Valentine's Day, love and the case for easier marriage

"Valentine's Day – Are you loving it?" is an essay by Mohammad Zahid, published on Ink of Faith on 25 April 2026 in its Matters of the Heart category. It starts with the familiar red decorations and gift packages, then makes two arguments that sit side by side: that Muslims have no need for this particular day, and that the real problem behind it is how hard many communities have made marriage for young people.

Love is already part of the faith

The author is clear that Islam does not oppose love. He cites Sūrah al-Rūm, 30:21, on the affection and mercy Allah places between spouses, and recalls how the Prophet ﷺ raced with ʿĀ'ishah رضي الله عنها and kept praising Khadījah رضي الله عنها long after her death. He also quotes the hadith in Sunan al-Tirmidhī about the best of people being the best to their families. His summary of the point: "Love in Islam is not seasonal; it is structural."

Where the day comes from

The essay then turns to history. In the author's account, the day grew out of a pagan Roman festival held in mid-February, which he describes in some detail, and was later renamed after one or more Christian martyrs called Valentine. He retells the popular story of a priest who performed secret marriages against an emperor's orders, while noting how much of it is legend.

Why he says Muslims should not adopt it

Here the author draws on Sūrah Āl ʿImrān, 3:85, and the hadith narrated by Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī about following the ways of earlier nations step by step. His argument is that Allah has already prescribed the festivals Muslims celebrate, that the day often opens the door to relationships Islam forbids, and that holding a clear Muslim identity earns more respect than quietly blending in.

The real issue: making nikah difficult

The longest and most practical part of the essay is addressed to families. The author argues that attraction is natural and not in itself sinful, and quotes Imam Ibn al-Qayyim on how deeply that inclination runs. The solution Islam offers is marriage, yet he says culture and tradition have made it a burden, and young adults who ask for help are sometimes shamed for it. He calls on families to make the permissible easy.

He closes with the image of spouses as a garment for one another, from Sūrah al-Baqarah, 2:187, the companionship of Ādam and Ḥawwā', and the Prophet ﷺ seeking comfort from Khadījah رضي الله عنها after the first revelation. His message to those still waiting: trust Allah's plan, and use the time to become someone worthy of being another person's peace.

Read the full essay by Mohammad Zahid at Ink of Faith.