Why don’t Muslims celebrate Valentine’s Day?
Every year in February, we wonder why Muslims don’t celebrate Valentine’s day. If love is precious and all religions call for love, why is it frowned upon by Muslims?
1. Origin of Valentine’s Day
If we look into the history and origin of Valentine’s day, the answer will be so clear. After all, it turned out that Valentine’s day was not romantic at all. It was dark, bloody, and chaotic.
It all started in ancient Rome. Where every year, between February 13th and 15th, the Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia. The men sacrificed a dog and a goat then hit women with the hides (skin) of animals they had just slain. Young women would line up for men to beat them. They believed it would make them fertile.
This barbarous feast included a matchmaking lottery. Men drew women’s names from a jar—the man and woman then couple up for entertainment and pleasure during the festival.
Furthermore, Emperor Claudius II executed two men. Both named Valentine_ on February 14, On different years in the 3rd century A.D. The Catholic church honored Their martyrdom with the celebration of St. Valentine’s day.
2. We don’t follow the crowd
In lieu, Valentine’s day is a celebration that has no basis in anything noble. Furthermore, it advocates drinking, adultery, and relationships that undermine the sanctity of marriage. Besides, it aggregates a sense of deprivation, loneliness, and low self-worth for singles every year.
And as Muslims, we are obliged to submit to the Quran and the Sunnah of our Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
The Prophet (PBUH) said:
“Whoever imitates a nation is but one of them.” ( Abu Dawud)
While spreading smiles, kindness, love, and gifts is highly encouraged every day in Islam, the Prophet (PBUH) inspired us to glorify our celebrations and make them unique.
Anas, May Allah be pleased with him, reported: The Prophet (PBUH) came to Madeenah while they had two days they celebrated. The Prophet (PBUH) asked, What are these two days?
They said, ‘These are two days we used to celebrate in our pre-Islamic era.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Allah has replaced them with two better days: ‘Eed Al-Adh-haa and ‘Eed Al- Fitr.”
Ahmad and At-Tirmithi
3. Every day is Valentine’s Day In Islam
Limiting expressing our love and appreciation for our loved ones to only one day per year is unfair. If we take the Prophet (PBUH) as our role model, we’d learn about how he expressed his love and gratefulness to his wives every single day, no matter how busy or overwhelmed he was with his current affairs.
Even years after Khadija’s death, he still loved her and expressed his appreciation towards her to the extent that Aisha got jealous.
Islam cherishes strong bonds and values them as a sacred tie and has set rights and obligations in the Quran and Sunnah for each relationship to nourish and shine.
For example, Islam honors various relationships where we get immensely rewarded when we cultivate them righteously.
The relationship between:
_Offspring and their parents, especially when they grow old
_Husband and wife
_Parents and children (mainly high school)
_Family member when alive (Silat Al Rahim) and even after death in inheritance
_Brothers and sisters
_Neighbours
_Brothers and sisters in Islam
4. Love in Islam
On numerous occasions, the Quran and Hadith have honored love, peace, and tranquillity, stressing their high rank and sacredness. Likewise, giving gifts, spreading smiles, and kind words are not given once per year. We are encouraged and rewarded to incorporate them into our habits every single day. And that’s the beauty of our religion.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
“Treat women nicely, for a women is created from a rib, and the most curved portion of the rib is its upper portion, so, if you should try to straighten it, it will break, but if you leave it as it is, it will remain crooked. So treat women nicely.” [Saheeh Al-Bukhari]
“They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them” Al Baqarah [Quran 2:187]
“And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquillity in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” Ar-Rum [Quran 30:21]
