Valentines day and its real history

Valentines day and its real history:    

                     

In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

VALENTINE'S DAY - History & Islamic Perspective

What is it and where did it come from? Consider Valentine's Day, a day that after dying out a well deserved death in most of Europe (but surviving in Britain and United States) has suddenly started to emerge across a good swath of Muslim countries. Who was Valentine? Why is this day observed? Legends abound, as they do in all such cases, but this much is clear: Valentine's Day began as a pagan ritual started by Romans in the 4th century BCE to honor the god Lupercus. The main
attraction of this ritual was a lottery held to distribute young women to young men for "entertainment and pleasure"--until the next year's lottery. Among other equally despicable practices associated with this day was the lashing of young women by two young men, clad only in a bit of goatskin and
wielding goatskin thongs, who had been smeared with blood of sacrificialgoats and dogs. A lash of the "sacred" thongs by these "holy men" was
believed to make them better able to bear children.

As usual, Christianity tried, without success, to stop the evil celebration
of Lupercalia. It first replaced the lottery of the names of women with a
lottery of the names of the saints. The idea was that during the following
year the young men would emulate the life of the saint whose name they had
drawn. (The idea that you can preserve the appearance of a popular evil and
yet somehow turn it to serve the purpose of virtue, has survived. Look at
all those people who are still trying, helplessly, to use the formats of
popular television entertainments to promote good. They might learn
something from this bit of history. It failed miserably) Christianity ended
up doing in Rome, and elsewhere
as the Romans did. The only success it had
was in changing the name from Lupercalia to St. Valentine's Day. It was done
in CE 496 by Pope Gelasius, in honor of some Saint Valentine. There are as
many as 50 different Valentines in Christian legends. Two of them are more
famous, although their lives and characters are also shrouded in mystery.
According to one legend, and the one more in line with the true nature of
this celebration, St. Valentine was a "lovers'" saint, who had himself
fallen in love with his jailer's daughter.

Due to serious troubles that accompanied such lottery, French government
banned the practice in 1776. In Italy, Austria, Hungry, and Germany also the
ritual vanished over the years. Earlier, it had been banned in England
during the 17th century when the Puritans were strong.

However in 1660 Charles II revived it. From there it also reached the New
World, where enterprising Yankees spotted a good means of making money.
Esther A. Howland, who produced one of the first commercial American
Valentine's Day cards called--- what else--- valentines, in the 1840s, sold
$5,000 worth--when $5,000 was a lot of money--the first year. The valentine
industry has been booming ever since.

The history of Valentine's Day serves as a powerful lesson for Muslims. St.
Valentine became a Saint trying to resist free sex. Even though there was an
attempt to Christianize it, today St. Valentine's day is gone back to its
roots. No one even knows that the Church even tried to ban the St.
Valentine's Day. Rather, most people think of romance, cupid and his arrow,
which are vestiges of pagan Rome.

Pagan origins of Valentine's Day
The first information about this day is found in pre-Christian Rome, when
pagans would celebrate the "Feast of the Wolf" on February 15, also known as
the Feast of Lupercalius in honour of Februata Juno, the Roman goddess of
women and marriage, and Pan, Roman god of nature.

On this day, young women would place their names in an urn, from which boys
would randomly draw to discover their sexual companion for the day, the
year, and sometimes the rest of their lives. These partners exchanged gifts
as a sign of affection, and often married.

Christian Influence
When Christianity came onto the scene in Rome, it wanted to replace this
feast with something more in line with its ethics and morality. A number of
Christians decided to use February 14 for this purpose. This was when the
Italian Bishop Valentine was executed by the Roman Emperor Claudius II for
conducting secret marriages of military men in the year 270.

Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with
wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young, single men, who made
up his military. Valentine defied Claudius and performed marriages for young
couples in secret. When his actions were revealed, Claudius put him to
death. Another version of the story says that Valentine was a holy priest in
Rome, who helped Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often
beaten and tortured.

Valentine was arrested and sent to the prefect of Rome for this. He found
that his attempts to make Valentine renounce his faith were useless, and so
recommended he be beaten with clubs, and later beheaded. This took place on
February 14, 270.

According to the Catholic encyclopaedia, there are at least three different
Saint Valentines, all of whom are Christian martyrs of February 14. One of
them is described as a priest from Rome (as mentioned above), another as
bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), and the third from Africa.

It was in the year 496 that Pope Gelasius officially changed the February 15
Lupercalia festival to the February 14 St. Valentine's Day to give Christian
meaning to a pagan festival. The holiday become popular in the United States
in the 1800's during the Civil War.

As well, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in the lottery for young
women that would take place during the pagan festival. Instead of the names
of young women, the box would have the names of saints. Men and women were
allowed to draw from the box, and the purpose of this was to copy the ways
of the saint they had selected for the rest of the year.

Valentine's Day Customs
A number of the customs connected to Valentine's Day originate in the belief
in England and France during the middle Ages, that on February 14, birds
began to pair.

Fourteenth and 15th centuries' French and English literatures make indirect
references to the practice. Those who chose each other as husband and wife
on Valentine's Day apparently called each other their Valentines.

