• 01 :-
Valentine’s Day is a jaahiliya Roman festival, which continued to be celebrated until after the Romans became Christian. This festival came connected with the saint known as Valentine who was doomed to death on 14 February 270 CE. The kuffaar still celebrates this festival, during which immorality and wrong are rehearsed extensively.
• 02 :-
It isn't admissible for a Muslim to celebrate any of the carnivals of the kuffaar, because carnivals come under the title of shar’i issues which are to be grounded on the sound textbooks.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah( رحمه الله) said Carnivals are part of shari'ah, clear way and rituals of which Allaah (ﷺ) says ( interpretation of the meaning)
“ To each among you, We've specified a law and a clear way ”
( al- Maa’idah 548)
“ For every nation We've ordained religious observances which they must follow ”
(al-Hajj 2267)
-- similar as the qiblah( direction faced in prayer), prayer and fasting. There's no difference between their sharing in the jubilee and their sharing in all other rituals. Joining in completely with the jubilee 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, carnivals are one of the most unique features that distinguish colorful persuasions among their most prominent symbols, so joining in with them is joining in with the most characteristic and prominent symbols of kufr. Associating with this will no doubt lead to complete kufr.
incompletely joining in, at the veritably least, is defiance and sin. This was indicated by the Prophet(ﷺ) when he said “ Every people has its festival and this is our festival.
” This is worse than joining them in wearing the zinaar ( A dress worn only by Ahl Dhimma) and other characteristics of theirs, for those characteristics are man-made and aren't 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's joining in with commodity that's a cause of incurring the wrath and discipline of Allaah. End quotation from Iqtida ’ al-Siraat al-Mustaqeem (1/207).
He also said (رضي الله عنه) It isn't admissible for the Muslims to imitate them in anything that's uniquely a part of their carnivals, whether it be food, apparel, bathing, lighting fires, abstaining from a regular habit, doing acts of deification or anything differently.
It isn't admissible to give a feast or to give gifts, or to vend anything that will help them to do that for that purpose to allow children and others to play games that are part of the carnivals, or to wear one’s doodads.
To conclude the Muslims shouldn't do any of their rituals at the time of their carnivals; rather the day of their jubilee should be like any other day for the Muslims. The Muslims shouldn't do anything specific in the reproduction of them. End quotation from Majmoo al-Fataawa (25/329).
Al-Haafiz al-Dhahabi (رحمه الله) said If the Christians have a jubilee, and the Jews have a jubilee, it's 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 quotation from Tashabbuh al- Khasees bi Ahl al- Khamees, published in Majallat al- Hikmah(4/193)
The hadeeth to which Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah appertained was recited by al-Bukhaari ( 952) and Muslim( 892) from ‘ Aa’ishah (رضي الله عنها) who said Abu Bakr came in and there were two youthful 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 weren't( professional) singing girls. Abu Bakr said “ Musical instruments of the shaytaan in the house of the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ)?! ” and that was on the day of Eid. The Messenger of Allaah ((ﷺ)) said “ O Abu Bakr, every people has a jubilee and this is our jubilee. ”
Abu Dawood( 1134) recited that Anas (رضي الله عنه) said When the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ) 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 (ﷺ) said “ Allaah has given you rather of them two days that are better than them the day of al-Adha and the day of al-Fitr. ” This hadith has been marked as Sahih by Sahih Abi Dawud al-Albani.
This indicates that carnivals are among the characteristics by which nations are distinguished, and it isn't admissible to celebrate the carnivals of the ignorant and the mushrikeen ( polytheists).
The scholars have issued fatwas stating that it's haraam to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
01 – Shaykh Ibn ‘ Uthaymeen (رحمه الله) was asked
In recent times the festivity of Valentine’s Day has come wide, especially among womanish scholars. It's a Christian jubilee where people dress fully in red, including clothes and shoes, and they change red flowers. We hope that you can explain the ruling on celebrating this jubilee, and what your advice is to Muslims about similar matters; may Allaah bless you and take care of you.
He replied
Celebrating Valentine’s Day isn't admissible for several reasons.
1- It's a founded jubilee for which there's no base in Islam.
2- It promotes love and passion.
3- It calls for hearts to be preoccupied with foolish matters that are contrary to the way of the righteous salaf (رضی اللہ عنھم).
It isn't admissible on this day to do any of the effects that are characteristic of this jubilee, whether that has to do with food, drinks, apparel, swapping gifts, or anything different.
