No Room For Valentine's Day In Malaysia?

With all due respect, this piece of news is too mind-boggling for me to pass up. I have no intentions of questioning it because it does not relate to me, but I shudder to think how my Muslim friends feel about this. But it is a thought, a week before the big day comes. From the NST, reposted on AsiaOne.

JOHOR BARU, MALYSIA: The state Religious Department yesterday reminded Muslims here that Valentine's Day was "haram" in Islam, which means forbidden.
The fatwa had been declared in 2005, but the warning, said Mufti Datuk M. Tahrir Samsudin, was the department's yearly reminder to Muslims not to engage in un-Islamic activities.
He said such celebrations "involved elements of vice" and violated Islamic tenets and values. He said the Christian elements found in the celebration also did not correspond with Islamic practices. - New Straits Times

So the good mufti now lays out four things for us to ponder about Valentine’s Day.

1) It is an un-Islamic activity:

Yes, indeed:

Hating Valentine's Day in the Third World

2) Involves elements of vice.

And so the commitment to it is called “marriage”?

Lovebirds tie the knot

3) Violated tenets and values.

Violated tenets and values for 73 years?

Li Bingxiang (L), 101, presents his 97-year-old wife Zhang Liying a bouquet of roses in Jinan, Shandong Province on Valentine's Day. The couple have been married for 73 years.

4) Christian elements… did not correspond with Islamic practices.

Elements like FAMILY

and of course that funny little thing called



I shudder to think what happens when a hard working Muslim friend of mine takes some time off on this auspicious day to bring his beautiful wife out for dinner and to rekindle the love they shared for ages; and to tell her how much he loves her, want to grow old with her, wants to make her happy, wants to apologize for his all wrongdoings to her, then it is HARAM!

I rather they just haram-ed it without giving any reasons than try to give explanations, especially when their excuses are… well… HARAM…. !

Some may want to justify something because of a few selected people who scarred the face of love, but why condemn Valentine’s Day for it. It is a day of love. If Muslims wish to do vice and evils they are going to do it anyhow, regardless of what day it is. Why not just use this day to teach them good values: To love themselves and their futures instead. Would that not be, LOVE?

HAPPY BE-EARLIED VALENTINE'S DAY TO EVERYONE!