Cupid reviled: Why Islamists hate Valentine’s Day.

Saudi scholars hate Valentine’s Day. They hate it so much, that the mutawa is sent to patrol the streets of Riyadh and other Saudi cities scouring for lovers caught in the act of walking together. Shops are raided for stocking red roses, heart-shaped candy boxes and red balloons. Vendors found selling  ‘contraband’ Valentine’s love prose, poetry and greeting cards are threatened with arrest and punishment. Young Saudis wishing to celebrate find themselves buying and stashing  love products weeks before the Festival of Love, knowing such items become illegal the week preceding Valentine’s Day. Florists sneak bouquets to customers in the dark of night and young women with the temerity to don red lipstick or a red blouse are ridiculed. A cleric in Indonesia has also instructed Muslims not to mark the wicked day while Russian Muslim leaders claim the day of love preaches ‘ universal permissiveness, amorality and nihilism’. And not to disappoint the politically correct crowd, the headmaster at Britain’s Ashcombe Primary School has banned Valentine’s citing the emotional immaturity of the students.

Certainly if the Saudis spent as much time hunting down terrorists and Muslim scholars issued hearty fatwas against violence committed in the name of Islam as they do initiating jihad against courting couples, red teddy bears and roses, the world would be a far better place. We are correct to realize that Saudi Arabia’s ban on Valentine’s Day relates directly to Islam’s irrational fixation all things sexual and it’s obsession in securing all things repressive, but are we fully clear on the deeper reason Cupid is so reviled? Is it really the winged cherub with the arrow and pink cheeks that set Islamic scholars into such bizarre fits or the fact that Valentine was a Christian Saint?

A reading of the following fatwa from Islam Q & A provides necessary insight. This site from Riyadh and supervised by Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid, is a forum for Muslims and non-Muslims alike to post questions on all matters Islamic in which they are given in return rulings on their queries based on Quranic quotations and sharia principles. It is without a doubt one of the most widely read ‘guidance’ sites offered to Muslims around the world. Many of the fatwas relating to the relationship between Muslim and non-Muslim are written with utter contempt for the kufar, his lands, his customs and traditions, his politics, his laws and his values. But the boldest of contempt leveled against him is for his disbelief in Islam and as such is branded an enemy of Allah and his messenger. A selection from the fatwa on ” Celebrating Valentine’s Day” reads as follows:

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The purpose of Valentine’s Day in these times is to spread love between all people, believers and disbelievers alike. Undoubtedly it is haraam to love the kaafirs. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“You (O Muhammad) will not find any people who believe in Allaah and the Last Day, making friendship with those who oppose Allaah and His Messenger (Muhammad), even though they were their fathers or their sons or their brothers or their kindred (people)…”[al-Mujaadilah 58:22]

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Allaah tells us that there is no believer who takes a kaafir as a close friend. Whoever takes a kaafir as a close friend is not a believer. Outward imitation may be taken as a sign of love, so it is haraam.” (al-Iqtidaa’, 1/490).

Spreading love between all people is forbidden and prohibited in Islam?  Tell me please, does this represent the sentiment of a religion we are told repeatedly to believe is predicated on tolerance, good faith and peace?  The Sheik goes on to inform Muslims of the warnings in the Quran referring to Jews and Christians and that any imitation of them could lead to apostasy. By imitation the reference lies in participating in all things non-Islamic. Again, this is tolerance?

Allaah has forbidden imitation of the kuffaar; He has described it as hateful and has warned against the consequences of that, in many aayahs, on many occasions, and in various ways, especially imitation of the kuffaar. Sometimes He does that by forbidding following them or obeying them; sometimes by warning against them or being deceived by their plots, following their opinions, or being influenced by their actions, conduct or attitude. Sometimes He does that by mentioning some of their characteristics that will put the believers off from them and from imitating them. Most of the warnings in the Qur’aan refer to the Jews and hypocrites (munaafiqeen), then the People of the Book in general and the mushrikeen. Allaah tells us in the Qur’aan that imitating and obeying the kuffaar may constitute riddah (apostasy). Allaah also forbids following them, obeying them, or following their whims and desires and bad characteristics.

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The fatwa concludes with the following advice: brothers are instructed to pass out copies of such fatwas warning of such evil, teachers should warn their students against the celebration and organizations should be notified of any shops selling gifts. And finally,

We ask Allaah to protect the Muslims from the harm of temptations and from the evil of their own selves and the plots of their enemies, for He is the All-hearing Who answers prayers. May Allaah send blessings upon His slave and Messenger Muhammad, and upon all his family and companions.