PESHAWAR:
Even more than a decade after it gained widespread popularity in the country, Valentine’s Day continues to polarise segments of society.
Mobile phones and social networking sites such as Facebook have been inundated with messages for and against celebrating Valentine’s Day, as both sides try to gain a wider audience.
The Express Tribune talked to a few youngsters for their point of view. Rehan, who is a student of A levels at Roots College International Islamabad, was also found sending anti-Valentine’s Day messages for violating cultural values.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Rehan said celebrating Valentine’s Day was against the norms of an Islamic society. Valentine’s Day celebrations started after Valentine was beheaded by a Roman emperor for going against his orders.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day means we are celebrating Valentine’s death, which is neither logical nor ethical, he said. “Let it be celebrated as a festival but if we can celebrate Valentine’s Day why not celebrate Christmas and Holi?”
However, a few from the conservative city were found to in favour of celebrating Valentine’s Day and said it was only a festival like Jashn-e-Nauroz.
Shumaila, who has graduated from University of Peshawar’s Law College and is currently preparing for CSS, said branding Valentine’s Day as a Western import was illogical and those who subscribe to this view should also ditch the Gregorian calendar and start following the Islamic one. “It’s human nature to have a valentine. If you don’t have a crush you are not human.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2012.
COMMENTS (36)
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@Loneliberal PK: Very well said and i liked the idea of gulab jamun and jasmine
Loneliberal Pk, Neither the polio day nor the breast-cancer awareness day is a traditional festival that has roots in the cultural, social and historical grounds of any country. They are the unanimously agreed upon days aimed to trigger awareness in the masses. Valentine has a deep association with the culture and history of West. Imagine a professional singer sings the song of another singer, sells it in market and proudly declares the act of cheating.
Rehan Khan,
Love is not an imported product, it's a fairly ubiquitous phenomenon. You may just as (poorly) argue that the world polio day, breast-cancer awareness day, or mother's day are "foreign" events. Pakistanis didn't come up with these events, but we still recognize them because all these things are just as pertinent to our society. I dare say, so is love.
We don't have to celebrate Valentine's day exactly the way the Western world does. Instead of chocolates and roses, have gulab jaman and jasmine. Or as I said earlier, you're free not to celebrate at all (I know I didn't).
It's just rather puerile ranting and complaining about something that's basically just a celebration of love.
I don't know what the valentine is, who is behind it and why this event came into being.
I just thought of buying some red rose like everyone and present it to my loved once to cheer them up.
Loneliberal PK: It defies every article of logic and reason behind the comparison of Independence with an imported product. The celebration of independence is the reflection of our deep love and nationalism associated with the motherland; consequently takes the form of expression. A festival that has no roots in our cultural, ethical and ideological fabric must be condemned with all intensity of words and practice.
How about Qadri day? It is not unislamic
This debate is a lost cause simple is that !! Thats why Today On my Facebook Page [www.facebook.com/isharearena] I wished all of my International Page Fans Happy "Valentines Day " and for Pakistani Fans " Happy Tuesday " :) ... All those writing 300 +word comments against Valentine day are just playing "Veena Malik" Negating what they actually do...
I wished my Loved one Today and I am a Muslim.Period
Valentine Day is NOT a holy day for the Muslims.
Islam preaches love and affection with the elder and younger people and that goes 24/7, 365 days in the year and NOT only for one day on February 14.
Rehan Khan,
No, love doesn't demand a special day. Just like the recognition of our independence doesn't really demand an independence day celebration. You'll remain just as independent whether or not you wave your country's flag on 14th August, so why even bother?
It's just symbolic, really. It's an excuse to celebrate love in a world where there are so many reasons to hate.
Zoha
You don't seem to care very much for the poor when you're spending "millions and billions" on multiple religious pilgrimages to a foreign country. Or buying 6-7 dresses when you only need 2 or 3. Or buy a Corolla, Honda when you only need a Mehran. Ever went to a restaurant for dinner that costs thrice as much as it takes to eat at home? Of course you did.
See some money being spent on a few roses for a loved one, and you feel the need to deliver a sermon about the immorality of excessive spending? Sometimes, we spend our hard-earned money on things that make us happy. This is just one of those things.
Since when did expressing love to the object of your affection become ‘un-Islamic’? Regardless of its origins, anything promoting love, peace, harmony, goodwill and tolerance should be embraced with a vengeance. Or am I missing something… I suppose we would be happy celebrating a ‘hate Something/Someone day’ instead. We do love to hate everything.
Sorry I m a Muslim Girl :)
Instead of aping the most awful things from foreign cultures and religions, why not just learn their science, technology, and management. However, Pakistanis only know to learn the worst of traits.
@jagit: True. I agree. I am a patriotic pakistani but wish for peace with India with all my heart. Love and Peace to India from Pakistan on Valentine's Day! @ Rajendra: Not a bad idea perhaps we should celebrate a Heer Ranjha/ Valentine's Day !
