Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! For some of us, it’s the day to celebrate with our significant other and loved ones, but for others, it’s just another day on the calendar. If you didn’t know, Valentine’s Day actually has catholic origins, which dates all the way back in third-century Rome.
Although it is a seemingly harmless celebration, you should be cautious where you are celebrating Valentine’s Day. In Indonesia, the youth are open and free to profess their love to their lover with no consequences. However, in the more conservative parts like Surabaya, Makassar, and Banda Aceh, you’ll have to be careful. The city administration of Banda Aceh banned Valentine’s Day in 2020, as it goes against Islamic teachings.
In our country (Malaysia), roughly 60% of the total population are Muslims, and the country’s conservative Islamic authorities have made it an event to publicly oppose Valentine’s Day every single year. It got to a point where Islamic morality police would arrest unmarried Muslim couples caught in close proximity with each other at budget hotels.
Meanwhile in Iran, the country hasn’t banned Valentine’s Day on religious grounds. It was banned because it is seen as a Western cultural threat that could possibly erode Iran’s heritage. Nationalists suggested that Valentine’s Day should be replaced with a festival called ‘Mehgran’ also known as the ‘Persian Festival of Autumn’, which celebrates friendship, affection, and love.
Last but not least, Pakistan also banned Valentine’s Day as they have the second-largest Muslim population in the world. Although, Valentine’s Day was actually legal to celebrate in the country up until 2016. Ultra-religious political activism started targeting things they deemed ‘against the teachings of Islam’. Back in 2016, increased opposition prompted former President Mamnoon Hussain to declare that Valentine’s Day ‘has no connection with our culture and it should be avoided’. Following this, the Islamabad High Court granted a petition to ban Valentine’s Day, and imposed the ban officially in 2017.
Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?