Muslim woman defies male dominance

Muslim woman defies male dominance
By Farah El Alfy in Cairo, Egypt
AlJazeera.net

Amal Soliman, a 32-year-old Egyptian woman, has endured intimidation and ridicule in the year since she applied for a job as the Muslim world's first mazouna, or female marriage registrar, but she says her victory has been worth the fight.

In late September, Soliman, who holds a Masters degree in Islamic Sharia law, broke into what has until now been an exclusively males-only club.

However, the Committee of Egyptian Mazouns, an all-male organisation, challenged Soliman's application saying the job would be inappropriate for a woman and voiced their opinion in a statement issued by the committee.

A marriage officer presides over a wedding (or divorce) ceremony, recites verses from the Quran and signs the official certificates making the union legally binding.

Al Jazeera recently spoke with Soliman shortly after she conducted her first wedding ceremony on October 25.

Al Jazeera: Why did you decide to apply for a position that has traditionally – and for centuries – been a male vocation?

Soliman: In 2007 one of the two marriage officers of my neighbourhood passed away, leaving behind a job opportunity.

For three months everyone wondered who would be able to replace Al Hajj Abou Mesalam and right before the deadline (October 2007) for applying I rushed over to the civil court in Zagazig, the heart of rural Egypt, to give in my application.

I had been interested in pursuing a doctorate degree in Islamic studies but also maintaining a flexible job that would allow me to spend time with my three children.

Legally, there is no reason why a woman can't do the job, and the Mufti (Islamic scholar and interpreter of Islamic law) said it was religiously acceptable as it is only an administrative position.

In October 2007, my husband and I formally submitted an application to the local family court clerk for the post of marriage officer.

Was your application accepted?


Well, I took my husband with me because I was afraid I would be made fun of, which I was.

When I applied the man at the desk laughed openly at me and said that is was just not possible.

He imagined I would go home and forget about it, but instead I argued and told him that I had studied Sharia Law and I know it is an administrative job.

Though the clerk refused to accept my submission, I turned to Ibrahim Darwish, head of the local magistrate in Zagazig for his opinion.

Darwish was puzzled; he said there was no precedent for this situation so he did not know what to say. I took that as a sign that there was a small window of opportunity.

I then consulted Khaled el-Shalkamy, the head judge of Zagazig's family court.

I told him it was my right to be nominee as I was extremely qualified.

I told him just to accept me and let the other people involved in the selection process do the rest.

Were there no other applicants for the job?

Actually, I was in competition with 10 other candidates, all men, but none of them held post-graduate degrees in Sharia law like I did.

So el-Shalkamy accepted my application.

On February 25, I couldn't hold back my tears as I stood in front of the local court and was appointed as my district's new mazouna.

But the battle was half-won. I would not be able to begin work as a mazouna until Mamdouh Marei, the Egyptian minister of justice, formally signed off and authorised my appointment.

But many males did not accept the idea that a woman could hold what has been a man's job and you were targeted in the media.

The chairman of the Committee of Egyptian Mazouns, Muhammad Abou Ayeeta, said "the Ministry [of Justice] should refuse the appointment, because it is unacceptable that women would work in this occupation."

How did you deal with the backlash?

Well, at first my optimism slowly started to fade as I saw so much opposition. Some
columnists wrote that I was out to destroy tradition, that I was a threat to the religion and should be punished for pursuing the post.

But there were two main reasons for the opposition I faced. Firstly, it is simply rooted in male chauvinism. These people believe the woman's place is firmly in her house.

The other group was comprised of uneducated people who have developed an image of women's role in Islam from television; usually based on the words of a sheikh with a turban on his head.

Arguments made against me claimed that a woman couldn't perform marriages because of menstruation, as religion prevents women from praying or entering a mosque during her monthly cycle.

Others claimed that it was inappropriate for a woman to sit amongst men during the signing of the marriage certificates, which is traditionally predominately a male gathering where the marriage officer sits directly between the groom and his father-in-law.

Did no religious authority or group support you?

Well, four months after contacting the Ministry of Justice and receiving no word, I contacted the National Council for Women for a louder voice and stronger backing.

Both my opponents and proponents were beginning to wonder if I would ever receive the approval of the ministry of justice.