I am living in Germany for past 3 years and I have not seen people celebrating Valentine's day as festival here. Yes, people share messages of 'Love' among each other but I have not seen a single Television channel turned their original mascot to Red Heart or whatever. The color themes remain as it. I don't see any Valentine's day special program anywhere. Even the shops are not decorated with cupid or hearts.
I don't understand where have we imported this thing?
Half of the time Paksitani journalists and the people being interviewed are hard to understand. They speak and write in horrible English, but still insist to speak and write in it.
Instead of Valentine day, the people of subcontinent should celebrate Heer-Ranjha and Sohni-Mahiwal days. Since we have our own celebrated love pairs, why can't we remember then as great symbols of love?
The ostentation- clad celebration of Valentine’s Day in Pakistan is a flat slap on the chunk of population living behind poverty belt and an act of provoking the sentiments of those breathing hard for the survival of life. The ocean of words seems to get exhausted to explain the magnitude of shame in which we are drowned as a result of indulging into this Satan-invented frenzy. If the expression of love demands a special day introduced by the lustful mind of West, I would prefer to contain my love within the corridors of my heart.
For the land of Soni Mheval,Sassi Pannu and Heer Ranjha to even think of not celebrating love . I think Pakistanis need to sit back and think about that
Absolute deviation from the message of Allah. We are drowning fast and exposed to foreign culture onslaught. This is clear in Quran that we should not even give a look to the practices of non believers.
V-Day is only celebrated by Vitamin Deficient people ...
If I don't celebrate valentines day doesn't mean that I'm against it. I just don't understand why'd people set a day limit to their love?
No obligations in reading the following short pamflet, but if anyone is interested it tells what Islam says in light of this
http://www.fahmedeen.org/books/IntheNameofLove.pdf
Celebrate anything any day that makes you happy .......cheers
In today's busy and tensed environmental people hardly get time for each other. If they are celebrating it, its good. Y to link it with religion. And this is not an Islamic country plzz...
"In the end, after all our successes and failures, the value of our life will be how much we have loved." - Ammachi
Expression of love should not be reserved for one special day. We shouldn’t wait to tell those special people in our lives how much we care. Love needs expression, at every moment, every day. Your loved ones deserve it not only on one particular day. And who has seen tomorrow. So be generous; it’s never too late. Give your love away; it only multiplies.
@ Waqas: Oh u think Celebrations Should have a certain origion and the rest is self explanatory and we all should follow your opinions blindly.. well think again.
@ Zoha: Celebrating Valentines day with your loved ones does not equate to encouraging spending Millions and Billions (really !) no obligation to spend from the masses, neither me ! although I wont be so sure one's Valentine would be so agreeable if someone opted to cheap out ;D Also not spending is not helping any 1 at all and as a matter of fact spending does help alot of people from street children selling roses & balloons to tht poor waitor whom u wud tip if u wont cheap out on tht 2..
The topic is open to debate, when a handful of people embrace valentines day religiously, and celebrate it with zeal and vigour, the others give a damn to it. Its true that love, feeling to express, roses, sweet scents, exotic environment, romance and chocolates etc beguile every other person who claims to have a heart. The point to be taken is whether this glitzy occasion conforms to the Islamic prescription laid down for the muslims? A nation which is on the verge of starvation, dying of poverty, spends millions and billions to express their love. Devil- may care attitude, cool enough!!!
You may celebrate it, or choose not to. There's no obligation either way.
Just don't tell me what I can or cannot do. Maybe love has no place in your culture, but it does have a place in mine.
everyone convenience matter.. who didnt get a chance to celebrate vday with anyone he goes against of it :p
In my opinion a celeberations should have relegious or cultural background. Besides origine of this festival, whether it came from christians or jews, it has no roots in south east asia and in Islam. So what is fun to celeberate valantines.
If you are not convinced dont celebrate it ! its as simple as that what and who gives you the authority to question others and even that on the grounds of religion ! As if all is islamic and as should be with you individually and the society on a larger collective scale ! Even if you thnk u are perfect Model of a Muslim still you have no right to Judge others. Also what makes you an expert and authority on a day you do not even believe in, how can you question someone elses intentions or you claim to read minds as well ?? People go into lengths of argument relating it to pagan festivals (when Valentines Day counters Lupercalica) and Jews (When Saint Valentines was a Christian), or the more sensible one's to actual Saint Valentine's beheading when clearly it was not a religious issue but a social/political one. When Islam did ever oppose celebrating social occassions, or is Islam against choosing your spouse or Love for another Human being??? Cuz these are the things that Valentine's Day stand for, The thing that is common to all being Humans that is "Love". If you choose to make a day about "Love" into "Love to Hate" the problem lies with you not others..!!
Ashiq-e-rasool Mumtaz Quadri had no problem!!