Why can't muslims celebrate Valentines Day?

Question

Valentine’s Day sinful, says Aceh Islamist
Published: Wednesday, 14 February, 2007, 09:40 AM Doha Time
JAKARTA: Celebrating Valentine’s Day is sinful and forbidden for Muslims, an Indonesian Islamic leader warned yesterday.
“This celebration comes from another religion and has no legal basis in the Islamic Sharia law,” said Muslim Ibrahim, who is chairman of the highest authority on Islamic affairs in Aceh province.
“Therefore, taking part in celebrating the day of love is haram (forbidden) for Muslims,” Ibrahim told the state Antara news agency.
St Valentine’s Day is named after a Christian martyr and over the years has become the day on which lovers traditionally express their feelings for each other. Ibrahim said Valentine’s Day went against Islamic teachings and values and was used to overly express love to someone of the opposite sex.
“I hope that the young generation can be proud of our regional culture, which abounds with Islamic values, and can maintain their identity,” Ibrahim

Answer 1

ali,the answer is already in your question detail.the answer is “This celebration comes from another religion and has no legal basis in the Islamic Sharia law”

Answer 2

I swear, we have some really ugly haters here. Yes, Muslims enjoy love and romance, and no, they're not all bombers. Most are law abiding citizens, very very few in comparison to the total number of them are the ones causing trouble.

The reason that Valentine's Day isn't a part of Islam is because it's a Christian celebration, pure and simple. Do Christians still celebrate Passover? Should they? Do they still observe Yom Kippur? Do they observe any of the Jewish holidays? Should they? No, they don't, and no, they don't have to, and this is fine. Muslims don't expect Christians to fast during Ramadan, why should Christians expect Muslims to observe Valentine's day?

Btw, whether it's officially Islamic or not, many in fact do celebrate Valentine's day.

I know it's officially a Christian thing, but really, in the heart, it's a celebration of romantic love. EVERYONE enjoys romantic love!

Answer 3

May Allah Bless You Brother.. Here is more Info=
As regards the Islamic stance on this festival,
Indeed, Islam is the religion of altruism, true love, and cooperation on that which is good and righteous. We implore Allah Almighty to gather us together under the umbrella of His All-encompassing Mercy, and to unite us together as one man. Allah Almighty says: (The believers are naught else than brothers. Therefore make peace between your brethren and observe your duty to Allah that haply ye may obtain mercy. ) (Al-Hujurat 49: 10)

Focusing more on the question in point, I can say that there are forms of expressing love that are religiously acceptable, while there are others that are not religiously acceptable. Among the forms of love that are religiously acceptable are those that include the love for Prophets and Messengers. It stands to reason that the love for Allah, and His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) should have the top priority over all other forms of love.

Islam does recognize happy occasions that bring people closer to one another, and add spice to their lives. However, Islam goes against blindly imitating the West regarding a special occasion such as Valentine's Day. Hence, commemorating that special day known as the Valentine's Day is an innovation or bid`ah that has no religious backing. Every innovation of that kind is rejected, as far as Islam is concerned. Islam requires all Muslims to love one another all over the whole year, and reducing the whole year to a single day is totally rejected.

Hence, we Muslims ought not to follow in the footsteps of such innovations and superstitions that are common in what is known as the Valentine's Day. No doubt that there are many irreligious practices that occur on that day, and those practices are capable of dissuading people from the true meanings of love and altruism to the extent that the celebration is reduced to a moral decline.

Answer 4

Although it is against Islam to celebrate holidays other than the 2 eid celebrations. I don't think it is a major sin to give your loved one a card or gift to show affection on the day of, as long as it Is not for the purpose of the saint or whatever. I mean it propably is haraam but it's not good to be sooo extreme either. Islam teaches not to be too extreme. It's about your intentions, at least thats what I've been told by Sunni moslems.

Answer 5

It isn't, just like not all Christians are forbidden from using contraception because the pope says so neither are all Muslims forbidden from celebrating Valentines day, just the ones who think that Ibrahim has the authority to tell them what holidays to celebrate. It isn't a core Muslim belief that Valentines is forbidden it's just what one Muslim leader says.

Answer 6

It is Saint Valentines Day. A Christian Saint not Muslim.

Answer 7

I would not base my opinion on one person's sorry opinion in Indonesia....
I am Muslim and do celebrate this day, though my Wife and I are not much for Valentine's day but still we do exchange gifts. was a time we celebrated it with a lot of zeal back when we weren't married.
Now we are just a bit ... boring! But no, celebrating it would never be wrong in my eyes as an experienced reader of all major Scriptures and a Muslim.
Cheers.

Answer 8

Valentine's has to do with a St. Valentines, a catholic saint. Muslims are not christians so therefore cannot be catolics! krismio

Answer 9

because they are a totally different culture and are not on a par with the rest of the western world if they live there (some, i mean some - people's perception of their religion and how they adhere to it varies greatly, depending on the individual), which can lead to divides in society.

Answer 10

it's only dia own that will be different,valentine is all about love not for only boyfriend and girlfriend but also for couple so i dont kn why muslims dont celebrate it