Transcript Valentines Day - Masjid Altawba

Masjid Al-Tawba Youth Islamic Club - Presentation
January 24, 2015
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Islamic Perspectives
Topic Agenda
 Historical Background
 What are The Intentions Behind Commemorating This
Day
 Society of Today & Valentine’s Day
 The Islamic View of This Day
 Muslims & Valentine’s Day – How To Approach Those
Who Celebrate it
 Q&A
- Discussions
Historical Background
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Historical Facts
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February has been celebrated as month of romance
Valentine’s Day contains vestiges of both Christian and
ancient Roman tradition.
Legends
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Who was St. Valentine
What was his mission
How he became so popular
What Are The Intentions Behind
Commemorating This Day
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Historically anyone going against the rules becomes
popular.
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If there is a violation of what is norm of that society –
the violation itself becomes a custom.
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Popular stories and legends emerge from these events and
are passed onto generations.
Financial Tag For V-Day
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Being there for your partner every day more important
than gifts or flowers, a study finds.
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Americans are spending on romance again, and men throw
down far more cash than women.
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Retailers love this day as Americans sell out billions of
dollars every February 14.
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Ref: US News: http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/02/14/charts-the-economics-of-valentines-day
Average Spending 2004-2013
(Source: National Retail Federation. All figures except 2013 are adjusted for inflation to 2012 dollars.)
Distribution of Purchases
(Source: National Retail Federation.)
Popular for Single – Harvard Business School
Valentine’s Day In Schools
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Portrayed as innocent festival - Friendship Day
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Encourage relationship – not approved by Allah
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Freedom for kids to pass inappropriate notes
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One more day to celebrate
QS: Al-Hadid - 20
Know that the life of this world is only play and
amusement, pomp and mutual boasting among you, and
rivalry in respect of wealth and children, (it is) as the
likeness of vegetation after rain, thereof the growth is
pleasing to the tiller; afterwards it dries up and you see
it turning yellow; then it becomes straw. But in the
Hereafter (there is) a severe torment (for the
disbelievers, evil-doers), and (there is) Forgiveness from
Allâh and (His) Good Pleasure (for the believers — gooddoers), And the life of this world is only a deceiving
enjoyment.
The Islamic View
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The gift of HAWA (aptitude to have feelings)
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The crucial role of HAWA in preserving the human kind
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The types of Love ( vertical and horizontal )
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The balanced management of feelings for the
achievement of the perfect love
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Valentine’s day in the balance of the perfect love
structure!
Muslims & Valentine’s Day
LoVe
Love In Islam
Misconception of Love
 Allah SWT is Al Wadud – The Most Loving
 Love that is not Blessed by Allah SWT .
 Love is a feeling that Allah bestows onto the
hearts of human kind
 It turns the meaning of love to the satisfaction
of desire.
 Love of Allah & His Messenger SAW
 This love which leads to deception, misery and
despair by establishing illusions and fantasies
in the minds of people making them prone to
error and easy prey to temptation
 Love of the spouses
 Love of the family, parents, brothers and
sisters, the relatives,
 This idea of Love can never bring satisfaction.
 Love of your Muslim community
 It encourages Fahisha which leads to Zina
 Love for the sake of Allah SWT
 Ultimately leads to the loss of the self in this
Life and in the Hereafter
Celebration of Love
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‘For every nation We have ordained religious ceremonies
which they must follow.’ (Surah Al Hajj, Verse 67)
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In Islam, the festivals are clearly defined and well
established. They are an essential part of our worship, the
best way to worship Allah SWT is the way he wanted us to
worship Him (ie. following the Quran and Sunnah).
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In Islam, love is expressed throughout the year, at all times
and on all occasions and not just on one day of the year.
The husband who sincerely loves his wife, and the wife
who sincerely loves her husband does not need Valentine’s
Day to remind them of their love.
Celebration of Love
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Allah SWT rewards abundantly those who strives to please
their loved ones by being kind, loving, exchanging gifts,
hearts, chocolates, flowers, writing love
letters/cards/poems and going out, as long as they are
Islamically permissible to you.
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Do we want to strive towards seeking Allah’s SWT
Pleasure or His Displeasure?
Muslims Attitude Towards Valentine’s Day
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Do you really want to participate in a pagan celebration:
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that reveres Cupid – their naked god of love, who shoots you with
his bow and arrow so that you fall in love?
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that forces you to conform to peer pressures – like wearing red
clothes and exchanging gifts?
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that imitates the actions, customs and behavior of those who are not
Muslims?
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that glamorizes boyfriend/girlfriend relationships, and encourages
intimate relations?
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that goes against everything we are advised to do in Islam?
Muslims Attitude Towards Valentine’s Day
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Muslims are proud to identify themselves as Muslims. We must
embrace our uniqueness and not worry about distinguishing
ourselves from the people around us. We don’t want to follow
their customs or be influenced by their behavior.
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There is no religion which encourages its followers to love and
care for one another more than Islam does.
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Our goal in life is to win the pleasure of Allah SWT!!!
Why Muslims Should Not Celebrate &
Support Or Encourage Valentine’s Day
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Society sells Valentine’s Day as a loving and harmless festival so
it is very easy to buy into all the hype and feel compelled to
partake in Valentine’s Day customs too
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Societal pressures constantly push you to take it a step further
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So stay far away from anything that can lead you down a
dangerous path. Protect yourself and your family from getting
sucked into the Valentine’s Day myth by not participating or
encouraging it at all
It start with a Valentine’s card, then Valentine’s gift and then
bigger trouble
Tips For Parents
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Teach your children to love Allah SWT and love their
Deen. frequently discuss the pitfalls of seeking love before
marriage
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Be there friend and talk to them and they will listen
Talk about how marriage protects love
Discuss frequently the pitfalls of love outside of marriage, the
carelessness and the consequence
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Keep them busy with activities, especially during the
adolescence years
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Teach them to avoid trouble at a distance
Explain how love and attraction are normal and good
Encourage and explain the way to Islamic marriage
Tips For Parents
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Teach your children to love Allah SWT and love their
Deen. frequently discuss the pitfalls of seeking love before
marriage
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Be there friend and talk to them and they will listen
Talk about how marriage protects love
Discuss frequently the pitfalls of love outside of marriage, the
carelessness and the consequence
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Keep them busy with activities, especially during the
adolescence years
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Teach them to avoid trouble at a distance
Explain how love and attraction are normal and good
Encourage and explain the way to Islamic marriage
Tips For Parents
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Make your children feel loved so that they don’t seek it any
where else. If your child wants to be hugged stop
everything and give them one
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The most powerful hold you will have over your children is your
connection to their hart, nurture it, its bond that will last for ever
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Show them how to love, how to be kind and how to forgive
by being a great role model
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Create an environment in your home where your kids
don’t feel left out and long for what is going on in secular
society, celebrate love and sharing in your home everyday
Tips For Young People
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Be proud to be a Muslim.
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Each one you have been selected by Allah SWT and bless with this
perfected way of life, its pure, just and merciful
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Nobody can be more powerful than a Muslim because when you
need help you turn to Allah the Most Powerful and Tremendous,
able to do all things
Tips For Young People
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Avoid trouble at a distance
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Don’t confuse the satisfaction of desire with love
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Some young people convince themselves that they have true
feelings of love. Do not kid yourselves, this is not Love but
hormones, don’t give in, learn to avoid temptation at a distance
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This idea of Love can never bring satisfaction
Giving into the low desires leads to deception, misery and despair
by establishing illusions and fantasies in the minds of people
making them prone to error and easy prey to temptation
Tips For Young People
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There is a lot of pressure in broader society to part-take.
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Be honest, simply tell your non-Muslim friends that you don’t
celebrate Valentine’s day as its not part of your religion
Stay busy with activities, reading, sports, exercise, etc.
From The Quran & Hadith
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"O you who have believed, enter into Islam completely and
perfectly and do not follow the footsteps of Satan. Indeed,
he is to you a clear enemy." (Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 208)
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“And come not near to adultery. Verily, it is a Fahisha [i.e.
anything that transgresses its limits (a great sin)], and an
evil way.” (Surah Al-Isra‘, Verse 32)
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"By the One in Whose hand is my soul, you will not enter
Paradise until you truly believe, and you will not truly
believe until you love one another. Shall I not tell you of
something that, if you do it, you will love one another?
Spread (the greeting of) salaam amongst yourselves."
(Sahih Muslim)
Q&A
Discussions