Valentine’s Day is a Pagan Roman festival,
which continued to be celebrated until after the Romans became Christian.
This festival became connected with the saint known as Valentine who was
sentenced to death on 14 February 270 CE. The disbelievers still celebrate this
festival, during which immorality and evil are practised widely.
Secondly:
It is not permissible for a
Muslim to celebrate any of the festivals of the
disbelievers, because festivals
are part of the deen (religion) and can only be approved if supported by sound
texts.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah
(may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Festivals are part of sharee’ah, clear
way and rituals of which Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “To each among you, We have
prescribed a law and a clear way” [al-Maa’idah 5:48]
“For every nation We have
ordained religious ceremonies which they must follow” [al-Hajj 22:67]
-- such as the qiblah
(direction faced in prayer), prayer and fasting. There is no difference
between their participating in the festival and their participating in all
other rituals. Joining in fully with the festival is joining in with kufr,
and joining in with some of its minor issues is joining in with some of the
branches of kufr. Indeed, festivals are one of the most unique features that
distinguish various religions and among their most prominent symbols, so
joining in with them is joining in with the most characteristic and
prominent symbols of kufr. No doubt joining in with this may lead to
complete kufr.
Partially joining in, at the
very least, is disobedience and sin. This was indicated by the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: “Every people has
its festival and this is our festival.” This is worse than joining them in
wearing the zinaar (a garment that was worn only by ahl al-dhimmah) and
other characteristics of theirs, for those characteristics are man-made and
are not part of their religion, rather the purpose behind them is simply to
distinguish between a Muslim and a kaafir. As for the festival and its
rituals, this is part of the religion which is cursed along with its
followers, so joining in with it is joining in with something that is a
cause of incurring the wrath and punishment of Allaah. [End quote from Iqtida’
al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem (1/207).]
He also said (may Allaah have
mercy on him):
It is not permissible for the
Muslims to imitate them in anything that is uniquely a part of their
festivals, whether it be food, clothing, bathing, lighting fires, refraining
from a regular habit, doing acts of worship or anything else. It is not
permissible to give a feast or to give gifts, or to sell anything that will
help them to do that for that purpose, or to allow children and others to
play games that are part of the festivals, or to wear one’s adornments.
To conclude: the Mulsims
should not do any of their rituals at the time of their festivals; rather
the day of their festival should be like any other day for the Muslims. The
Muslims should not do anything specific in imitation of them. [End quote from Majmoo al-Fataawa
(25/329).]
Al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi (may
Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If the Christians have a festival, and the
Jews have a festival, it is only for them, so no Muslim should join them in
that, just as no Muslim should join them in their religion or their
direction of prayer. End quote from Tashabbuh al-Khasees bi Ahl al-Khamees,
published in Majallat al-Hikmah (4/193)
The hadeeth to which Shaykh
al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah referred was narrated by al-Bukhaari (952) and Muslim
(892) from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) who said: Abu Bakr
came in and there were two young girls of the Ansaar with me who were
singing about what had happened to the Ansaar on the day of Bu’aath. She
said: And they were not (professional) singing girls. Abu Bakr said:
“Musical instruments of the shaytaan in the house of the Messenger of Allaah
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)?!” and that was on the day of
Eid. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
said: “O Abu Bakr, every people has a festival and this is our festival.”
Abu Dawood (1134) narrated
that Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: When the Messenger of
Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came to Madeenah, they
had two days when they would play. He said: “What are these two days?” They
said: “We used to play on these days during the Jaahiliyyah.” The Messenger
of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Allaah has
given you instead of them two days that are better than them: the day of al-Adha
and the day of al-Fitr.” This hadeeth was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in
Saheeh Abi Dawood.
This indicates that festivals
are among the characteristics by which nations are distinguished, and it is
not permissible to celebrate the festivals of the ignorant and the
mushrikeen (polytheists).
The scholars have issued
fatwas stating that it is haraam to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
1 –Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may
Allaah have mercy on him) was asked:
In recent times the
celebration of Valentine’s Day has become widespread, especially among
female students. It is a Christian festival where people dress completely in
red, including clothes and shoes, and they exchange red flowers. We hope
that you can explain the ruling on celebrating this festival, and what your
advice is to Muslims with regard to such matters; may Allaah bless you and
take care of you.
He replied: Celebrating Valentine’s Day is
not permissible for a number of reasons.
1- It is an innovated
festival for which there is no basis in Islam.
2- It promotes love and
infatuation.
