Valentine’s day has no rooting in Islam. It has nothing to do with deen, but it has everything to do with shirk. Its origins are soaked in shirk. In adherence to modern customs, many Muslims ignore this and choose to celebrate it anyway. Some men argue that I do not have an illicit beloved therefore I am not doing anything haraam, I am merely taking my wife out for dinner. How can this be wrong? My wife is my Valentine’s.
Some womenfolk are also guilty (of encouraging husbands to recognise and celebrate Valentine’s day). They know a man very conveniently forgets these dates because it is expensive for them. Womenfolk are sharp. They remind their men with subtle hints such as putting the volume up when Valentine’s is spoken about on the radio. Or if there is a newspaper with an article on Valentine’s day, she puts that newspaper in his way to ensure that he sees it. On the day she may ask him, “What is the date today?” so that in case he forgot, he can still make last minute arrangements.
This is all Shaytaan’s plot. Allah has permitted and encouraged us to show love everyday, why choose this day specifically? The Prophet ﷺ said that whoever resembles a nation, he will be counted from amongst them.
Therefore, if we anticipate Valentine’s day and encourage the public sin by celebrating ourselves, we will be counted amongst those who invented it on the Day of Judgement. Do we really want this? If the founder of Valentine’s day died upon disbelief, the doors of Jannah will not open for him. Do we actually want to follow his footsteps in the hereafter?
Look into the history of Valentine’s and you will find filthy customs took place on this day. It has links to Christianity and polytheism. Therefore, those men who are intending to impress their wives on this day and those women who are expecting their husbands to impress them, should repent.
Remember, a believer must make sabr. And a part of making sabr is to stay very far away from that which has nothing to do with Deen. And Valentine’s Day is definitely one of them.
May Allah safeguard us, Aameen.
— Shaykh Dawood Seedat حفظه الله
The above is a transcript of Shaykh’s short lecture on Valentine’s day. To listen to that short audio clip, please click here.