Islamic Ethical Reflections on Sant Dionís Day: Love, Culture, and Muslim Family Resilience in Spain

Abstract

Background: Muslim families living in multicultural societies often face challenges in balancing their religious values with local cultural traditions. Sant Dionís Day, celebrated annually in Valencia, Spain, is a cultural event symbolizing love and affection through gift-giving. This raises important questions about how Muslim families can ethically engage with such celebrations while maintaining Islamic family values.

Methods: This qualitative study employs a comparative normative approach, analyzing Sant Dionís Day’s cultural elements alongside Islamic ethical principles (akhlaq) and family law (fiqh al-usrah). Literature review and normative analysis were used to assess the compatibility of the celebration’s practices with Islamic teachings on love, modesty, and family resilience.

Results: The findings indicate that Sant Dionís Day does not inherently violate Islamic values. However, Muslim engagement with this tradition requires awareness and adherence to Islamic ethical boundaries, ensuring that expressions of affection remain within the framework of faith, modesty, and moral conduct.

Discussion: Navigating cultural traditions like Sant Dionís Day presents both opportunities and challenges for Muslim families in Spain and similar Western contexts. Critical discernment and religious education are necessary to uphold Muslim identity and strengthen family resilience while fostering cultural integration.

Conclusion: Islamic ethics offers a balanced framework for Muslim families to interact with non-Islamic cultural traditions. Love and affection can be expressed in ways that respect both cultural diversity and Islamic norms, supporting resilient and harmonious Muslim families in pluralistic societies.

Novelty: This study provides a fresh perspective on the ethical engagement of Muslim families with Western cultural celebrations, highlighting the importance of cultural literacy and religious adherence in promoting social cohesion and family resilience.