Saudi Wahabbis allergic to Valentine’s Day red roses

By Michelle Malkin  •  February 13, 2009 10:23 AM

It’s that time again: Time for the Muslim religious police to crush Saudi lovers’ fervor for that cursed threat from the West — Valentine’s Day.

Fight Sharia! Send Pajamagrams and Vermont Teddy Bears.

As Feb. 14 approaches, the police begin inspecting gift shops for items that are red or are intended as gifts to mark the holiday — a celebration of St. Valentine, a 3rd century Christian martyr — which is banned in Saudi Arabia. Such items are legal at other times of the year, but as Valentine’s Day nears they become contraband.

At best, shops caught selling Valentine’s gifts are ordered to get rid of them. Some salesmen have been detained for days.

The Valentine’s Day prohibition is in line with the ascetic Wahhabi school of Islam that the kingdom follows. Marking Christian holidays is banned in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and a country where non-Muslims are banned from openly practicing their religion.

Celebrating any holidays but the two most important for Muslims — Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr_ is taboo because they are considered “religious innovations” that Islam does not sanction. Even birthdays and Mother’s Day are frowned on by the religious establishment.

As Feb. 14 approaches, newspapers reprint a fatwa or religious edict issued by scholars a few years ago, declaring “eid al-hob,” Arabic for the feast of love, a “Christian, pagan feast” that Muslims should not celebrate. Teachers remind students they must not mark the festival, and girls are warned against wearing anything red.

Nevertheless, Valentine’s Day quietly creeps into the capital, Riyadh: While gift stores don’t trumpet their Valentine’s wares, they acquire a deep red hue as shelves are stocked with artificial flowers, heart-shaped frames and other knickknacks.

(link)

***

Previous: V’day 2008…Saudi men arrested for flirting
Fight sharia: Celebrate Valentine’s Day; Update: Burn, baby, burn
V’day 2007…Valentine’s Day: Hearts and darts
V’day 2006…Next, they came for Valentine’s Day

Posted in: Sharia

See what others have said

Note from Michelle: This section is for comments from michellemalkin.com's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that I agree with or endorse any particular comment just because I let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with my terms of use may lose his or her posting privilege.

Trackbacks

  1. Fight Sharia! Send the Saudis Pajamagrams and Vermont Teddy Bears. | Fire Andrea Mitchell!

Trackback URL

Comments


  1. #621157
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:29 am, frostrt said:

    As Feb. 14 approaches, the police begin inspecting gift shops for items that are red or are intended as gifts to mark the holiday — a celebration of St. Valentine, a 3rd century Christian martyr — which is banned in Saudi Arabia. Such items are legal at other times of the year, but as Valentine’s Day nears they become contraband.

    ————————————–

    I got your “contraband” right here; cards, candy, decorations, the whole schmear. I plan to enjoy this “Christian, pagan feast” to the fullest.

    HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!

  2. #621160
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:32 am, granite said:

    Hey, all ideologies and all relgions are the same, right?
    Who are we to judge?
    We have been and are just as bad here in civilization, here in the West, too…right?

    OK.
    Time to leave the 7th-century, and to leave moral-relativism land; and to get back to sanity and reality.

  3. #621161
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:33 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    Hey look in the sky
    It’s a Bird
    It’s a Plane
    It’s a jihadist!

    Happy Valintines Day to you all. Pajamagrams and Vermont Teddy Bears to Nancy Pelosi and Dingy Harry–hell, they can have the whole state of Vermont, in fact I think they do :(

  4. #621174
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:43 am, Insomniac said:

    Considering that St. Valentine was beaten, stoned and then beheaded by the Romans, you’d think the Saudis would be all over it…

  5. #621178
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:44 am, wighttrasch said:

    Whilst I do not partake of this Lupercalia, I would never support any law that would make it illegal.

  6. #621187
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:46 am, sonofdy said:

    Valentines day celebrates hallmark more than any one christian saint.

  7. #621192
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:49 am, palani said:

    Anything that enrages the islamic wahhabi clerics must be worth celebrating. These thoughful and kind fanatics just have a different way of showing their love for God and each other. Today from Reuters: Female bomber kills 32 on Iraqi pilgrimage route

    For the love of allah!

  8. #621200
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:55 am, TXGator said:

    Jeez….how hard can it be to go out and buy your Muslim sweetheart a sexy new burka? Maybe one that shows a little eyebrow?
    Cheap bastards. If I have to buy all this stuff, I’ll be damned if they shouldn’t as well.

  9. #621201
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:55 am, nlebou said:

    Happy Valentines Day Everybody!

  10. #621204
    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:59 am, TXGator said:

    Insomniac said:

    beaten, stoned and then beheaded

    Not sure Valentine’s Day was worth all that. Let’s hope his beating, stoning, and subsequent beheading went quickly, and he suffered very little.

  11. #621222
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:13 am, frostrt said:

    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:43 am, Insomniac said:
    Considering that St. Valentine was beaten, stoned and then beheaded by the Romans, you’d think the Saudis would be all over it…

    —————————————

    I believe that was his punishment for continuing to marry couples despite an edict ordering him to stop – hence the connection to love/lovers?

    Also, while in prison, he would sneak out letters to his loved ones, hence the tradition of exchanging cards.

  12. #621224
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:14 am, nbarry said:

    And remember, folks, it was not love or sex that brought down the Twin Towers and killed 3,000 people on 9/11. It was religion.

  13. #621225
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:15 am, frostrt said:

    On February 13th, 2009 at 10:46 am, sonofdy said:
    Valentines day celebrates hallmark more than any one christian saint.

    ————————————–

    Aw, c’mon, Snodfy; if you won’t celebrate for yourself/your “significant other”, do it to show the “religious police” what you think of them!

    ;)

  14. #621226
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:17 am, frostrt said:

    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:14 am, nbarry said:
    And remember, folks, it was not love or sex that brought down the Twin Towers and killed 3,000 people on 9/11. It was religion.

    —————————————

    Or, rather, a group of people who chose to pervert religious teachings to be used as a justification for the attack.

    To me, that is an important distinction.

  15. #621248
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:29 am, Rogue Cheddar said:

    I’m going to send them a bunch of those candy hearts that say GFY on them.

  16. #621249
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:29 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:14 am, nbarry said:

    And remember, folks, it was not love or sex that brought down the Twin Towers and killed 3,000 people on 9/11. It was religion.

    No, it was islam.
    ===
    Now for you younger guys: If you wife or girl friend says “Oh don’t get get me anything for Valentines Day” get her something for Valentines Day.
    It is a trap set in their genes/jeans-take you choice. Don’t get them anything and they won’t say anything–for a day or so. Anything. Then she will.

    Get her something for Valentines Day.

  17. #621266
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:37 am, frostrt said:

    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:29 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:14 am, nbarry said:

    And remember, folks, it was not love or sex that brought down the Twin Towers and killed 3,000 people on 9/11. It was religion.
    No, it was islam.
    ===
    Now for you younger guys: If you wife or girl friend says “Oh don’t get get me anything for Valentines Day” get her something for Valentines Day.
    It is a trap set in their genes/jeans-take you choice. Don’t get them anything and they won’t say anything–for a day or so. Anything. Then she will.

    Get her something for Valentines Day.

    —————————————

    Wise words all around, Arizona.

    There’s the delayed-reaction strategy that you wrote about; then there’s the one that involves telling him not to get you anything and then getting HIM something. That’s good for about a year’s worth of guilt. ;)

    I would qualify; it was Islamic EXTREMISM that brought down the towers (see my earlier post). I try not to blame Islam across the board because I don’t like it when people blame Christianity for the bad actions of certain individuals.

  18. #621289
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:43 am, chapoutier said:

    Valentines day celebrates hallmark more than any one christian saint.

    If it makes you feel better, you can celebrate it as my birthday instead.

    In lieu of gifts, you can make a donation here.

  19. #621299
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:47 am, frostrt said:

    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:43 am, chapoutier said:
    Valentines day celebrates hallmark more than any one christian saint.
    If it makes you feel better, you can celebrate it as my birthday instead.

    In lieu of gifts, you can make a donation here.

    ————————————–

    Snodfy, contribute to Moveon.org?

    That would truly be a birthday/Valentine’s Day miracle!

    Incidentally, what are they doing now that Bush is out of office? He was the main object of their obsession, wasn’t he?

  20. #621321
    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:55 am, rocketman said:

    ***
    Radical Islam likes red–if it comes from beheaded kuffirs (non Muslims) or from punishments by floggings or amputations.
    ***
    I learned all I need to know about Islam on 9/11/2001. Defeat them now!
    ***
    John Bibb
    ***

  21. #621421
    On February 13th, 2009 at 12:35 pm, SoonerMarine said:

    Islam is extreme. There is no such thing as moderate Islam.

    Geert Wilders:
    “Today, I come before you to warn of another great threat. It is called Islam. It poses as a religion, but its goals are very worldly: world domination, holy war, sharia law, the end of the separation of church and state, the end of democracy. It is not a religion, it is a political ideology. It demands you respect, but has no respect for you.

    There might be moderate Muslims, but there is no moderate Islam. Islam will never change, because it is build on two rocks that are forever, two fundamental beliefs that will never change, and will never go away. First, there is Quran, Allah’s personal word, uncreated, forever, with orders that need to be fulfilled regardless of place or time. And second, there is al-insal al-kamil, the perfect man, Muhammad the role model, whose deeds are to be imitated by all Muslims. And since Muhammad was a warlord and a conqueror we know what to expect.

    Islam means submission, so there cannot be any mistake about it’s goal. That’s a given. The question is whether the British people, with its glorious past, is longing for that submission.”

  22. #621482
    On February 13th, 2009 at 12:57 pm, simcoe said:

    The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition
    Saint Valentine’s Day Western European Christian holiday, originally the Roman feast of Lupercalia . It was christianized in memory of the martyrdom of St. Valentine in AD 270, who, in medieval times, came to be associated with the union of lovers under conditions of duress. More here.

    Given that women are thought of as they are in Islam there’s no reason to think such people would have any thing to do with a uniquely Romanist tradition. Naturally, the women of that part of the world would like to be recognized for something but in Islam they are only chattel to be bartered away as children to other pedophiles for profit.

  23. #621510
    On February 13th, 2009 at 1:14 pm, granite said:

    On February 13th, 2009 at 11:29 am, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    Now for you younger guys: If you wife or girl friend says “Oh don’t get get me anything for Valentines Day” get her something for Valentines Day.

    It is a trap set in their genes/jeans-take you choice.
    Don’t get them anything and they won’t say anything–for a day or so. Anything.

    Then she will.

    Get her something for Valentines Day.

    Yep.
    Yep.
    Yep.
    And Yep!

    Amen to that!

  24. #621513
    On February 13th, 2009 at 1:15 pm, hadsil said:

    But they protest it’s a “crime” to insult Islam or prevent the practicing there of.

  25. #621570
    On February 13th, 2009 at 2:08 pm, MBuck said:

    Christmas is headed the same direction here; won’t be long before selling statuettes of Jesus will be verbotten.

  26. #621641
    On February 13th, 2009 at 3:08 pm, ThackerAgency said:

    I’m all about some Islam critiquing. And I’m not here to discredit what has been said on this board. But nobody is as extreme about the illegality of Valentines day more than the Indians and Hindus.

    Of course, it looks like the tide could be turning there. I really need to get over to India. Their culture is fascinating and it is evolving and strong.