From the first moment that my papers where accepted as a nominee, the national press caught wind of this unusual event.

A journalist in Al Akhbar, one of Egypt's leading newspapers, heard about the situation, and helped launch my cause as a national debate.

Eventually the news went global. I think the media was a catalyst and made my appointment go through faster than it would have.

It made me happy to have so much international coverage … Sometimes when I'm sitting alone I wonder if I'm dreaming. What is going on? Did we really pull this off?

I'm happy not just for me; I had always wanted to show the world Egypt's developments with regards to women rights and gender equality.

But you did not get ministry approval until September 27; why did it take the ministry so long?

Of course I was happy and relieved, but more importantly I regained my confidence when the minister finally signed my appointment. I had slowly started to doubt myself up to that point.

However, I now believe that the minister had to be cautious, as this case was the first of its kind.

But laws are not religion. We can develop them.

On November 14, the United Arab Emirates followed in Egypt's footsteps and appointed Fatima Saeed Obeid Al Awani as a mazouna in the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.

AlJazeera.net

Help a Muslim Sister Win $10,000 for a Good Cause! (It's SO Simple & Rewarding!)

As-Salaamu 'Alaikum wa Rahmatullah!

Forward:

A former Muslim Girl Magazine covergirl (Jenna Evans, Nov/Dec 07 issue) is competing to win $10,000 in the whoinspiresu.ca video essay contest. Her video was selected as one of the top 20 and now it is up to the public to decide who gets the money!

Jenna hopes to use this money to organize an empowerment convention for women and girls in Toronto. To learn more, join her Facebook group "Empower our Girls" at: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=50938102275.

Please vote for Jenna at:
http://www.whoinspiresu.ca/whoinspiresu/whoinspiresu.html (The voting poll is on the left side of the page.)
Watch her video, it is video number 5.

Voting started yesterday and ends on March 31. You can vote once per day per IP address so please vote daily if possible!

Please spread the word!
JazakAllahu Khair.

- Hanifah Abdul-Baqi

Advice from the Prophet

Advice of the Prophet
2/6/2009 - Religious - Article Ref: ic0902-3803
Number of comments: 13
By: Staff
IslamiCity* -

Companion of Prophet Muhammad , Khalid ibn El Waleed narrated the following:

A Bedouin came one day to the Prophet and said to him, "O, Messenger of God! I've come to ask you a few questions about the affairs of this life and the Hereafter. "

The Prophet responded Ask what you wish.



* I'd like to be the most learned of men.
* Fear God, and you will be the most learned of men.

* I wish to be the richest man in the world.
* Be contented, and you will be the richest man in the world.

* I'd like to be the most just man.
* Desire for others what you desire for yourself, and you will be the most just of men.

* I want to be the best of men.
* Do good to others and you will be the best of men.

* I wish to be the most favored by God.
* Engage much in God's praise, and you will be most favored by Him.

* I'd like to complete my faith.
* If you have good manners you will complete your faith.

* I wish to be among those who do good.
* Adore God as if you see Him. If you don't see Him, Know that He sees you. In this way you will be among those who do good.

* I wish to be obedient to God.
* If you observe God's commands you will be obedient.

* I'd like to be free from all sins.
* Bathe yourself from impurity and you will be free from all sins.

* I'd like to be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light.
* Don't wrong yourself or any other creature, and you will be raised on the Day of Judgment in the light.

* I'd like God to bestow His mercy on me.
* If you have mercy on yourself and on others, God will grant you mercy on the Day of Judgment.

* I'd like my sins to be very few.
* If you seek the forgiveness of God as much as you can, your sins will be very few.

* I'd like to be the most honorable man.
* If you do not complain to any fellow creature, you will be the most honorable of men.

* I'd like to be the strongest of men.
* If you put your trust in God, you will be the strongest of men.

* I'd like to enlarge my provision.
* If you keep yourself pure, God will enlarge your provision.

* I'd like to be loved by God and His messenger.
* If you love what God and His messenger love, you will be among their beloved ones.

* I wish to be safe from God's wrath on the Day of Judgment.
* If you do not lose your temper with any of your fellow creatures, you will be safe from the wrath of God on the Day of Judgment.

