KUALA LUMPUR – The Islamic Development Department (Jakim) has reminded Muslims to refrain from celebrating Valentine’s Day, saying it is not part of Islamic culture.
The department said this in a statement on Facebook, adding that the celebration has never been endorsed by the religion.
“Valentine’s Day, which falls on February 14 every year, has never been endorsed in Islam, and it is not part of Muslim culture,” it said.
It then quoted the Prophet Muhammad who said that anyone “who resembles a race, then he is part of them,” indicating that Muslims who practice the customs of other communities become a part of their culture.
Jakim also said that Islam did not prevent love “as long as it does not contradict the laws of shariah”.
Jakim’s views on Valentine’s Day – originally a Christian feast to honour a saint but now heavily commercialised – have been expressed before by local religious figures.
They include celebrity preacher Ustaz Azhar Idrus, who has said that Valentine’s Day is forbidden for Muslims, even if “just for fun” because of its Christian roots. – The Vibes, February 14, 2023
