Some women are good and some are bad. Similarly some men are bad and some are good.

Valentine's day. A day on which a couple show their outward affection for each other through gifts and other acts of devtion. It may involve flowers and even chocolate. Isn't this the height of western decadence mixed with fairytale Hollywood romance?

Surely this is something that all Muslims should stay away from Or should they?

If you look at the underlying message of Saint Valentine, who was Christian, the message is not one of romance, decadence or fairytales. It is a simple tale of marriage.

Saint Valentine conducted marriage ceremonies for individuals who wanted to get married but for whatever reason wanted to get married, religion allowed but but for whatever reason they couldn't (including reasons of societal taboo).

Recently I’ve had quite a few friends talking to me about marriage and how they feel sadness that while so many people that they know, are getting married, their situation regarding marriage is never changing. They want that companion that Allah swt has placed in us, to want (and it’s not being desperate or the new ‘in’ word “thirsty” – personally I think that, thinking this is both childish and naive). These friends are by no doubt conscious, of the ever present requirements of culture to get married before they get too old. Now, I don’t look down on both of these things because I can empathise, they are both, particularly the latter, sad realities of the society that we live in.