Valentine’s Day: Mohabbat IS our Saqafat

Posted on February 14, 2011
Filed Under >Adil Najam, Society
23 Comments
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Adil Najam

Mohabbat aisa darya hai, kay barish tHehR bhi jayee
Tou paani kam nahiN hoota

I am not much of a “Valentine’s Day” celebrating type. Yet, each year I find myself writing a post on the subject. I had convinced myself that this year I would not. But, then, just an hour ago I found myself being interviewed on excatly that – Valentine Day in Pakistan – on an Urdu radio show.

Once again, I realized the futility of such discussions. My response was simple. Since when is mohabbat (love) not part of our saqafat (culture)? And if we are to build a culture not defined by mohabbat (love), then what will it be defined by? Nafrat (hate)!!

Those who do not wish to celebrate Valentines Day, should not. And those who chose to do so can do so in totally “Pakistani ways” – as so many are already doing (Valentine’s Day cards with Ghalib verses on them!). But ultimately, mohabbat (love) is a sentiment very worth celebrating.

Mohabbat Zindabaad!

23 responses to “Valentine’s Day: Mohabbat IS our Saqafat”

  1. Samdani says:

    Jo jurm mohbat mn tujhe maira bana dey
    Aisi hi koi pyari saza mang rhi hon’
    – Parveen Shakir

  2. Adnan says:


    why dont you come up with your own mullah who will be remembered for love and romance for centuries to come and I’ll celebrate his day forever, until then shut the hell up!

    Asim,Only single name, Propher Muhammad(SAW), His love for his Ummah, for His wives is unmatched, the way He used to keep relation with family, you can’t even have guts to implement even 1% of it.

    But, I know you can’t celebrate the kind of Love and affection He implemented and preached because for that you will have to give up all filth which fantasize you 365 years a day,7 days a week. So better you keep celebrating what St.Valentine did. What he did, you are hardly concerned about it.

    BTW, Indians and Russians are not celebrating it. Does it mean India and Russia are going to be next Talibanic state?

  3. F. Shirin says:

    Gentle correction : ) AIA’s beautiful poetry

    Muhabbat aisa darya hai
    k baarish ruuth bhi jaye
    tau pani kum nahin hota

    And yes Muhabbat Zindabad!

  4. Asim says:

    sorry for ruining the mood here, but I am dieing to see what Pakistani mullahs have to say about Valentine’s day. I know what they are going to say, “This is unislamic”. In response to that I wouldsay, “why dont you come up with your own mullah who will be remembered for love and romance for centuries to come and I’ll celebrate his day forever, until then shut the hell up!”

  5. True. One of the greatest lovers including Layla-Majnoon, Shireen-Farhad, Wamiq-Azra have been Muslim couples.

    Yaum-e-Ushshaq or Yaum-e-Ashiqaan, as it is called in Urdu, should be celebrated by those who wish to celebrate it. Others have the right to not celebrate it.

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