* I'd like my prayers to be responded.
* If you avoid forbidden actions your prayers will be responded.

* I'd like God not to disgrace me on the Day of Judgment.
* If you guard your chastity, God will not disgrace you on the Day of Judgment.

* I'd like God to provide me with a protective covering on the Day of Judgment.
* Do not uncover your fellow peoples faults, and God will provide you with a covering protection on the Day of Judgment.

* What will save me from sins?
* Tears, humility and illness.

* What are the best deeds in the eyes of God?
* Gentle manners, modesty and patience.

* What are the worst evils in the eyes of God?
* Hot temper and miserliness.

* What alleviates the wrath of God in this life and in the Hereafter?
* Concealed charity and kindness to relatives.

* What extinguishes hell's fires on the Day of Judgment?
* Patience in adversity and misfortunes.

Imam El Mustaghfiri said: "I have never heard a tradition more comprehensive of the beauties of religion, and more beneficial than this hadith. It collects all the good things of Islam but not put to use." (Related by Imam Ibn Hambal)

No Pain No Gain by Sheikh Khâlid Husayn

Assalamu Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Allah tells us that we will be tested. He also makes it clear to us what is expected from us when we undergo these trials and what our reward will be if we are successful.

He says: “Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods, lives and the fruits (of your toil) but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere. Those who, when misfortune strikes them, say: ‘Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him is our return. Those are the ones upon whom are blessings and mercy from their Lord and it is those who are rightly guided.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 155]

The Prophet (peace be upon him)said: "No fatigue, illness, anxiety, sorrow, harm or sadness afflicts any Muslim, even to the extent of a thorn pricking him, without Allah wiping out his sins by it." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî and Sahîh Muslim]

In another narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “No Muslim is afflicted by harm, whether it is but the prick of a thorn or something worse, without Allah expiating his evil deeds on account of it and his sins falling away from him like leaves off a tree.'" [Sahîh al-Bukhârî]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When Allah desires good for someone, He tries him with hardships." [Sahîh al-Bukhârî]

The Muslim may be tested by all sorts of difficulties like sickness, lack of income, and disobedience from his children. In fact, the many afflictions that may beset a person are incalculable. This is the point that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was stressing when he mentioned: “fatigue, illness, anxiety, sorrow, harm or sadness …even to the extent of a thorn pricking him”.

All of these afflictions, if endured patiently by the believer, are a means of attaining Allah’s forgiveness as well as His reward.

Every one of us is being tested by Allah. He tests us all in different ways. We should not assume that the difficulties that we face in life are punishments or are signs that Allah is displeased with us. Likewise, we should never construe the success and pleasures that others enjoy as signs that Allah is pleased with them or that they are privileged. Sometimes, quite the opposite is true.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If Allah wants good for his servant, He hurries on His punishment in this world, and if He wills ill for a servant, he holds back punishing him for his sin so He can give it to him in full on the Day of Resurrection.”

Allah makes it clear that everything in our lives – the good and the bad of it– is a trial for us. How will we cope in the situation that Allah has placed for us? Will we be grateful in prosperity and patient in affliction or will we be arrogant and disobedient?

Allah says: “Every soul shall taste of death. And We will test you with evil and with good by way of trial. And to Us is your return.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 35].

Allah says: “Know that your wealth and your children are but a trial and that Allah has with Him a mighty reward.” [Sûrah al-Anfâl: 28]

Many people do not realize that they are tried just as severely with the good that they are given as they are by the misfortunes that befall them. Allah says: “And as for man, whenever his Lord tries him by honoring him and makes him lead an easy life, he says: ‘My Lord honors me’. But when He tries him by straitening his means of subsistence, he says: ‘My Lord has disgraced me’.” [Sûrah al-Fajr: 15-16]

Some people are blessed to be born and raised in good Muslim families then turn their backs on Islam, while others are born and raised in non-Muslim countries to unbelieving parents and grow up to be among the best of Muslims.

We are tried with wealth as well as poverty. If we are wealthy, will we hoard our wealth or spend in charity? Will we use it for lawful purposes or squander it in vice? Will we trust in Allah in our investments, or will our avarice and fear of losing our wealth make us take recourse to unlawful means to preserve it and increase it?

