SIS heartbroken over Valentine crackdown
By Tashny Sukumaran, Free Malaysia Today
PETALING JAYA: Religious departments have courted brickbats instead of bouquets from the Sisters in Islam (SIS) for their Valentine’s Day hate campaign.
Speaking to FMT, SIS legal and advocacy officer Nazreen Nizam called the dragnet a waste of taxpayers’ money and urged the authorities to focus on more pressing issues.
“They are morally policing Muslims which violates dignity and privacy. This is forbidden in Islam,” she said.
“They could use their resources to look for fathers who don’t pay alimony or crack down on people who enter polygamous marriages without the consent of the syariah court,” she added.
Nazreen said the funds could also be used to educate religious officers regarding recent developments in other Muslim nations.
“The schools of thought here are very outdated. Do they have so little to do that they want to go after people who are dating?” she asked.
For Muslims here, Feb 14 came with a stern warning from religious authorities to steer clear of the celebration, which was deemed un-Islamic.
Painting a thorny picture, the Selangor Islamic Department (JAIS) blamed Valentine’s Day for the 257,411 births out of wedlock between 2000 and 2008.
Dates on Valentine’s Day, the authorities claimed, would eventually lead to illicit sex.
In the ensuing crackdown, religious authorities detained close to a 100 Muslims for the offence of khalwat (close proximity).
The Christian community was also up in arms when news broke of a video clip depicting a religious teacher urging Muslims not to indulge in the “vices of Christians”.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- Valentine's Day Date in Japan and China
People in Japan and China celebrate Valentine's Day on different dates. In Japan, Valentine's Day is celebrated on two dates.
On the popular Valentine's Day date of February 14, females present gifts of chocolates to their boyfriends or other men close to them.
On March 14, people of Japan celebrate White Day as an extension of the Valentine's Day festival celebrated a month earlier.
On White Day it's the turn of the men to pamper women who expressed their love and affection for them on 14th February.
People in China celebrate Valentine's Day on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese Calendar.
The unique date of the festival traces its origin from the popular folk legend of China that narrates the story of a beautiful seventh daughter of Emperor of heaven who married a poor cowherd, Niu Lang.
The couple was separated and turned into stars. They were allowed to meet once only on the 7th day of 7th lunar month.
Chinese Valentine's Day is better known as ‘Festival of the Double Sevens' or Qi Xi - ‘The Night of Sevens' The other popular names for the festival are Seven Sister's Festival' and ‘Daughter's Festival'.
... but ... it is 'The vices of the Christians' … shouts an irrate religious teacher.
I came across this which I found rather interesting.( Wikipedia )
Middle East
In Egypt, Egyptians celebrate Valentine's Day on February 14, and the indigenous Eid el-Hob el-Masri (Egyptian Love Day) on November 4, to buy gifts,and flowers for their lovers.
It has been recorded on the February 14th, 2006 flower movement in the country, worth six million pounds, formed a gain of 10 per-cent of the total annual sale of flowers.
In Iran, the Sepandarmazgan, or Esfandegan, is an age-old traditional celebration of love, friendship and Earth. It has nothing in common with the Saint Valentine celebration, except for a superficial similarity in giving affection and gifts to loved ones, and its origins and motivations are completely unrelated. It has been progressively forgotten in favor of the Western celebration of Valentine's Day.
The Association of Iran's Cultural and Natural Phenomena has been trying since 2006 to make Sepandarmazgan a national holiday on 17 February, in order to replace the Western holiday.[70]
In Israel, the Tu B'Av, is considered to be the Jewish Valentine's Day following the ancient traditions of courtship on this day. Today, this is celebrated as a second holiday of love by secular people (besides Saint Valentine's Day), and shares many of the customs associated with Saint Valentine's Day in western societies.
Conflict with Islamic countries and political parties
Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, in 2002 and 2008, religious police banned the sale of all Valentine's Day items, telling shop workers to remove any red items, as the day is considered a Christian holiday.[71][72] In 2008 this ban created a black market of roses and wrapping paper.[72]Pakistan
The Jamaat-e-Islami political party has called for the banning of the holiday.[66] Despite this, the celebration is increasingly popular[66] and the florists expect to sell great amount of flowers, especially red roses.[73]Iran
In the 21st century, the celebration of Valentine's Day in Iran has been harshly criticized by conservatives who see the celebrations as opposed to Islamic culture.In 2011, the Iranian printing works owners' union issued a directive banning the printing and distribution of any goods promoting the holiday, including cards, gifts and teddy bears.
"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... Outlets that violate this will be legally dealt with," the union warned.[74][75]
Malaysia
Islamic officials in Malaysia warned Muslims against celebrating Valentine's Day, linking it with vice activities.Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin said the celebration of romantic love was "not suitable" for Muslims.
Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz, head of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), which oversees the country's Islamic policies said a fatwa (ruling) issued by the country's top clerics in 2005 noted the day 'is associated with elements of Christianity,' and 'we just cannot get involved with other religion's worshipping rituals.'
Jakim officials plan to carry out a nationwide campaign called "Awas Jerat Valentine's Day"("Mind the Valentine's Day Trap"), aimed at preventing Muslims from celebrating the day on 14 February 2011. Activities include conducting raids in hotels to stop young couples from having unlawful sex and distributing leaflets to Muslim University students warning them against the day.[76][77]
At Valentine's Day 2011, Malaysian religious authorities arrested more than 100 Muslim couples concerning the celebration ban. Some of them would be charged in the Shariah Court for defying the department's ban againsts the celebration of Valentine's Day.[78]
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So, the celebration of romantic love is 'not suitable' for Muslims. Interesting.
257,411 births between 2000 and 2008 ... that is terrible ... a by-product of a lot of illicit sex because dates on Valentine's Day will lead to illicit sex and produce that many births out of wedlock.
So I guess, the romantic Muslims can date freely on the other 354 days ... as it will not lead to illicit sex and surely we will not have any births out of wedlock.
But I wonder how many Muslim males and females died while fleeing from raids by JAIS, JAKIM and other religious raids.
I do not wish to go into details but am rather curious how different minds think.
Related Romantic topics:
Political aide caught for khalwat during Valentine's Day ops
By MUGUNTAN VANAR
KOTA KINABALU: The political aide to a state assistant minister was among 10 people detained for khalwat (close proximity) during a Valentine’s Day swoop at a budget hotel in Putatan near here.
The 53-year-old special officer, who claimed to be a widower and father of four, was caught with his 23-year-old partner in a hotel room by enforcement officers from the Sabah Islamic Affairs Department, at around 11pm Monday.The department's enforcement officer Mohd Noor Kasah said they had to knock on the door for about an hour before the officer, who was fully dressed, opened the door while his partner, also fully dressed, was on the bed.
He said the couple had informed them that they were in a relationship for about a year but the woman's family did not approve.
The special officer and his partner were taken to Putatan police station for investigations under the Syariah Criminal Offences Act 1997 that carries a fine of up to RM1,000 or a year's jail or both upon conviction.
He said they also arrested four other couples during the three-hour operation in the Putatan area, including a 50-year-old woman and her 23-year-old lover in a room located in workers' quarters in Putatan.
In Sandakan, Islamic religious officers detained 10 couples, including two civil servants, for close proximity in raids at hotels during the wee hours of Tuesday.
Related Love Stories:
Religious checks on Valentine’s Day ‘normal’
88 Muslims nabbed for khalwat
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