CELEBRATING Valentine’s Day means resembling or imitating the pagan Romans, then the Christian People of the Book in their imitation of the Romans in something that was not part of their religion.

If it is not allowed to imitate the Christians in things that really are part of their religion — but not part of our religion — then how about things which they have innovated in their religion in imitation of idolaters?

Imitating non-Muslims in general, whether they are idolaters or People of the Book, is haraam (prohibited), whether that imitation is of their worship — which is the most serious form — or of their customs and behaviour.

This is indicated by the holy Quran, Sunnah and Ijmaa’ (unanimous consensus of scholars)

Hassan Raza Rajput
Guddu, Kashmore

Published in Dawn, February 12th, 2019