Valentines Can Kill
Happy Valentine's Day to all my readers. If you have a loved one, I hope you gave that person a Valentine gift today.
When my wife gave birth to our first son, I brought her a dozen yellow roses and so on this particular day she doesn't want jewelry or chocolates or teddy bears - she wants a dozen yellow roses to relive that wonderful day when she and I started a family.
Now I have to say, I adore my wife every day, but I like it that there is a one special day during the year where we can all make a fuss about love.
Interestingly, America's commercialized version of Valentine's Day has spread to most of the globe. However some people hate this holiday.
Saudi Arabia has a number of times banned the sale of all Valentine's Day items, even telling shop workers to remove all red items from sale (1), because they see the day as a western cultural pollution. God forbid Saudi women ever get the notion in their head that they can choose with whom they will fall in love.
In Pakistan, even though the holiday is quite popular with regular folk, the Jamaat-e-Islami political party is trying to ban it.
BBC News, Hindu and Muslim anger at Valentine's
This is a shameful day. The people in the West are just fulfilling and satisfying their sex thirst...
-- Khalid Waqas Chamkani, Pakistani student leader
In Iran, the Iranian printing works owners' union issued an order banning the printing and distribution of any goods promoting the holiday (2).
In Malaysia, officials carried out a nationwide campaign called "Awas Jerat Valentine's Day" or "Watch out for the Valentine's Day Trap", to prevent Muslims from celebrating the day this year. They even went out on raids in hotels to catch young couples having unlawful sex (3).
Some Muslims show their dislike for this day in murderous ways. On 13 Feb 2007, in Salt Lake City, Utah, a Muslim immigrant went on a shooting rampage at a mall, targeting people buying Valentine's Day cards at a gift shop, killing five (4).
Ah, love, freedom, joy in being alive. Such things are inimical to the Muslim way of life.
ENDNOTES
(1):
BBC News, 13 Feb 2002, Cooling the ardour of Valentine's Day
A Saudi newspaper reports that The Authority for Enjoining Good and Preventing Evil has given retail outlets there three days to rid themselves of Valentine's Day paraphernalia, AFP says.
Non-Muslim events such as Valentine's Day cannot, officially, be celebrated in Saudi Arabia.
Patrols have been organised to enforce the ban.
And teachers have been instructed to warn pupils not to wear red, the colour associated with Valentine's Day.
(2):
AFP, Iran shops banned from selling Valentine gifts
Shops in Iran have been banned from selling Valentine cards and gifts, the ILNA news agency reported on Sunday, as the traditional lovers' day gains increasing popularity in the Islamic republic.
"In the run-up to Valentine's Day on February 14 the printing works owners' union issued a directive banning the printing and distribution of any goods promoting this day," ILNA news agency reported.
"Printing and producing any goods related to this day including posters, boxes and cards emblazoned with hearts or half-hearts, red roses and any activities promoting this day are banned," the union said in the directive.
"Outlets that violate this will be legally dealt with," it warned.
Over the past three decades Iran's conservative Islamic regime has sought to prevent the spread of Western culture among its overwhelmingly young population.
(3):
Malaysian Straits Times, 13 Feb 2011, Malaysian Muslims warned against Valentine's Day
AS COUPLES around the world ready for Valentine's Day, Islamic officials in Malaysia have warned Muslims against celebrating something 'synonymous with vice activities'.
The warning follows plans announced last week by several Malaysian states who are planning a crackdown on 'immoral acts' during Valentine's Day as part of a campaign to encourage a sin-free lifestyle.
'In reality, as well as historically, the celebration of Valentine's Day is synonymous with vice activities,' Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz, head of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), which oversees the country's Islamic policies, told state media.
...
Wan Mohamad said a fatwa (ruling) issued by the country's top clerics six years ago noted the day 'is associated with elements of Christianity,' and 'we just cannot get involved with other religion's worshipping rituals.' Jakim officials will carry out a nationwide 'Mind the Valentine's Day Trap' campaign, he said, aimed at preventing Muslims from celebrating the day.
Nasrudin Hasan Tantawi, head of the Islamic party PAS's youth wing said on Wednesday that authorities in the opposition-controlled northern states of Kedah, Penang and Kelantan as well as central Selangor state will also carry out 'immorality checks' on February 14
(4):
World Net Daily, Utah gunman, 18, was Muslim from Bosnia
The 18-year-old gunman who killed five people in a crowded Utah shopping mall was a Bosnian Muslim refugee who was prepared to kill many more, say investigators.
An off-duty police officer having an early Valentine's Day dinner with his wife was credited today with cornering Sulejmen Talovic, exchanging fire with him until other officers arrived to shoot and kill the gunman.
The trench-coated teenager wanted to "to kill a large number of people" and probably would have killed many more if not for the off-duty officer, Police Chief Chris Burbank said.
