The Story Of The Festival Of Love Valentine’S Day

**Prof. Dr. Sinsi** · 10-11-2012

The Connection between Saint Valentine and this Festival

Saint Valentine is a name which is given to two of the ancient “martyrs” of the Christian Church

It was said that there were two of them, or that there was only one, who died in Rome as the result of the persecution of the Gothic leader Claudius, c

296 CE

In 350 CE, a church was built in Rome on the site of the place where he died, to perpetuate his memory

When the Romans embraced Christianity, they continued to celebrate the Feast of Love mentioned above, but they changed it from the pagan concept of “spiritual love” to another concept known as the “martyrs of love”, represented by Saint Valentine who had advocated love and peace, for which cause he was martyred, according to their claims

It was also called the Feast of Lovers, and Saint Valentine was considered to be the patron saint of lovers

One of their false beliefs connected with this festival was that the names of girls who had reached marriageable age would be written on small rolls of paper and placed in a dish on a table

Then the young men who wanted to get married would be called, and each of them would pick a piece of paper

He would put himself at the service of the girl whose name he had drawn for one year, so that they could find out about one another

Then they would get married, or they would repeat the same process again on the day of the festival in the following year

The Christian clergy reacted against this tradition, which they considered to have a corrupting influence on the morals of young men and women

It was abolished in Italy, where it had been well-known, then it was revived in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when in some western countries there appeared shops which sold small books called “Valentine’s books”, which contained love poems, from which the one who wanted to send a greeting to his sweetheart could choose

They also contained suggestions for writing love letters

It was also said concerning the origins of this holiday that when the Romans became Christian, after Christianity had become widespread, the Roman emperor Claudius II decreed in the third century CE that soldiers should not get married, because marriage would distract them from the wars they used to fight

This decree was opposed by Saint Valentine, who started to perform marriages for the soldiers in secret

When the emperor found out about that, he threw him in jail and sentenced him to execution

In prison, he (Saint Valentine) fell in love with the jailer’s daughter, but this was a secret because according to Christian laws, priests and monks were forbidden to marry or fall in love

But he is still regarded highly by the Christians because of his steadfastness in adhering to Christianity when the emperor offered to pardon him if he forsook Christianity and worshipped the Roman gods; then he would be one of his closest confidantes and he would make him his son-in-law

But Valentine refused this offer and preferred Christianity, so he was executed on 14 February 270 CE, on the eve of February 15, the festival of Lupercalis

So this day was named for this saint

In The Story of Civilization, it says that the Church devised a calendar in which every day was designated as the feast day of one of the saints

In England, Saint Valentine’s Day was to come at the end of winter

When that day came, according to them, the birds mated enthusiastically in the forests, and the young men would put flowers on the windowsills of the homes of the girls whom they loved

(The Story of Civilization by Will Durant, 15/23)

The Pope designated the day of the death of Saint Valentine, February 14, 270 CE, as a festival of love

Who is the Pope? He is the “the archbishop, the supreme pontiff of the universal church, the successor of Saint Peter

” Look at this “archbishop” and how he prescribed for them the observance of this festival which was an innovation in their religion

This reminds us of what Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allaah)…”[al-Tawbah 9:31]

It was narrated that ‘Adiy ibn Haatim said:

“I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing a gold cross around my neck

He said, ‘O ‘Adiy, cast aside this idol

’ And I heard him reciting from Soorat Baraa’ah [al-Tawbah] (interpretation of the meaning):

‘They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah

’

He said: ‘They do not worship them, but when they permit them something they accept it as permitted, and when they forbid them something they accept it as forbidden

’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and it is a hasan hadeeth)

Among the most important symbols of this holiday:

1 – Expressing joy and happiness on this occasion, as on their other major festivals

2 – Exchanging red roses, which are an expression of love, the “spiritual love” of the pagans or the “love” of the Christians

Hence it is known to them as the Feast of Lovers

3 – The sending of greetings cards

On some of these cards are pictures of “Cupid”, who appears as a child with two wings, carrying a bow and arrows

This was the god of love of the pagan Romans – exalted be Allaah far above their fabrications and their association of others with Him

4 – Exchange of words of love and desire in the greetings cards which they send to one another, in verse, prose and short phrases

Some of the cards contain comical pictures and funny words, and they often contain the phrase “be my Valentine”

This represents the Christian concept of this festival after it was taken from the pagan concept

5 – In many western countries, parties are held during the day and in the evening, where there is mixing of men and women, and dancing

Many of them send gifts such as roses and boxes of chocolates to their wives, friends and those whom they love

Anyone who looks at what is said above about the myths surrounding this pagan festival will clearly understand the following:

