Okay…so it’s that time of the year again. When they say that “love” is in the air. The time when you see RED everywhere…..red hearts, red candy, red flowers and red roses. And when you walk into the stores you see chocolates, and jewelry and gifts for “that someone special you know”. This is the time when the old and the young, and even kids, as young as those in elementary school, exchange valentine cards and love notes amongst themselves.
And why is all this?
Because it’s “Valentine’s Day”…that’s why.
But the sad calamity is, that even us Muslims are doing this. And its not just in the West. Those living in Muslim countries are just as involved. They, too, are exchanging cards and gifts and love notes. They, too, are celebrating Valentine’s Day,
But what is this “Valentine’s Day” after all?
Have we ever thought about it? What is the story behind it?
What does celebrating “Valentines Day” really mean?
Where does this fit in a Muslim’s life?
In fact, does it even fit in it at all?
Looking at the Quran and Sunnah, one should realize that we should not be celebrating it in the first place, because it is a celebration of the non-Muslims. Whatever we need to celebrate has been prescribed to us by Allah and His Messenger (Sal Allahu Alaiyhi wa sallam) and it is prohibited to celebrate anything else.
That is why And Allah said: “For every nation We have ordained religious ceremonies which they must follow.” [Surah al-Hajj:67]
