Thread by @Realoilsheikh

ISLAM & THE CELEBRATION OF VALENTINE'S DAY

Valentine's day, a Jahiliyya Roman festival that continued to be celebrated even after the Romans became Christians is, according to the BRITANNICA encyclopaedia, a day "lovers" express their affection with greetings & gifts.

The holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites & the pairing off of women with men by lottery! It is purely a celebration of immorality by the Kuffaar (disbelievers).

In Islam, festivals fall under SHARIAH ISSUES, and thus are bound by sound sources. Therefore, It is Haram for a Muslims to celebrate any of the festivals of the kuffaar.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (RH) said:

"Festivals are part of sharee’ah, clear way and rituals of which Allaah says:

“To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way”

[Surah al-Maa’idah 5:48].

“For every nation We have ordained religious ceremonies which they must follow”

[Surah al-Hajj 22:67].

The same way Allaah (SWT) Has prescribed for every people it's Qiblah, fasting, prayer, he has prescribed for them their festivals. Thus, festivals are one of the most unique features that distinguish various religions & are as well among their most prominent symbols.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“Every people has its festival & this is our festival.”

Thus, participating in certain festivals, especially with the most characteristic & prominent symbols of kufr,may lead to complete kufr, like celebrating festivals that claim Allaah Has a son, or that involves idols.

The very least consequences is that one has sinned & disobeyed Allaah for participating in the festival of some people. Thus, It is not permissible for the Muslims to imitate the Kuffaar in anything that is uniquely a part of their festivals; be it food, clothing, bathing,

lighting fires, 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 & others to play games as part of the festivals.

Shaykhul Islam has explained this in details, in his book "Iqtida’ al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem, wa Mukhaalifaatu As-haabul Jaheem" {Holding unto the straight path, & doing contrary to the people of Jaheem} (1/207).

The hadeeth to which Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was referring to was narrated by Imaams Bukhaari (952) & 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.”

Imaam al-Dhahabi (RH) 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.

Source: Tashabbuh al-Khasees bi Ahl al-Khamees, published in Majallat al-Hikmah (4/193).

Imam Abu Dawood (1134) narrated that Anas (RA) said:

When the Prophet (peace & 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 Prophet (peace & 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.”

~Classed as saheeh by Sheikh al-Albaani (RH) in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

The scholars use this Hadith to strengthen the facts that festivals are among the characteristics by which nations are identified, and it is not permissible to celebrate the festivals of the ignorant and the mushrikeen (polytheists).

The Prophet (SAW) said:

“Whoever imitates a people is one of them.”

Valentine’s Day is an idolatrous Christian festival, & not permissible for a Muslim who believes in Allaah and the Last Day to observe, approve of it or congratulate people on it.