If we are poor, will we be content and patient and seek lawful means to attain our sustenance or will we resort to unlawful means to meet our needs? Will we accept the fact that Allah gives more to some people than he does to others, or will we grow hateful and vindictive?

We are tested with health as well as sickness. A man with good eyesight is tested with regards to his use of it. Will he use the blessing of his sight to good purpose or to gaze at unlawful things? His good eyesight may be what takes him to Hell. A blind man is tested whether he will bear patiently with his disability. His patience in affliction may be what earns him his place in Paradise . Our goal is the Hereafter and we are all being tested.

Allah says: “It is He who created death and life that He may try you as to which of you is best in deeds.” [Sûrah al-Mulk: 2]

We may also be tested through others. We know from experience that even a small child can experience suffering as well as a person who is mentally handicapped to such a degree that he cannot understand the concepts of Islam and is not legally accountable. Though it may not be that such a person is not undergoing tests of his own; however his plight may very well be a test for those his life affects. How will they treat him? Will they care for him, respect him, and give him his rights?

We may not be able to fathom the wisdom behind why Allah decrees what He does for us or for others of His creatures. However, we must know that Allah does everything in accordance with His wisdom and bear our trials patiently.

Ultimately, we must remember the words of Allah in the Qur’ân: “He cannot be questioned for what He does but they will be questioned.” [Sûrah al-Anbiyâ’: 23]

Wasalam

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=47155314222&ref=mf

Were She-Monkeys Stoned to Death for Fornication?

I was listening to a lecture and this person mentioned about how even monkeys stone fornicators for it is reported that they stoned a she-monkey. The brother stressed about how they (animals) dont allow such behavior and know the punishments of it. So I was like wait, hold up, are you SERIOUS?!
So I did a little googling and I was able to find the hadith and a commentary/ article on it alhamduilah. So lets get to bottom of this moneky fiasco.

Were She-Monkeys Stoned For Adultery?
14 October 2005

Hesham Azmy & Mohd Elfie Nieshaem Juferi

An amusing little polemic regarding a hadith that is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari has recently surfaced and is being circulated by some apostates from Islam. Naturally, the Christian missionaries too had decided to jump on the bandwagon of smearing Islam through a misinterpretation of this hadith as well. The hadith is recorded as follows:

Volume 5, Book 58, Number 188:

Narrated ‘Amru bin Maimun: “During the pre-lslamic period of ignorance I saw a she-monkey surrounded by a number of monkeys. They were all stoning it, because it had committed illegal sexual intercourse. I too, stoned it along with them.”

The basic premise of their “charge” is that the Prophet(P) had ordered the stoning of a she-monkey, and that lapidation for zina (fornication) is extended to animals as well. More...

Quite interesting.... so animals have the same rights as us? Hmmm yeah....

May Allah continue to guide us. Ameen.

Learn REAL arabic!

Alhamdulilah a brother informed me of this teacher.
The Brother at thefikqs.org teaches arabic in depth and explains the sciences of arabic, just not how to speak it so you can have total clarity of the arabic language, inshAllah. So take advantage of this free course. They also have other courses that they provide such as fiqh, tajweed, and others Alhamduilah. InsAllah may we all benefit from it and May Allah bless the brother for his good works.

The Minor signs...

The Minor Signs:

- The disappearance of knowledge and the appearance of ignorance (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Ahmad)

- Books/writing will be widespread and (religious) knowledge will be low (Ahmad)

- Adultery and fornication will be prevalent (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that this has never happened without new diseases befalling the people, which their ancestors had not known.) (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Al-Haythami)

- When fornication becomes widespread among your leaders (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that this will happen when the people stop forbidding evil) (Ibn Majah)

- Adultery and fornication will be performed in the open

- The consumption of intoxicants will be widespread (Bukhari & Muslim)

- Women will outnumber men......eventually 50:1 (Bukhari, Muslim, & Ahmad)

- Killing, killing, killing (Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, & Ahmad)

- The nations of the earth will gather against the Muslims like hungry people going to sit down to a table full of food. This will occur when the Muslims are large in number, but "like the foam of the sea".

