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Thursday, February 14, 2013

The Ruling on Valentine's Day: Types of Love in Islaam

The Love for Allaah and His Messenger

Shaykh Saaleh bin Fawzaan bin Abdullah al-Fawzaan [May Allaah Preserve him]


Question: Could you clarify on how we can gain the love of Allaah, the Glorified and the Most High, and the love of the Messenger [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] and the ways we can reap its rewards?

Answer: Loving Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, is from the greatest acts of worship of the heart. It is from the greatest acts of the worship that your heart can do. Allaah, the Most High, says;

"But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else)"  [Al-Baqarah 2:165]

And the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, "You will not believe until nothing is more beloved to you than Allaah and His Messenger and that you love another only for the sake of Allaah." [Muslim (43)]

Therefore, Loving Allaah is from the foundations of worship and it is not permissible to ultimately love other than Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, for the sake of worshipping, submitting and total surrender. This is a sole right for Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted. Likewise, the love of the Messenger [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] is to follow him because of your love of Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted. Likewise, loving righteous people and the believers is also because of this. This is the meaning of the term, 'loving for the sake of Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted'.  Thus all of this follows on from the love of Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, and this is an act of worship in the heart. From the things that strengthen and articulate this for you is to thank Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted, for the favours upon you and to ponder on the signs of Allaah, the Most High, as these are causes for us to increase in our love for Allah, the Glorified and Exalted. If you have good given to you and are given from His favours, and from the best of this is to have good health, ample provision and security, then this will affect the love you have for Allaah, the Glorified and Exalted.  End Quote.

'Umar ibn al-Khattab [May Allaah be Pleased with him] said, "Oh Messenger of Allaah! After myself, I love you more than anything."

The Messenger of Allaah [May Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, "By the One Whose Hands is my soul, until you love me more than yourself."

So 'Umar ibn al-Khattab [May Allaah be Pleased with him] said, "Now, by Allaah, I love you more than I love myself."

The Messenger of Allaah [May Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] replied, "Now, Oh 'Umar!" [Bukhaaree (6257)]

Imaam Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaanee [May Allaah have Mercy on him] said:

 Al-Khattaabee said, "A person loving himself is imprinted in himself as for loving others, then we love others out of choice or for a reason. So the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] intended the type of love that we have a choice in.

So I say: Therefore, at first, 'Umar attested to having the love of oneself, the imprinted one. However, after the evidence was presented to him by the [May Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] he loved him more than he loved himself because the reasoning was made clear; not loving him more than oneself could leave to destruction in the Dunya and the Akhira. Therefore, he told him you have a choice and once he chose, he replied by saying, 'Now, Oh 'Umar' meaning now you have understood and attested to what is obligatory for you to have."

[Fath al-Baaree (11/528)]

Loving of the Shariah

"But those who disbelieve (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism), for them is destruction, and (Allah) will make their deeds vain. That is because they hate that which Allah has sent down (this Qur'an and Islamic laws, etc.), so He has made their deeds fruitless." [Muhammad 47: 8-9]

Ibn Katheer says in his Tafseer about this Ayah:

"Meaning they don’t want it and they don’t love it."

[Tafseer Quran al-'Atheem 7/308]

The Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, "My relaxation has been made in Salaah."

[Narrated by Nasaaee (3939) from the hadeeth of Anas ibn Maalik (May Allaah be Pleased with him). It was classified Saheeh by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Baaree (3/15) and (11/345) al-Haakim (2/174) and adh-Dhahabee agreed with him]

Shaykh Saaleh bin Fawzaan bin Abdullah al-Fawzaan [May Allaah Preserve him] said:

It is obligatory upon the person that he doesn’t obey anything before the obedience to the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him]. So if the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] commanded us with something and your parents or anyone else commanded us something that contradicted the command of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] then it would be obligatory for you not to disobey the command of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him]. This is a sign that you love the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him], that you don’t give anyone priority or precedence over him and that you don’t obey anyone before you obey him, you don’t practice anything that he hasn’t legislated by innovating in the religion.