10-11-2012	#2
Prof. Dr. Sinsi	The Story Of The Festival Of Love Valentine’S Day The Connection between Saint Valentine and this Festival Saint Valentine is a name which is given to two of the ancient “martyrs” of the Christian Church It was said that there were two of them, or that there was only one, who died in Rome as the result of the persecution of the Gothic leader Claudius, c 296 CE In 350 CE, a church was built in Rome on the site of the place where he died, to perpetuate his memory When the Romans embraced Christianity, they continued to celebrate the Feast of Love mentioned above, but they changed it from the pagan concept of “spiritual love” to another concept known as the “martyrs of love”, represented by Saint Valentine who had advocated love and peace, for which cause he was martyred, according to their claims It was also called the Feast of Lovers, and Saint Valentine was considered to be the patron saint of lovers One of their false beliefs connected with this festival was that the names of girls who had reached marriageable age would be written on small rolls of paper and placed in a dish on a table Then the young men who wanted to get married would be called, and each of them would pick a piece of paper He would put himself at the service of the girl whose name he had drawn for one year, so that they could find out about one another Then they would get married, or they would repeat the same process again on the day of the festival in the following year The Christian clergy reacted against this tradition, which they considered to have a corrupting influence on the morals of young men and women It was abolished in Italy, where it had been well-known, then it was revived in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when in some western countries there appeared shops which sold small books called “Valentine’s books”, which contained love poems, from which the one who wanted to send a greeting to his sweetheart could choose They also contained suggestions for writing love letters It was also said concerning the origins of this holiday that when the Romans became Christian, after Christianity had become widespread, the Roman emperor Claudius II decreed in the third century CE that soldiers should not get married, because marriage would distract them from the wars they used to fight This decree was opposed by Saint Valentine, who started to perform marriages for the soldiers in secret When the emperor found out about that, he threw him in jail and sentenced him to execution In prison, he (Saint Valentine) fell in love with the jailer’s daughter, but this was a secret because according to Christian laws, priests and monks were forbidden to marry or fall in love But he is still regarded highly by the Christians because of his steadfastness in adhering to Christianity when the emperor offered to pardon him if he forsook Christianity and worshipped the Roman gods; then he would be one of his closest confidantes and he would make him his son-in-law But Valentine refused this offer and preferred Christianity, so he was executed on 14 February 270 CE, on the eve of February 15, the festival of Lupercalis So this day was named for this saint In The Story of Civilization, it says that the Church devised a calendar in which every day was designated as the feast day of one of the saints In England, Saint Valentine’s Day was to come at the end of winter When that day came, according to them, the birds mated enthusiastically in the forests, and the young men would put flowers on the windowsills of the homes of the girls whom they loved (The Story of Civilization by Will Durant, 15/23) The Pope designated the day of the death of Saint Valentine, February 14, 270 CE, as a festival of love Who is the Pope? He is the “the archbishop, the supreme pontiff of the universal church, the successor of Saint Peter” Look at this “archbishop” and how he prescribed for them the observance of this festival which was an innovation in their religion This reminds us of what Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah (by obeying them in things which they made lawful or unlawful according to their own desires without being ordered by Allaah)…”[al-Tawbah 9:31] It was narrated that ‘Adiy ibn Haatim said: “I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) wearing a gold cross around my neck He said, ‘O ‘Adiy, cast aside this idol’ And I heard him reciting from Soorat Baraa’ah [al-Tawbah] (interpretation of the meaning): ‘They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah’ He said: ‘They do not worship them, but when they permit them something they accept it as permitted, and when they forbid them something they accept it as forbidden’” (Narrated by al-Tirmidhi and it is a hasan hadeeth) Among the most important symbols of this holiday: 1 – Expressing joy and happiness on this occasion, as on their other major festivals 2 – Exchanging red roses, which are an expression of love, the “spiritual love” of the pagans or the “love” of the Christians Hence it is known to them as the Feast of Lovers 3 – The sending of greetings cards On some of these cards are pictures of “Cupid”, who appears as a child with two wings, carrying a bow and arrows This was the god of love of the pagan Romans – exalted be Allaah far above their fabrications and their association of others with Him 4 – Exchange of words of love and desire in the greetings cards which they send to one another, in verse, prose and short phrases Some of the cards contain comical pictures and funny words, and they often contain the phrase “be my Valentine” This represents the Christian concept of this festival after it was taken from the pagan concept 5 – In many western countries, parties are held during the day and in the evening, where there is mixing of men and women, and dancing Many of them send gifts such as roses and boxes of chocolates to their wives, friends and those whom they love Anyone who looks at what is said above about the myths surrounding this pagan festival will clearly understand the following: