What’s the most appropriate way for Muslims to celebrate the Valentine day?

Apparently it’s Valentine day today. This day may not be big in some parts of the world, but it is huge here in America. Lots of money and efforts are wasted in celebration of this day, even though it’s not really a recognized holiday or observance. I guess the women expect their men to treat them special on this day with flowers, cards, chocolates, stuff toys, dinners and movies. Of course the men also want to be appreciated; so the girls will also go at length to do special things and appear that they are valuing their relationship. These are all harmless except the harm it causes to your wallet.

Sometimes it appears that Valentine day is big among the folks who are not in a long term committed relationship (like marriage) but not always. People who are brought up in a culture that value the Valentine day celebration will probably continue doing so even after marriage because it has become so ingrained to their lifestyles.

The Valentine day celebration has spread all over the world among people of all culture and religion. I’ve observed that generally the Muslims are either indifferent to this day (like me) or are very vocally against it. A few of the Muslim friends on social network have started a propaganda campaign urging everyone to boycott the Valentine day celebration. They are sending text messages and videos of Mullahs warning folks not to honor, celebrate or joining in the routine activities of the day. I’ve read user comments and found that many of the Muslims that are leaning towards fanaticism (narrow-mindedness) are very vocal in expressing their support for joining in the crusade against what they have describe as an affront to Islamic values.

I’m always amazed at such people. They must live a very uninteresting life to find the energy and dedication to wage a war against something so trivial and mundane and utterly remote from their way of life. I sometimes find it scary that people are buying into this idea that they have a moral right to get upset or angry at how/what others’ choose to do with their life. Even though it’s very obvious that a lot of folks are willingly getting trapped in the peer/social/community pressure to fit in the materialistic lifestyles of spending money to show ‘love’; this is their life and experience. It is not yours. Just like you are falling into your stupidity, a lot of people are also falling into theirs.


Moving on, I was reading this news today about how the fanatic crowds in Pakistan want to control the community – via religion plus intimidation.

In a devout Muslim society where adultery is punishable by death and public displays of love are forbidden, the young are increasingly using Valentine's Day as a form of rebellion – some call it a silent revolution of sorts.

Celebrating on this day is a direct challenge to the rigid Islamic groups that hold sway in the country and who deem such displays as immoral.

"Every year that Feb. 14 is celebrated, it is done so as the Day of Shame," said Abdul Muqeet, president of Punjab University Jamiat-e-Talaba, the student wing of conservative Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami party.


"All over Pakistan, our organization holds protests, marches and distributes literature telling our youth how they are being manipulated toward this un-Islamic and immoral tradition."

According to Muqeet, Valentine's Day has no relevance or place in a Pakistani society, it is only "vulgarity" and a challenge to the sacred system of family as conceived in Islam.

"We cannot allow such acts as they will spoil the present and future generations," he said.

Despite such sentiments, across Pakistan, roadside stalls sell buckets of red roses and teenagers hang red heart balloons from their scooters. Radio jockeys speak of "love in the air" and bakeries bake special delicacies including cupcakes intended "for your special love."

Reference
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/02/13/valentines-day-pakistan/5447387/