[Ai'aanah al-Mustafeed bi Sharh Kitaab at-Tawheed (2/41-43)]

Love for your spouse

"And among His Signs is this, that He created for you wives from among yourselves, that you may find repose in them, and He has put between you affection and mercy. Verily, in that are indeed signs for a people who reflect." [Ar-Room 30: 21]

Imaam al-Bhagawee said in his Tafseer of this Aayah:

"Between man and wife there is affection and mercy so that they may love each other and have mercy with each other. So if there is anything they love, they also love it for the other without there being a lack of mercy for each other."

[Tafseer al-Bhagawee 6/266]

"And live with them honourably." [Nisaa 4:19]

Shaykh Muhammad Rasheed Ridaa [May Allaah have Mercy on him] said in Tafseer of this Ayah:

"Meaning it is obligatory for you, Oh Believers, to live with them in the best of manners as you are their companions and you interact with them, so it's upon you to do this is an honourable manner. Some of the Salaf said this Ayah is referring to the spouses making themselves beautiful for the other and others said it meant that we are beautiful with each other in our actions and statements with each other."

[Adapted from Tafseer al-Manaar 4/374]

A'aishah [May Allaah be Pleased with her] said, as part of a long hadeeth, "The Muslims knew the love of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] for A'aishah"

Bukhaaree (2581) and Muslim (2442)

Fataawaa on Valentine's Day

Fatwa from Committee of Permanent Scholars (21203)

Dated 23/11/1420 AH

After studying this issue, the Permanent Committee for Fataawa, in the light of the clear evidences found in the Kitaab and Sunnah and likewise with the consensus of the scholars of the Salaf, we concluded that the festivals in Islaam are limited to two, the 'Eid of Fitr and the 'Eid of Adha. Beyond this, we have no festivals and there are no other festivals which are connected to particular people or a particular group or any newly invented affairs. Therefore, any type of festivals that is innovated is not permissible for the people of Islaam to act upon, celebrate or give any importance to as these are types of exceeding the limits set by Allaah. The one who transgresses these limits set by Allaah will only oppress himself.  If we attach ourselves to the innovated festivals of the non-Muslims, then this will be a sin because this will be a way of resembling them and it is a type of joining in with them, all of which Allaah, the Glorified and the Exalted, has prohibited. He has prohibited the believers from imitating them and supporting them in his Noble Book and in the Sunnah of the Prophet [May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon him] as he said, "Whoever imitates a group of people then he is from them" [Reported by Aboo Dawood (4031) and it was classed Hasan Saheeh by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Aboo Dawood (3401)].

Valentine's Day is an example of the types of festivals we have mentioned above. This is because it is a festival practiced by the idol-worshippers from the Christians and it is not permissible for a Muslim, someone who believes in Allaah and the Last Day, to do the same acts they do or to approve of it or greet people and congratulate people due to it. Rather, it is obligatory for us to abandon all practices connected to it and to stay away from it, replying to the commands of Allaah and His Messenger and to prevent ourselves from falling into the Anger or Punishment of Allaah.

Likewise, it is also Haraam for a Muslim to give any significance to this festival, or any other festivals that are Haraam for us, such as exchanging food or drink or from buying and selling or making or giving out gifts. The prohibition also includes us sending messages or making announcements or anything similar to this, on the occasion of this festival. This is all because cooperating in sin and transgression of the limits of Allaah is a sin and disobedience to Allaah and His Messenger, as Allaah, the Glorified and the Exalted, says; 

"Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.[Maaidah 5:2]

Therefore is obligatory upon the Muslim to hold fast to the Kitaab and the Sunnah in all of the aspects in his/her life, especially in the times of trials and tribulations and the spread of corruption has increased. It is also obligatory for him/her to be attentive and protect themselves from falling into the misguidance and gaining the Anger of Allaah themselves or from being misguided by the sinner, those who don’t seek to please Allaah or have dignity and they don’t know anything from Islaam. It is also incumbent upon the Muslim to resort to Allaah, the Most High, in seeking guidance from Him and to be steadfast upon it as there is no guidance except from Allaah and there is no one who can make one form except Allaah, the Glorified and the Exalted.

And Allaah is the Source of all Strength and May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon His Messenger.

