Valentine's Day: Cultural Exploitation in the Name of Love
✍️Rushahat-e-Qalam: Mufti Muhammad Tasleemuddin Al-Mahmoodi
The word "love" in its essence holds a very sacred, pure, and human-exalting meaning, which becomes a source of nurturing moral values and shaping human greatness. However, since eternity, the accursed Satan has entangled mankind in the web of deception and misrepresentation at every turn, sometimes under the veil of deceit and sometimes under the beautiful title of forgery, even to the extent that in the world of human relationships and connections, he has promoted artificiality in place of truth and ostentation in place of sincerity. Whereas, the only one truly deserving of real love is Allah Almighty and His beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and it is the distinctive characteristic and spiritual identity of a believer to mold every moment of their borrowed life in the mold of this true love.
The religion of Islam is that comprehensive and all-encompassing system of life that has provided complete guidance to man for twenty-four hours of life and three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, not leaving him aimless and alone for a single moment, but rather providing clear and purposeful instructions for his joy and sorrow, comfort and pain, health and sickness, happiness and grief, and every state of life. The pleasures bestowed by Islam are not temporary and fleeting but permanent and lasting, similarly, it has provided strong foundations for human relationships so that man can live with dignity and honor in society.
Forming illegitimate and unapproved relationships based on a specific day not only leads to the collapse of relationships but also proves to be a precursor to the decline of social ethics and cultural degradation. That is why the Sharia has given value and status to strong, permanent, and legitimate relationships instead of temporary and emotional attachments. What is being called "Day of Love" in the present era with a beautiful title is, in fact, a captivating mirage and a beautiful deception behind which moral values are being injured and deadly diseases like deceit, immorality, and intellectual disorder are being born in the society.
Therefore, as a Muslim, the main axis and center of our love should be the sacred being of Allah Almighty and His beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. In the Holy Quran and the Prophetic Hadiths, love for Allah Almighty has been declared an essential part of faith, and this quality of Allah's righteous servants has been specifically mentioned that they are the ones who take the lead in the love of Allah. Therefore, Allah Almighty says:
وَالَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْٓا اَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلّٰهِ(القرآن )
(And those who believe are strongest in love for Allah)
Similarly, in Surah At-Tawbah, all believers have been commanded that the love of Allah Almighty and His beloved Messenger ﷺ should be so dominant and all-encompassing that no other relationship and no other love can surpass it, and whoever does not achieve this standard of love will be deserving of Allah's punishment and worthy of accountability in the Hereafter. The reality of faith is complete and valid only when the love of Allah Almighty and His beloved Messenger ﷺ is greater than the world and life itself.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa ﷺ himself said:
No one can be a believer until I am more beloved to him than his father, his children, and all the people in the world.
It is clear from this that the completion of faith depends on that love which makes Allah Almighty and His Messenger ﷺ superior to all loves. (Ma'arif-ul-Quran)
Someone asked Hazrat Ali (R.A.) to what extent he loved the Holy Prophet ﷺ? So he said:
"By God! The Holy Prophet ﷺ was more beloved to us than our wealth, our children, our mothers, and even cold water in a state of intense thirst." (Shifa)
Similarly, Hazrat Umar Farooq (R.A.) said:
"O Messenger of Allah! You are more beloved to me than everything except my life."
So the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:
"No one can be a believer until he loves me more than his own life."
Hazrat Umar (R.A.) said:
"O Messenger of Allah! Now you are more beloved to me than my own life."
So the Holy Prophet ﷺ said: اَلْاٰنَ یَاعُمَرَ!
That is, now your faith is complete. (The indication is that this quality should have been there before)
Furthermore, the Holy Prophet ﷺ said:
"There will be some people who love me who will be born after me, and their wish will be that they could see me in exchange for their family and wealth." (Faza'il-e-A'maal)
Blind imitation of strangers in our society has distorted the true meaning of love and such trivialities and obscene customs are being promoted in the name of love which are completely contrary to moral values and human dignity, which no person of intellect and insight can accept.
Therefore, for God's sake! Associate your love with Allah Almighty and His beloved Messenger ﷺ, because the reality of love is actually inherent in the pure teachings of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ. To violate moral boundaries in the name of love is not the attribute of a believer, but it should be remembered that the requirement of the love of the Holy Prophet ﷺ is that his complete obedience should be followed, his example should be adopted, his words and deeds should be followed, his commands should be obeyed, and the things from which he has forbidden should be avoided, whether it is happiness or sorrow, hardship or ease, in every situation his way should be made the standard of life.
Then what will be the reward for this? So listen to this luminous saying of the beloved of the universe ﷺ:
المرء مع من أحب
That is, on the Day of Judgment, a person will be with whom he loves. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ will be shining in the highest ranks of Paradise, then these lovers of the Messenger ﷺ will also be encircling their beloved.
May Allah Almighty grant us this true, sincere, and lasting love.
Aameen Ya Rabb-ul-Aalameen