- People will beat others with whips like the tails of oxen (Muslim) ?The Slave Trade

- The children will be filled with rage (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim)

- Children will be foul (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim)

- Women will conspire (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim)

- Rain will be acidic or burning (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim)

- Children of fornication will become widespread or prevalent (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim)

- When a trust becomes a means of making a profit (at-Tirmidhi, Al-Haythami)

- Gains will be shared out only among the rich, with no benefit to the poor (at-Tirmidhi)

- Paying zakat becomes a burden and miserliness becomes widespread; charity is given reluctantly (at-Tirmidhi & Al-Haythami)

- Miserliness will be thrown into the hearts of people (Bukhari)

- Episodes of sudden death will become widespread (Ahmad)

- There will be people who will be brethren in public but enemies in secret (He was asked how that would come about and replied, "Because they will have ulterior motives in their mutual dealings and at the same time will fear one another.") (at-Tirmidhi)

- When a man obeys his wife and disobeys his mother; and treats his friend kindly while shunning his father (at-Tirmidhi)

- When voices are raised in the mosques (at-Tirmidhi)

- People will walk in the marketplace with their thighs exposed

- Great distances will be traversed in short spans of time

- The people of Iraq will recieve no food and no money due to oppression by the Romans (Europeans) (Muslim)

- People will hop between the clouds and the earth

- A tribulation will enter everyone�s home (Ahmad)

- The leader of a people will be the worst of them (at-Tirmidhi)

- Leaders of people will be oppressors (Al-Haythami)

- People will treat a man with respect out of fear for some evil he might do (at-Tirmidhi)

- Men will begin to wear silk (at-Tirmidhi)

- Female singers and musical instruments will become popular (at-Tirmidhi)

- When singers become common (Al-Haythami)

- People will dance late into the night

- When the last ones of the Ummah begin to curse the first ones (at-Tirmidhi)

- People will claim to follow the Qur'an but will reject hadith & sunnah (Abu Dawood)

- People will believe in the stars (Al-Haythami)

- People will reject al-Qadr (the Divine Decree of Destiny) (Al-Haythami)

- Time will pass rapidly (Bukhari, Muslim, & Ahmad)

- Good deeds will decrease (Bukhari)

- Smog will appear over cities because of the evil that they are doing

- People will be carrying on with their trade, but their will only be a few trustworthy persons

- Wealth will increase so much so that if a man were given 10,000, he would not be content with it (Ahmad & Bukhari)

- A man will pass by a grave and wish that he was in their place (Bukhari)

- Earthquakes will increase (Bukhari & Muslim)

- There will be attempts to make the deserts green

- The appearance of false messengers (30 dajjals) (Bukhari)

- Women will be naked in spite of being dressed, these women will be led astray & will lead others astray (Muslim)

- The conquest of Constantinople by the Muslims (Ahmad)

- The conquest of India by the Muslims, just prior to the return of Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon both of them)(Ahmad, an-Nisa'i, at-Tabarani, al-Hakim)

- When people begin to compete with others in the construction of taller buildings (Bukhari)

- There will be a special greeting for the people of distinction (Ahmad)

- The Euphrates will disclose a treasure (The Prophet, peace be upon him, said that whoever is present should not take anything from it) (Bukhari & Muslim)

- Two large groups, adhering to the same religious teaching will fight each other with large numbers of casualties (Bukhari & Muslim)

- Wild animals will be able to talk to humans (Ahmad)

- A man will leave his home and his thigh or hip will tell him what is happening back at his home (Ahmad)

- Years of deceit in which the truthful person will not be believed and the liar will be believed (Ahmad)

- Bearing false witness will become widespread (Al-Haythami & Ahmad)

- When men lie with men and women lie with women (Al-Haythami)

- Trade will become so widespread that a woman will be forced to help her husband in business (Ahmad)

- A woman will enter the workforce out of love for this world (Ahmad)

- Arrogance will increase in the earth (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim)

- Family ties will be cut (Ahmad)

- There will be many women of child-bearing age who will no longer give birth.

- There will be an abundance of food, much of which has no blessing in it.

- People will refuse when offerred food.

- Men will begin to look like women and women will begin to look like men

Just something to think about..the reason why we all pray, fast, & worship Allah as best we can, before its too late.

Posted my Nada O on Facebook.