Permanent Committee for Research and Religious Rulings

President

Shaykh Abdul-Azeez bin Abdullah bin Muhammad Aal ash-Shaykh

Member

Shaykh Saaleh bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan

Member

Shaykh Abdullah bin Abdur-Rahmaan al-Ghudayaan

Member

Shaykh Bakr bin Abdullah Aboo Zayd


Fataawaa Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saaleh al-'Uthaymeen

[May Allaah Mercy on him]
Question: As-Salaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah wa Barakaatuhu
To Proceed:
Celebrating Valentine's Day has become widespread in our recent times - especially between students - a festival from the festival of the Christians. There is also a particular fashion they use, such as using the colour red for their clothes and shoes and they exchange red roses.
We hope from your noble self, an explanation on the ruling of celebrating the likes of this festival and what advice could you give to the Muslims in the likes of these affairs. May Allaah protect you and take care of you.
Answer:
Wa 'Alaykum Salaam wa Rahmatullah wa Baraaktuhu.
Celebrating the likes of Valentine's day is not permissible, for the following reasons:
Firstly, this festival has no precedence in our Shariah.
Secondly, it calls to people to having love and infatuation (in an impermissible manner)
Thirdly, it calls people to have their hearts being occupied with trivial issues which contradicts the guidance of the Salaf as-Saalih [May Allaah be Pleased with them all].
Based on this, it is not permissible for us to assist with this day or any of the symbolisms connected to this festival, whether it is from the food and drinks they share or to resemble them in clothing or to follow anything that will resemble or imitate them. Therefore, it is obligatory upon the Muslim for him to be firm in his religion and for him/her not to be blind and follow the corrupt.
I ask Allaah, the Most High, to protect the Muslims from all types of trials and tribulations, that which is apparent or hidden, and that He Assists us in our tests with His Assistance and Guidance.
Written by
Muhammad Saaleh al-'Uthaymeen
5/11/1420

Fataawaa Shaykh Abdul-Azeez bin Abdullah ar-Raajihee
[May Allaah Preserve and Take Care of Him]

Fatwa Number: 975

Question: May Allaah grant you with good, what is the ruling with celebrating a day that they call Valentine's day, as many people from the children of the Muslims do on this day?

Answer: There is no doubt that this festival is a prohibited innovation and it is not permissible for to assist the Mushrikeen with this or to collaborate with any of their festivals. This Fatwaa was initially given by the Noble Shaykh Muhammad Saaleh bin 'Uthaymeen and from Shaykh Abdullah bin Jibreen and other than them. Likewise, some pure women, and all of them are good, have expressed its prohibition as well. Therefore, it is binding that we spread this ruling of prohibition to the people and write them in the magazines in order that people may benefit from it.

Fatwa number: 1636

Question: Some shops have begun to store products in order for this to be sold on Valentine's Day such as have cards, red roses and chocolates and the likes. What is the ruling of this?

Answer: All Praise be to Allaah and May the Peace and Blessings of Allaah be upon the Messenger, Our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his companions and all those who follow them in goodness until the Last Day.

To begin:

Verily, this act of some of the businessmen and shop owners is a bad deed as it makes visible the festivals of the non-Muslims. It shows agreement with them and the symbols of their religion in front of the Muslims, and those who don’t know or are ignorant will be led to blindly follow the non-Muslims in this and their festivals.

Giving gifts and chocolates on the days of their festivals is from the major crimes and selling what is connected to these festivals and making it apparent to the people is helping in spreading falsehood and giving assistance to oppression and transgression. Allaah, the Most High, said:

"Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment." [Maaidah 5:2]

Therefore is it obligatory for the shop owners, those who do the likes mentioned, to repent to Allaah from the crimes and transgression and the oppression they have committed connected to the greeting cards they are selling and all the things that help make apparent and spread the festivals of the non-Muslims. From their repentance, they must also warn the people from acts that they did before and explain to them that those deeds that they did was a great wronging, it wasn’t permissible and that it was Haraam. They must increase in doing good deeds because the one who repents and then does good deeds then Allaah will accept his repentance. May Allaah provide all f us with safeguarding from being misguided trials and tribulations and may Allaah make us all firm upon His guidance, His Religion of truth, al-Islaam. Verily He is the Patron over this and He is able to do it.

May the Peace and Blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, upon his family and his Companions

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