Bismillah.
The story of love 1AND2
The word "love" has great meaning, significance and is subject to certain limits in the light of the pure Sharee'ah (Islamic legislation).
It is strange, however, that nowadays love and emotion are exploited to the extent that they are associated with pagan myths and dissolute festivals which are not acceptable to people with sound reason. In the middle of February each year, a great celebration is held in the name of "the day of love", which was originally a pagan Roman festival.
According to pagan Roman beliefs, this festival was an expression of "divine love". There are some myths associated with this pagan festival which continued to be observed by the Romans and was inherited by the Christians. The most common myth in this regard is that the Romans believed that Romulus, the founder of Rome, was suckled by a she-wolf, which provided him with strength and wisdom. Hence, the Romans used to celebrate this incident every year by slaughtering a dog and a goat. Two sturdy young men would rub their bodies with the blood of the dog and the goat, and then wash the blood off with milk. Afterwards, a large procession with the two youths in the lead would move through the streets. They used to have two pieces of leather to smear everyone they encountered. The Roman women would welcome this procession, as they believed that this would prevent and cure barrenness.
The background of the modern "festival of love" is that it is associated with the name of Valentine, who belonged to the Christian Church and espoused the cause of lovers. It is said that he died in Rome as a result of the torture inflicted by the Gothic commander Claudius in 296 CE. A church was built in Rome in 350 CE. at the spot where he was killed to eternalize his memory.
When the Romans converted to Christianity, they continued to celebrate Valentine's Day but they substituted the pagan concept of "divine love", to another concept, i.e, the commemoration of the "martyr of love", represented by Valentine, who it was claimed had been martyred in that cause. This day was also called the 'Day of Lovers' and Valentine was hailed as the intercessor and patron saint of lovers.
Among the erroneous practices that marked this day was the people would write the names of marriageable girls on small rolls of paper and put them in a plate on a table. Young men who wanted to get married would be asked to take out a roll and place themselves in the service of the girl whose name was on the roll for one year. By doing so they would familiarize themselves with the habits and manners of each other and then get married, or repeat the same thing during Valentine's Day the following year.
Revocation and condemnation
However, Christian clerics in Italy revolted against this tradition and revoked it because they thought it would corrupt the morals of the youth. The celebration of Valentine's Day was revived and gained popularity during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and many shops in Western countries started selling special books that included some love poetry on the occasion. Young men would select words of love and send greeting cards to their sweethearts on the designated "day of love.
In brief, this is the story of "day of the love".
� To the Muslims who show happiness on Valentine's Day
� To those who exchange red roses
� To those who exchange loving greeting cards during this festival
� To those who send cards with the image of Cupid, a child with wings and a bow and arrow, who is believed to be the 'god of love' by the Romans.
� To those who exchange words of love and passion
� To those who want you to "be their Valentine" (as is written on cards and expressed in phone calls)
� To those who hold parties during the day and night
� To those who tie red ribbons or put on red clothes with the intention of celebrating Valentine's Day.
� To those who inflate red balloons and write "I love you" on them
� To those who write names, initials and heart shapes on their hands
Such acts represent Christian and pagan concepts. Please note that the origin of the "day of love" is pagan ideology that is expressed by the worship of pagan "divine love", which was worshipped instead of Allaah The Almighty. Are you pleased to celebrate a polytheistic occasion when idols are worshipped?
Please note that the origin of this festival is associated with myths that are not acceptable to sound reason, let alone to the mind of the Muslim who believes in Allaah The Almighty and His Messengers, may Allaah exalt their mention.
PART2
True love
As we have mentioned, this festival was annulled by Christian clerics in Italy, the headquarters of Catholics, because it aided in the spread of bad morals and corrupting influences on the youth. Therefore, Muslims should dismiss it. We do not want to deprive people of experiencing real love or expressing affectionate feelings and emotions, as long as they are vented in the proper channels. We do realize the saying of the Messenger of Allaah on the authority of Abu Hurayrah : "By the One in Whose hand my soul is, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of that which will strengthen love between you? Spread the greeting of peace among yourselves." [Muslim and Abu Daawood]
There are many other explicit texts explaining the meaning of true love in Islam. In fact, there is no religion that encourages its followers to be loving, genial and friendly like the religion of Islam. It is not permissible for Muslims to specify a certain day, in order to glorify it and call it a festival and celebrate it like the 'Eed while in fact it belongs to the festivals of the disbelievers, to enable them to entertain some feelings and emotions and express them.
Such imitation of the disbelievers corrupts the character of Muslims in such a way that it makes them feel inferior, weak and defeatist. In addition, it takes them away from the methodology and Sharee'ah (Islamic legislation) of Allaah The Almighty. It is proven that admiring and imitating the disbelievers leads to loving them and giving them absolute allegiance and trust. Besides, such Muslims show ingratitude to Islam, its heritage and values, as well as the Muslim personalities and heroes. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
You will not find a people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day having affection for those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger, even if they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred. Those - He has decreed within their hearts faith and supported them with spirit from Him. And We will admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. Allaah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him - those are the party of Allaah. Unquestionably, the party of Allaah - they are the successful.[Quran 58:22]
No increase or decrease
If monotheistic Muslims come to know that this festival is intended to encourage the spread of illicit love among people -- believers and disbelievers alike -- what should their attitude be toward this festival?
Adhere to the Islamic Sharee'ah and the right methodology. We must remember that the festivals in Islam are specified and established; they neither increase nor decrease in number. This pertains to the essence of worship that Allaah The Almighty and His Messenger ordained.
Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):
To each of you We prescribed a law and a method. Had Allaah willed, He would have made you one nation [united in religion], but [He intended] to test you in what He has given you; so race to [all that is] good. To Allaah is your return all together, and He will [then] inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.[Quran 5:48]
In the light of such commingling among [the people from] all the nations, to the extent that the customs and traditions of disbelief are common among Muslims, we fear that we will be included in the category of Muslims who closely follow the enemies of Allaah The Almighty in some of their rites and traditions. It was narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'eed that the Prophet said: "'You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you hand span by hand span, and cubit by cubit, to the extent that if they entered the hole of a lizard, you will enter it too.' We said, 'O Messenger of Allaah, (do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?' He said: 'Who else?'" [Muslim]
It is not a good sign
Anyone who reflects on the events of recent years will discover something that does not augur well. Many Muslims -- males and females -- imitate the Christians to an unprecedented degree. Therefore, it is time to invite Muslim scholars and callers to explain the Sharee'ah of Allaah The Almighty, out of Naseehah (sincerity) for the sake of Allaah The Almighty, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and the ordinary Muslims, so that they will be aware of their religious obligations and will not commit actions that violate the sound creed and faith with which Allaah The Almighty has blessed them.
