend the final moments of his life with his lover and for that purpose; he sent a letter to her at the bottom of which he wrote “Sincerely Yours, Valentine”. Finally, the priest was hanged on February 14^th and ever since that day; 14^th February is celebrated as a day of love in the name of the priest, Valentine’s Day.

How this day is celebrated is that young boys and girls go out on dates, exchange gifts and secretly or publicly indulge in vulgar immodest acts as much as they can. According to a report, the sale of birth-control pills and drugs skyrockets on Valentine’s Day and majority of the buyers are young boys and girls. Gift shops and flower shops are swarming with people and most of the customers there are also young boys and girls. In countries with Eastern traditional values where they don’t have an open license to do as they please, young boys and girls look for secret spots and for this very same reason, hotel-bookings soar as compared to other days and most of the guests are young boys and girls looking to party. Alcohol sale and consumption spike and an ocean of vulgarity and immodesty are seen at the beaches. It is extremely regretful and sad that on this day, even Muslims ignore the commands of Almighty Allah and His Noble Messenger and publicly commit sins not only increasing the darkness of their book of deeds but also polluting the sanctity of the Muslim society with their vulgarities. Evil gazing, uncovered females, vulgarity, nudity, co-mingling of boys and girls, exchanging gifts to strengthen this impermissible relationship and adultery and things leading to adultery; no Muslim would have a shred of doubt about these things being impermissible and forbidden. Their prohibition has been proved by the verses of the Holy Quran and the sayings of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم. Here are a few verses from the Holy Quran in this respect:

قُلْ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ یَغُضُّوْا مِنْ اَبْصَارِهِمْ وَ یَحْفَظُوْا فُرُوْجَهُمْؕ-ذٰلِكَ اَزْكٰى لَهُمْؕ-اِنَّ اللّٰهَ خَبِیْرٌۢ بِمَا یَصْنَعُوْنَ(۳۰)وَ قُلْ لِّلْمُؤْمِنٰتِ یَغْضُضْنَ مِنْ اَبْصَارِهِنَّ وَ یَحْفَظْنَ فُرُوْجَهُنَّ

“Command the Muslim men to keep their gaze low and to protect their private organs; that is much purer for them; indeed Allah is aware of their deeds. And command the Muslim women to keep their gaze low and to protect their chastity.”

(Noor 24:30-31)

In the same 31^st verse of Sura Noor, the following is commanded:

وَ لَا یَضْرِبْنَ بِاَرْجُلِهِنَّ لِیُعْلَمَ مَا یُخْفِیْنَ مِنْ زِیْنَتِهِنَّؕ-

“And they should not stamp their feet on the ground in order that their hidden adornment be known.”

Also have a look at this command of Almighty Allah:

یٰۤاَیُّهَا النَّبِیُّ قُلْ لِّاَزْوَاجِكَ وَ بَنٰتِكَ وَ نِسَآءِ الْمُؤْمِنِیْنَ یُدْنِیْنَ عَلَیْهِنَّ مِنْ جَلَابِیْبِهِنَّؕ-ذٰلِكَ اَدْنٰۤى اَنْ یُّعْرَفْنَ فَلَا یُؤْذَیْنَؕ-

“O Prophet! Command your wives and your daughters and the women of the Muslims to cover their faces with a part of their cloaks; this is closer to their being recognized and not being harassed”

(Ahzab 33:59)

Also read this command of Almighty Allah very carefully:

وَ مَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَّ لَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ اِذَا قَضَى اللّٰهُ وَ رَسُوْلُهٗۤ اَمْرًا اَنْ یَّكُوْنَ لَهُمُ الْخِیَرَةُ مِنْ اَمْرِهِمْؕ-وَ مَنْ یَّعْصِ اللّٰهَ وَ رَسُوْلَهٗ فَقَدْ ضَلَّ ضَلٰلًا مُّبِیْنًاؕ(۳۶)

“And no Muslim man or woman has any right in the affair, when Allah and His Noble Messenger have decreed a command regarding it; and whoever does not obey the command of Allah and His Noble Messenger, has indeed clearly gone very astray.”

(Ahzab 33:36)

In the aforementioned verses of the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah has ordered the male and female believers to protect their chastity and the importance of veil may be understood by the fact that women have even been forbidden from letting the men hear the voice of their adornments. And in the final verse, it has been clearly stated that no Muslim man or woman has any right to object when Almighty Allah and His Noble Messenger have decreed a command. After all this, shouldn’t all Muslims be compliant and obedient towards these rulings? But, unfortunately, a number of Muslim men and women defy these commands openly on Valentine’s Day following the non-Muslims. May Allah grant us understanding and enable us to lead our lives following the commands of Sharia.

Teachings of Shyness and Condemnation of Immodesty in the blessed Ahadith

It is stated in Abu Dawood:

وَالْيَدَانِ تَزْنِيَانِ فَزِنَاهُمَا الْبَطْشُ وَالرِّجْلاَنِ تَزْنِيَانِ فَزِنَاهُمَا الْمَشْىُ وَالْفَمُ يَزْنِي فَزِنَاهُ الْقُبَلُ

“And the hands commit adultery; their adultery is grabbing (the forbidden); and the legs commit adultery; their adultery is walking (towards the forbidden); and the mouth commits adultery – its adultery is kissing.”

Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہ reports that the Holy Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم said:

صِنْفَانِ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّارِ لَمْ أَرَهُمَا قَوْمٌ مَعَهُمْ سِيَاطٌ كَأَذْنَابِ الْبَقَرِ يَضْرِبُونَ بِهَا النَّاسَ وَنِسَاءٌ كَاسِيَاتٌ عَارِيَاتٌ مُمِيلاَتٌ مَائِلاَتٌ رُءُوسُهُنَّ كَأَسْنِمَةِ الْبُخْتِ الْمَائِلَةِ لاَ يَدْخُلْنَ الْجَنَّةَ وَلاَ يَجِدْنَ رِيحَهَا وَإِنَّ رِيحَهَا لَيُوجَدُ مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا۔

“Two are the types of the inhabitants of Hell whom I did not see (in my time i.e. they will come after me): people having flogs like the tail of the cow with them and they would be beating people with them, and (2^nd type are) the women who would be dressed but appear to be naked, who would be inclined (to evil) and make others incline towards them. Their heads would be like the humps of the Bukht camel inclined to one side. They will not enter Paradise and they would not smell its odor whereas its odor would be smelt from such and such distance.”

 (Sahih Muslim)

These blessed verses of the Holy Quran and sayings of the Noble Prophet صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم should be more than enough to stir us up from our deep sleep of heedlessness. Dear Islamic brothers! Kindly stop following into the footsteps of Satan that will only lead us to hell! Please be fearful of Allah. Repent of all these sinful activities and make a firm intention to lead your life as per the sacred teachings of Islam.May Allah enable us to comprehend and follow!