VALENTINE’S DAY: REALITY, HISTORY AND JUDGEMENT

All praises are due to Allah Who has set us on the true religion; the right path. He Has honoured us through faith, He favours our religion- Islam over other religions. I praise and thank Him gracefully for all His blessings on human beings and jinns. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone, He Has no partner. Allah warned against following and supporting the unbelievers, He commanded us to differ from them. Allah the Exalted said: { O ye who believe! take not for friends and protectors those who take your religion for a mockery or sport,- whether among those who received the Scripture before you, or among those who reject Faith; but fear ye Allah, if ye have faith (indeed). (5: 57) Equally, I bear witness that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is His slave and Messenger who said: (whoever imitates a people is one of them). May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his household and companions, till the day of recompense. Thereafter, O people fear Allah- your Lord, He (SWT) actually deserves to be feared, through obedience and showing gratitude to Him and shunning disobedience or ingratitude. { أَفَغَيْرَ اللَّهِ تَتَّقُونَ } (النحل: 52) (then will ye fear other than Allah?)(16: 52) COMPLETE RELIGION; COMPLETE FAVOUR Dear faithfuls, Allah (SWT) endowed us with a great religion, He guided us to a straight path- full of riches and satisfaction, happiness and guidance, security and peace, love and harmony. Whoever accepts it Allah elevates and honours him in the proportion of his acceptance, but whoever rejects it He debases him in the proportion of his rejection. Islam has been completed; it is not in need of any additional opinion, idea or view. The grace was fulfilled with faith, joy and pleasure has been completed, then after these favours, it has no need for the innovation of a season or festival of joy. Allah says: {الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمْ الإِسْلامَ دِينًا} (المائدة:3) “This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (5: 3). THE BEAUTY OF ISLAM Our religion is the best of all religions, having the best laws, it is a religion with moderation and balance; without excesses or negligence, devoid of extravagance and stinginess, it has no space for seduction or celibacy, and neither for excessiveness or deficiency. Allah says: {وَكَذالِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا} (البقرة: 143) “Thus, have We made of you an Ummat justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves” (Al-baqarah: 143) Islam is religion that strives to achieve a combination of the goodness of life and the hereafter- it grows the soul and never neglect the flesh, Allah the Exalted says: {وَابْتَغِ فِيمَا ءاتَاكَ اللَّهُ الدَّارَ الآخِرَةَ وَلاَ تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا} (القصص: 77). {"But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world.} (28: 77). By Allah, how can a Muslim who is favorably positioned by Allah be pleased to desecrate this honour? How can he be satisfied to become a follower having been a leader? How could he subscribe to be an emulator after being a guide? How would he accept fall down from being a path finder to become a stranded groper or to become a slave after being a master. But the Prophet (PBUH) said: “certainly you shall follow the ways of who came before you; inch by inch, cubit by cubit, even if they enter the crawlspace of the alligator you will follow them”, they said: “O Messenger of God, the Jews and Christians? He replied: “Who then?!” Narrated by Al-bukhaari and Muslim from the hadeeth of Abu Sa'eed Al-khudri may Allah be pleased with him.

DECEIT BY JEWS AND CHRISTIANS AGAINST THE ISLAMIC NATION: The cunnings of the Jews and Christians against the Islamic nation are no hidden fact, their effort to eliminate its ethical values and principles, they commit the best of their time and money to this mission, they utilize many intellectuals and resources, they develop curricula and projects. Without doubt, their plans really worked! And why wouldn’t it work? It is a natural law that whoever strives will achieve, whoever sows shall harvest. Today, we witness things that were inexistence before now, we see tempting nudity, excessive globetrotting in the neighbourhood, we witness audacious attack against the religion and boastfulness with sins, let alone casting doubt over well established fundamental peculiarities of the Islamic nation, and to destabilize its principles. The situation is made worse by the liberality and openness enjoyed by the media which made it viewable to all people, thereby, enhances the fast and easy spread of the symbols and culture of the disbelievers. They transmit overwhelmingly orchestrated audios and live visual programs from their countries to our homes through satellite and Internet, unfortunately, many Muslims fell prey to this deceit. The armies and soldiers of atheism are regrouping newly, waxing strong and promoting a festival, what could be more deceitful? As a cover for their pranks, they christened it a noble name so as to deceive the unsuspecting virtuous, righteous mind. They call it Lover’s Day or Valentine's day, in real fact, it is a festival of vice and immorality, they spread vices but clothe themselves with garment of virtues. Customarily this is an old practice of the devil exposed in the Holy Qur’an, Allah uncovers his trick to His servants. Allah (SWT) as He declares the deceit of Shaytan with Adam and Hawaa thus: {وَقَاسَمَهُمَا إِنِّي لَكُمَا لَمِنْ النَّاصِحِينَ} (الأعراف:21). (And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser.) (7: 21) THE HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY Muslims beware of the misleading deceiver that comes as a trustworthy adviser but he is a deceiver. {وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ} (الأنفال:30) { They plot and plan, and Allah too plans; but the best of planners is Allah.