In terms of the Valentine's greeting "Your Valentine" which today you find
on a number of Valentine's Day cards, the above-mentioned Roman priest
Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself.

While he was in prison awaiting execution, he apparently fell in love with a
young girl who would visit him. Before he died, he allegedly wrote her a
letter, signed 'From your Valentine,' In terms of the virtually naked,
arrow-shooting cupid character, which shoots people with its arrows to make
them fall in love, this character is a vestige of Roman pagan times. Cupid
was described as the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. You
usually find Cupid's picture on Valentine cards and other paraphernalia .

Islamic Perspective
We should avoid anything associated with pagan immoral practices - We do not

need to honour or celebrate the death of a Christian "saint" - Islam does
not encourage flirting or suggestions of romantic relationships before
marriage - Love between families, friends and married people does not need
to be celebrated on a day with such un-Islamic origins.

Question: In recent times, celebration of the Valentine Day has spread,
particularly among female students. It is a Christian celebration, and it is
(manifested) with fully red costumes, clothing and shoes, and exchange of
red roses. What is the ruling on celebrating this holiday ?
Answer: Celebrating the Valentine Day is not permissible because:
Firstly, it is an innovated holiday that has no basis in the Sharee`ah.
Secondly, it calls to love and passion.
Thirdly, it calls to keeping one's heart busy with nonsense matters which
contradict the guidance of the righteous predecessors, may Allah be pleased
with them.

So it is not permissible that anything from the signs of that holiday takes
place on that day, whether it relates to eating, drinking, clothing, giving
gifts, or other than that. It is incumbent upon the Muslim to be proud of
his/her religion and that he/she does not blindly follow every crier. May
Allah the Exalted protect Muslims from every trial, apparent and hidden, and
that He give them protection and guidance. Ameen.

Question
Some people celebrate Yawm al-Hubb (Valentine's Day)on February 14 [the
second month of the Christian Gregorian calendar] every year by exchanging
red roses as gifts. They also dress up in red clothing, and congratulate one
another (on this occasion). Some sweet shops produce special sweets - red in
colour - and draw hearts upon them. Some shops advertise their goods which
are specially related to this day. What is the Islaamic view [concerning the
following]: Celebrating this day? Buying from these shops on this day?
Selling - by shop-owners who are not celebrating - the things which are used
as gifts, to those who are celebrating?

Response
The clear evidence from the Qur.aan and Sunnah - and this is agreed upon by
consensus (Ijmaa') of the early generations of the Muslim Ummah - indicates
that there are only two 'Eeds in Islaam (days of celebration) : 'Eed al-Fitr
(after the fast of Ramadhaan) and 'Eed al-Adhaa (after the standing at
'Arafah for pilgrimage).

Every other 'Eed - whether it is to do with a person, group, incident or any
other occasion - is an innovated 'Eed. It is not permissible for the Muslim
people to participate in it, approve of it, make any show of happiness on
its occasion, or assist in it in any way - since this will be transgressing
the bounds of Allaah: " ...and whoever transgresses the bounds of Allaah,
he has wronged his own self," [Soorah at-Talaaq, Aayah 1]

If we add to this fabricated 'Eed the fact that it is one of the 'Eeds of
the disbelievers, it is sin upon sin. This is because it is Tashabbuh
(imitation) of the disbelievers, and a type of Muwaalaat (loyalty) to them.
And Allaah has prohibited the believers from imitation of them and having
love or loyalty for them in His Mighty Book (Qur.aan). It is also confirmed
from the Prophet (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa sallam) that he said: " Whoever
imitates a people is one of them."

'Eed al-Hubb (the celebration of Valentine's Day) comes under the category
of what has been mentioned here, since it is one of the pagan Christian
holidays. Hence it is not permissible for any Muslim, who believes in Allaah
and the Last Day, to participate in it, approve of it, or congratulate
(anyone on that occasion). On the contrary, it is obligatory to abandon it
and stay far away from it - in response to Allaah and His Messenger, and to
distance oneself from the anger of Allaah and His punishment.

Additionally, it is forbidden for a Muslim to assist or help in this
Valentine's Day, or any other of the forbidden/illegal celebrations in any
way whatsoever - whether by food or drink, selling or buying, production,
gift-giving, correspondence, announcements, etc. All of these things are
considered as co-operating in sin and transgression and disobedience of
Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah, the Glorious and Most High, says:
"... and co-operate with one another in righteousness and piety, and do not
co-operate in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah! Verily Allaah is
severe in punishment," [Soorah al-Maa.idah, Aayah 2]

Likewise, it is obligatory for every Muslim to adhere strictly to the
Qur'aan and Sunnah in every situation - especially in times of temptations
and corruption. It is incumbent that he/she understand, be aware and be
cautioned from falling into the deviations of those whom Allaah is angry
with and those who are astray and the immoral people who have no fear of
punishment - nor hope of reward - from Allaah, and who give no attention at
all to Islaam.

It is necessary for the Muslim to flee to Allaah, the Most High, seeking His
Hidaayah (Guidance) and Thabaat (Firmness) upon the Path. Verily, there is
no Guide except Allaah, and no One Who can Grant Firmness except Him.
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