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Muslim Scholars in Brunei: Celebrating Valentine's Day Weakens Community
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| Cupid, the Roman God of Love, personifies Valentine's Day |
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Feb. 3 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Religious leaders in the sultanate of Brunei have warned followers against celebrating Valentine's Day, saying the Christian practice could erode moral values, weaken the community and destroy Islam, news agencies reported.
In a sermon issued at mosques over the weekend in the overwhelmingly Muslim kingdom, the scholars said: "We must remember that attempts by certain elements to weaken the ummah (community) and destroy Islam are continuing relentlessly.
"They will try every means and ways to weaken our ummah especially the young generation by inculcating their negative culture into our community such as promoting Valentine's Day," they added, AFP reported.
Valentine's Day, named after a patron saint for lovers and celebrated on February 14, has become a popular informal holiday in Asian countries. Sales of roses, chocolates and greetings cards surge as couples and suitors express their affection with presents.
The scholars underscored the primacy of love for Allah in Islam. "Therefore, in Islam, it is better for us to strengthen our relationship with Allah the Almighty and celebrate our love for Him with good deeds that could in turn strengthen our love for each other, to our family and community at large," said the scholars.
Speaking on the same topic, Suad Saleh, professor in Fiqh (Jurisprudence) in Al Azhar University said that the western tradition of celebrating Valentine's day is something that Muslims must not follow blindly.
"Islam is a religion of love and helping one another. Allah has united us all on one heart, under the umbrella of faith and he made us (Muslims) all as strong as one body. There are legitimate forms of love as well as illegitimate forms of love. The legitimate forms include love between a husband and wife, between parents and children and before all that loving Allah and our prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)," she said.
Saleh added that Islam does not oppose celebrating happy occasions but that celebrating Valentine day is illogical because it summarizes the meanings of love in to one day while our religion tells us to live in love all year round.
"In addition, celebrating Valentine's day is marred by many words and actions that take out the loving meaning and turns it into a frivolous, promiscuous day," she said.
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