} (Al-Anfal: 30). Do you know the history of this festival? They claimed that Romans pagan was celebrating on February 15 of each year, and this day coincides with the spring holiday break, at that time, Christianity was at the beginning of its call, Emperor Claudius II issued an order to prevent soldiers from marriage. There was a Christian monk named Valentine who defied this order and conducted marriage contracts secretly. When his action was exposed, he was sentenced to death. While in prison, he fell in love with the daughter of the jailer, secretly, because the Christian law forbids priests and monks from marriages and emotional ties. His firmness on Christianity interceded for him, where the Emperor offered him amnesty, closeness, and relationship by marriage with the condition of leaving Christianity and to worship the Romans gods, but he rejected this offer and he was executed on February 14, the year 270 C.E corresponding to night of February 15- feast of the Romans. After this event he was called the Saint. With the spread of Christianity in Europe February 14 became the feast day, referred to as St. Valentine feast, to commemorate his memory, for the ransom he made with his life for Christianity. This is the story of this holiday, however, unfortunately many young men and women are deceived by this owing to their weak faith, ignorance, heedlessness, lack of guidance from righteous preachers. They were tricked and got deceived and attracted to this holiday, and just like that they relax to celebrate … no power and no strength except in Allah almighty. SOME IMPORTANT MANIFESTATIONS OF VALENTINE’S DAY Brothers in Islam, the following represent most important manifestations of Valentine’s Day: 1. Display of joy and happiness as they do in other important festivals. 2. Wearing red dresses and exchange of Red Roses, as an expression of love- love as divine god for the pagans and love as a passion for the Christians, a reason why it called Valentine’s Day. 3. Distribution of greeting cards carrying the image of the Cupid- a child having two wings and holding a bow and an arrow. It is the god of love for the pagan roman nation. Exalted is Allah above their falsehood and polytheism. 4. Exchange of flowery words of love and passion through the mutually exchanged greeting cards through composition of poetry, prose or short sentences. Some other greeting cards have pictures of smiling images and humorous words. it is a common practice to have phrase like “be my valentine” . This represents a Christian concept after its transformation from the pagan concept. 5. In many Christian countries, concerts and parties are held days and nights, dancers display, gifts and telegrams are sent, wives or girlfriends are remembered, infact that is seen as a sign of sincerity of love, while whoever do not congratulate his wife, or fail to present her gift is not regarded as being a sincere lover. Such gifts include roses, boxes of chocolates to their spouses, friends and loved ones. THE ISLAMIC JUDGEMENT ON CELEBRATING VALENTINE’S DAY Muslims and those who celebrate Valentine’s Day need to know that this act is one of the greatest heretic innovation which is haraam (a forbidden act) in Islam, there is no dispute among credible scholars over this matter. If this feast was invented by Muslims it would have been declared haraam not to talk of where it was an innovation of strayed disbelievers. The prophet (PBUH) said: (Whoever brings an innovation in this matter of ours, will have it rejected) narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, ' When the prophet (PBUH) got to madinah, he met the people taking two days as holiday which form part of the pagan festivals, he told them thus: (God has replaced the two days with better days for your sake; Eid al-Adha and the day of Al-Fitr) narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawood and Al-Nasaa'i. Al-Haafiz Ibn Hajar said: “It is deducible from this hadith, that, it is disliked to be joyous at, or imitate festivals of the unbelievers” Sheikh Abu Hafs An-Nasafi said: “Whoever presents a Mushrik (an idolator) with an egg on that day, as a form of veneration for the day has committed disbelieve in Allah” (Fathul- Baari). The Saudi Arabia Standing Committee was asked about Valentine’s Day here is the excerpt of the response: “It is haraam (forbidden) for a Muslim to support such feast or any of the other forbidden festivals in any form including eating or drinking, buying or selling, manufacturing or production, gifts, exchange of messages, advertisement or otherwise, because that would translate to giving support to sins, hostility, and disobedience to Allah (SWT) and the Messenger (PBUH). Allah says: { Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment.} (Q5: 2). A Muslim must hold firmly to the Qur'aan and Sunnah in all conditions, especially in times of temptation and corruption. He should be wise and cautious of falling into the misguidance of those who have gone astray those upon whom the wrath of Allah descends. A Muslim should turn to God for guidance and steadfastness, for there is no one who gives guidance and steadfastness thereafter except Allah.” THE MEANING AND OF LOVE IN ISLAM Dear faithfuls in Allah, love to a Muslim is great in meaning, Ibn Al-Qayyim says: “With love and through was the Earth and Heavens formed, all creatures were built on love, the flowing celestial bodies in the orbits flow on it, through love movements reach its goal, the beginnings connect with the end, the souls gain its objectives and purpose, it get rid of its obstructions, so as to advance towards its Lord. Through it, it wins a good life and tastes the taste of faith having chosen Allah as the Lord, Islam as the religion and Muhammad as the messenger”. (Raodatul- Muhebbeen). The prophet demonstrated the finest example of love according to the account given by Aishah about the prophet’s sincere and continuous fulfillment to Khadijah (RA) as she said: “I have never been jealous about any of the prophet’s wives the way I did about Khadijah (RA), she died three years before my marriage to the prophet, whenever I hear him mention her- In another word- ‘out of the prophet’s continuous remembrance of her- , and he will slaughter a sheep and give her friends of it. (narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). This is a firm love which stands as evidence for a righteous deed. The prophet did guide the Muslim Ummah to ways of achieving love among themselves, even beyond that he linked between love with attainment of paradise. He said: (You can not enter paradise except with faith, and you will not have faith except you love one another. Do I direct you to an act, if you do it you will love one anther? “spread salutation of peace amongst yourselves”. (Muslim). Muslim youth- male and female, fear Allah and contravene to the Jews and Christians on everything as they contradict you, Allah says: {They but wish that ye should reject Faith, as they do, and thus be on the same footing (as they)} (4: 89), The prophet said: (whoever imitates a people is one of them) narrated by Ahmad and Abu Dawood. Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn taymiyah said: “the simplest thing this hadith point to is that it is haraam to imitate them ... “ THE SECOND KHUTBAH Praise be to Allah, the end belong to the pious, enmity is to the transgressors of the bounds of Allah. I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah alone and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger, the master of the former and the latter generations. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his household and all his companions. Thereafter, Servants of God: Islam pays attention to security in the society, it initiates commands, forbids corruption and vices, and it establish punishments, checks and deterrent. Allah, the Exalted says: {وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الْبرِ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ} (المائدة2). { Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye not one another in sin and rancour: fear Allah: for Allah is strict in punishment.} (Q5: 2). Allah informs that security is guaranteed for those that do righteousness and stand on the path of guidance and shun the path of vices. Allah says: { الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواْ وَلَمْ يَلْبِسُواْ إِيمَانَهُمْ بِظُلْمٍ أُوْلَئِكَ لَهُمُ الاْمْنُ وَهُمْ مُّهْتَدُونَ} (الأنعام:82). "It is those who believe and confuse not their beliefs with wrong - that are (truly) in security, for they are on (right) guidance." (6:82) When the prophet cites the new moon he would say: (O Allah! Sustain it over us with security, faith and Islam, the crescent of good and guidance, my Lord and your Lord is Allah) narrated by Ahmad and Al-Tirmidhi. Islam ensures security in the society by deals practically with the oppressors and aggressors to life and properties to prevent them from committing crimes which will serve as deterrent to others like him from oppression and aggression. Islam is a religion of Justice, a religion of mercy and goodness, it never orders his followers except good, and it never forbids them except from evil and harmful things. For these reasons, it places harsh punishment for those who terrorize people and intimidate them by such as bringandage, kidnapping and others. Allah says: {إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي اْلأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَنْ يُقَتَّلُوا أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوا أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ أَوْ يُنْفَوْا مِنَ الأَرْضِ ذَلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَهُمْ فِي اْلآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ , إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ تَابُوا مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ تَقْدِرُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ} (المائدة : 33 - 34). “The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter, except for those who repent before they fall into your power: in that case, know that Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” (5: 33- 34) May Allah forgive the believers- men and women, Muslims- men and women, the living and the dead, for You are All- hearing, Ever- near and Ever- responsive to calls. O Allah honour Islam and Muslims, humiliate idolatory and idolaters, destroy Your enemies, the enemies of Your religion, and make this country- Nigeria safe, confident, generous, promote her welfare and that of all other Muslim countries.