3- It calls for hearts to
be preoccupied with foolish matters that are contrary to the way of the
righteous salaf (may Allah be pleased with them).
It is not permissible on this
day to do any of the things that are characteristic of this festival,
whether that has to do with food, drinks, clothing, exchanging gifts or
anything else.
The Muslim should be proud of
his religion and should not be a weak character who follows every Tom, Dick
and Harry. I ask Allah to protect the Muslims from all temptations, visible
and invisible, and to protect us and guide us.
End quote from Majmoo’ Fataawa
al-Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (16/199)
2 – The Standing Committee was
asked:
Some people celebrate
Valentine’s Day on the fourteenth of February every year. They exchange
gifts of red roses and wear red clothes and congratulate one another. Some
bakeries make red coloured sweets and draw hearts on them, and some stores
advertise products that are especially for this day. What is your opinion on
the following:
1- Celebrating this day
2- Buying things from the
stores on this day
3- Storekeepers who are
not celebrating it selling things that may be given as gifts to people who
are celebrating it?
They replied:
The clear evidence of the
Qur’aan and Sunnah – and the consensus of the early generations of this
ummah – indicates that there are only two festivals in Islam: Eid al-Fitr
and Eid al-Adha. Any other festivals that have to do with a person, a group,
an event or anything else are innovated festivals, which it is not
permissible for Muslims to observe, approve of or express joy on those
occasions, or to help others to celebrate them in any way, because that is
transgressing the sacred limits of Allah, and whoever transgresses the
sacred limits of Allah has wronged himself. If the fabricated festival is
also a festival of the kuffaar, then the sin is even greater, because this
is imitating them and it is a kind of taking them as close friends, and
Allah has forbidden the believers to imitate them and take them as close
friends in His Holy Book. And it is proven that the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of
them.” Valentine’s Day comes under this heading because it is an idolatrous
Christian festival, so it is not permissible for a Muslim who believes in
Allah and the Last Day to observe it or approve of it or congratulate
people on it. Rather he has to ignore it and avoid it, in obedience to
Allah and His Messenger, and so as to keep away from the causes that incur
the wrath and punishment of Allah. It is also haraam for the Muslim to help
people to celebrate this or any other haraam festival by supplying any kind
of food or drink, or buying or selling or manufacturing or giving or
advertising etc., because all of that is cooperating in sin and
transgression and is disobedience towards Allah and His Messenger (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
“Help you one another in
Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one
another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe
in punishment”
[al-Maa’idah 5:2]
The Muslim must adhere to the
Book of Allah and the Sunnah in all his affairs, especially at times of
fitnah when evil is widespread. He should be smart and avoid falling into
the misguidance of those who have earned Allah's anger and who have gone
astray, and the evildoers who have no fear of Allah and who do not have any
pride in being Muslims. The Muslim must turn to Allah and seek His guidance
and remain steadfast in following it, for there is no Guide except Allah
and no one can make a person steadfast but Him. And Allaah is the source of
strength. May Allaah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and
his family and companions. End quote.
3 – Shaykh Ibn Jibreen (may
Allaah preserve him) was asked:
Among our young men and women
it has become common to celebrate Valentine’s Day, which is named after a
saint who is venerated by the Christians, who celebrate it every year on
February 14, when they exchange gifts and red roses, and they wear red
clothes. What is the ruling on celebrating this day and exchanging gifts?
He replied:
Firstly: it is not permissible
to celebrate these innovated festivals, because it is an innovation for
which there is no basis in Islam. It comes under the heading of the hadeeth
of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her), according to which the
Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever
introduces anything into this matter of ours that is not part of it will
have it rejected.”
Secondly: it involves
imitating the kuffaar and copying them by venerating that which they
venerate and respecting their festivals and rituals, and imitating them in
something that is part of their religion. In the hadeeth it says: “Whoever
imitates a people is one of them.”
Thirdly: it results in evils
and haraam things such as wasting time, singing, music, extravagance,
unveiling, wanton display, men mixing with women, women appearing before men
other than their mahrams, and other haraam things, or things that are a
means that leads to immorality. That cannot be excused by the claim that
this is a kind of entertainment and fun. The one who is sincere towards
himself should keep away from sin and the means that lead to it.
And he said:
Based on this, it is not
permissible to sell these gifts and roses, if it is known that the purchaser
celebrates these festivals or will give these things as gifts on those days,
so that the seller will not be a partner of the one who does those
innovations. And Allaah knows best. End quote.
Islam Q&A
(edited and adapted)