Why not to Celebrate Valentine's Day

Asalam Walikum

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his family and companions. Allah has chosen for us Islam as our religion and He will not accept any other religion from anyone, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers" [Aal ‘Imraan 3:85]

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that groups of his ummah would follow the enemies of Allah in some of their rituals and customs, as it says in the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you, span by span, cubit by cubit, until even if they were to enter a lizard’s hole, you would follow them.” We said, “O Messenger of Allah, (do you mean) the Jews and Christians?” He said, “Who else? !” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari in al-I’tisaam bi’l-Kitaab wa’l-Sunnah, Baab Qawl al-Nabi (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) La tattabi’unna Sanan man kaana qablakum, 8/151; and by Muslim in Kitaab al-‘Ilm, Baab Ittibaa’ Sanan al-Yahood wa’l-Nasaara, 4/ 2054)

What the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) spoke of has indeed come to pass and has become widespread in recent times, in many of the Muslim countries. Many of the Muslims follow the enemies of Allah in many of their customs and ways of behaving, and imitate them in some of their rituals and in celebrating their holidays. The matter has been made even worse by the opening up of mass communications between peoples, whereby the rituals and customs of the kuffaar are now transmitted with the glamorous adornment of sound and image from their countries into the Muslim countries, via satellite TV and the World Wide Web (Internet). Many Muslims have been deceived by their glamour.

In recent years, a new phenomenon has spread among the Muslim youth – males and females alike – which does not bode well. This is manifested in their imitation of the Christians in their celebration of the Valentine’s Day, which has led the scholars and daa’iyahs to explain the rulings of sharee’ah concerning that, out of sincerity towards Allah, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk, so that Muslims may have a clear understanding of this issue and so that they will not fall into that which will undermine the belief (‘aqeedah) with which Allah has blessed them. This is a brief discussion of the origins, development and purpose of this holiday, and what the Muslim should do with regard to it.

The story of the Festival of Love (Valentine’s Day)

The Festival of Love was one of the festivals of the pagan Romans, when paganism was the prevalent religion of the Romans more than seventeen centuries ago. In the pagan Roman concept, it was an expression of “spiritual love”. There were myths associated with this pagan festival of the Romans, which persisted with their Christian heirs. Among the most famous of these myths was the Roman belief that Romulus, the founder of Rome, was suckled one day by a she-wolf, which gave him strength and wisdom. The Romans used to celebrate this event in mid-February each year with a big festival. One of the rituals of this festival was the sacrifice of a dog and a goat. Two strong and muscular youths would daub the blood of the dog and goat onto their bodies, then they would wash the blood away with milk. After that there would be a great parade, with these two youths at its head, which would go about the streets. The two youths would have pieces of leather with which they would hit everyone who crossed their path. The Roman women would welcome these blows, because they believed that they could prevent or cure infertility. Read More


Heres a snippet before even going to all the history about it, that we should be mindful of by Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen:

The clear evidence of the Qur’aan and Sunnah – and the consensus of the early generations of this ummah – indicates that there are only two festivals in Islam: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. Any other festivals that have to do with a person, a group, an event or anything else are innovated festivals, which it is not permissible for Muslims to observe, approve of or express joy on those occasions, or to help others to celebrate them in any way, because that is transgressing the sacred limits of Allaah, and whoever transgresses the sacred limits of Allaah has wronged himself. If the fabricated festival is also a festival of the kuffaar, then the sin is even greater, because this is imitating them and it is a kind of taking them as close friends, and Allaah has forbidden the believers to imitate them and take them as close friends in His Holy Book. And it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” Valentine’s Day comes under this heading because it is an idolatrous Christian festival, so it is not permissible for a Muslim who believes in Allaah and the Last Day to observe it or approve of it or congratulate people on it. Rather he has to ignore it and avoid it, in obedience to Allaah and His Messenger, and so as to keep away from the causes that incur the wrath and punishment of Allaah. It is also haraam for the Muslim to help people to celebrate this or any other haraam festival by supplying any kind of food or drink, or buying or selling or manufacturing or giving or advertising etc., because all of that is cooperating in sin and transgression and is disobedience towards Allaah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Help you one another in Al‑Birr and At‑Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment”

[al-Maa’idah 5:2]


May Allah Guide us all.