The Muslim should be proud of his religion and shouldn't be a weak character who follows every Tom, Dick and Harry. I ask Allaah (ﷺ) to cover the Muslims from all temptations, visible and unnoticeable, and to cover us and guide us.
End quotation from Majmoo ’ Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn ‘ Uthaymeen(16/199)
02 – The Standing Committee was asked Some people celebrate Valentine’s Day on the fourteenth of February every time. They change gifts of red roses wear red clothes and complement one another. Some bakeries make red colored sweets and draw hearts on them, and some stores announce products that are especially for this day. What's your opinion on the following
1- Celebrating this day
2- Buying effects from the stores on this day
3- Storekeepers who aren't celebrating it dealing effects that may be given as gifts to people who are celebrating it?
They replied
The clear substantiation of the Qur’an and Sunnah – and the agreement of the early generations of this ummah – indicates that there are only two carnivals in Islam Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Any other carnivals that have to do with a person, a group, an event, or anything differently are founded carnivals, which it isn't admissible for Muslims to observe, authorize, or express joy on those occasions, or to help others to celebrate them in any way, because that's transgressing the sacred limits of Allaah,
and whoever transgresses the sacred limits of Allaah has wronged himself. However, the sin is indeed lesser, because this is imitating them and it's a kind of taking them as close musketeers, If the fabricated jubilee is also a festival of the kuffaar. And it's proven that the Prophet (ﷺ) said “ Whoever imitates a people is one of them.
” Valentine's Day falls under this heading because it is a pagan Christian festival, so it isn't admissible for a Muslim who believes in Allaah and the Last Day to observe it or authorize it or compliment people on it.
Rather he has to ignore it and avoid it, in obedience to Allaah (ﷺ) and His Messenger, and to keep down from the causes that dodge the wrath and discipline of Allaah.
It's also haraam for the Muslim to help people celebrate this or any other haraam festival, by supplying any kind of food or drink, buying or dealing or manufacturing or giving or flashing, etc.,
because all of that's cooperating in sin and transgression and is defiance towards Allaah (ﷺ) and His Messenger (ﷺ). Allaah (ﷺ) says ( interpretation of the meaning)
“ Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At-Thaqwa ( virtue, righteousness, and piety); But do not help each other in sin and transgression. And sweat Allaah (ﷺ). Verily, Allaah (ﷺ) is Severe in discipline ” (al-Maa’idah 52)
The Muslim must cleave to the Book of Allaah (ﷺ) and the Sunnah in all his affairs, especially at times of fitnah when wrong is wide. He should be smart and avoid falling into the misguidance of those who have earned Allaah’s wrathfulness and who have gone amiss, and the wrongdoers who have no fear of Allaah (ﷺ) and who don't have any pride in being Muslims.
The Muslim must turn to Allaah (ﷺ) and seek His guidance and remain loyal in following it, for there's no companion except Allaah (ﷺ) and no one can make a person loyal but Him. And Allaah (ﷺ) is the source of strength. (ﷺ) our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions. End quotation.
03 – Shaykh Ibn Jibreen ( may Allaah save him) was asked
Among our youthful men and women, it has become common to celebrate Valentine’s Day, which is named after a saint who's reverenced by the Christians, who celebrate it every time on February 14, when they change gifts and red roses, and they wear red clothes. What's the ruling on celebrating this day and swapping gifts?
He replied
originally it isn't admissible to celebrate these founded carnivals, because it's an invention for which there's no base in Islam. It comes under the title of the hadeeth of ‘ Aa’ishah (رضي الله عنها), according to which the Prophet (ﷺ) said “ Whoever introduces anything into this matter of ours that isn't part of it'll have it rejected. ”
Secondly, it involves imitating the kuffaar and copying them by glorifying that which they glorify and esteeming their carnivals and rituals, and imitating them in the commodity that's part of their religion. In the hadeeth, it says “ Whoever imitates a people is one of them. ”
Thirdly it results in immoralities and haraam effects similar as wasting time, singing, music, extravagance, unveiling, wanton display, men mixing with women, women appearing before men other than their mahrams, and other haraam effects, or effects that are means that leads to immorality.
That can not be excused by the claim that this is a kind of entertainment and fun. The bone who's sincere towards himself should keep down from sin and the means that lead to it.
And he said
Grounded on this, it isn't admissible to vend these gifts and roses, if it's known that the purchaser celebrates these carnivals or will give these effects as gifts on those days so that the dealer won't be a mate of the bone
who does those inventions? And Allaah (ﷺ) knows best. End quotation.