  27. #621645
    On February 13th, 2009 at 3:11 pm, cheapseat said:

    a primer for the folks who believe in the religion of peace and love.

    http://perfectlyhuman.multiply.com/video/item/8

  28. #621699
    On February 13th, 2009 at 3:50 pm, Laree said:
  29. #621728
    On February 13th, 2009 at 4:13 pm, frostrt said:

    Happy B-day from me, too, chap.

    Say, the day you were actually born didn’t happen to be a Friday also, did it?

    That would explain a lot!

    Kidding! :)

  30. #621739
    On February 13th, 2009 at 4:16 pm, chapoutier said:

    Say, the day you were actually born didn’t happen to be a Friday also, did it?

    No no. Mine is tomorrow.

  31. #621745
    On February 13th, 2009 at 4:20 pm, frostrt said:

    On February 13th, 2009 at 4:16 pm, chapoutier said:
    Say, the day you were actually born didn’t happen to be a Friday also, did it?
    No no. Mine is tomorrow.

    ——————————-

    Ahhh, that’s right – Snodfy is going to donate to Moveon.org in your honor to make himself feel better about it also being Valentine’s Day.

  32. #621760
    On February 13th, 2009 at 4:35 pm, chapoutier said:

    Ahhh, that’s right – Snodfy is going to donate to Moveon.org in your honor to make himself feel better about it also being Valentine’s Day.

    I understand not everyone here may be 100% on board with MoveOn, so sonofdy can donate here, if he feels more comfortable.

  33. #621778
    On February 13th, 2009 at 4:43 pm, frostrt said:

    On February 13th, 2009 at 4:35 pm, chapoutier said:
    Ahhh, that’s right – Snodfy is going to donate to Moveon.org in your honor to make himself feel better about it also being Valentine’s Day.
    I understand not everyone here may be 100% on board with MoveOn, so sonofdy can donate here, if he feels more comfortable.

    ————————————–

    I’m guessing you won’t be getting that calendar featuring conservative women modeling fur that our hostess mentioned awhile back.

    Well, anywho, enjoy the day.

  34. #621784
    On February 13th, 2009 at 4:47 pm, 29Victor said:

    Marking Christian holidays is banned in Saudi Arabia

    Then Christians should start celebrating Ramadan and claim it was our idea in the first place.

  35. #622173
    On February 14th, 2009 at 12:29 am, USpace said:

    .
    St. Valentine’s Day came from a priest named Valentine who was imprisoned in 270 AD for marrying women with Roman soldiers, thereby supposedly ‘weakening’ them, so the Government was against the soldiers getting married. He fell in love with his jailer’s daughter and signed his last letter to her “From Your Valentine”.

    It’s good to see that love and the market are stronger than unreasonableness. Since many Islamic clerics condemn it as a non-Muslim Holiday, and say that Muslims may not celebrate a Christian (or Pagan) holiday; and since their ‘Religious Police’ enforce this, it’s pretty safe to say that Sharia Law is against this. Not all Muslims of course, just the Law governing them in Saudi Arabia and other countries.

    India’s radical Hindus are rabidly against V-Day too. There will be squads out looking for cuddly couples, who if caught will be taken to a government office and forcibly married.

    How very enlightened and civilized.
    .
    here’s an absurd thought -
    your Supreme God says
    outlaw Valentine’s Day

    confiscate ALL red roses
    keep men and women apart

    .
    absurd thought -
    God of the Universe says
    Valentine’s Day is evil

    it just reminds the people
    about Christianity

    .
    absurd thought -
    God of the Universe says
    destroy ALL Valentine’s cards

    remove items colored red
    from all the store’s shelves

    .
    absurd thought -
    God of the Universe fears
    a Christian minority

    even though they may not build
    or repair their churches
    .
    USpace
    .
    All real freedom starts with freedom of speech. Without freedom of speech there can be no real freedom.
    .
    Philosophy of Liberty Cartoon
    .
    Help STOP Terrorism Today!
    .

    :)

  36. #622369
    On February 14th, 2009 at 1:30 pm, Kevin K. said:

    Happy Birthday chapoutier and Laree. May you have as many more as you want.

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Mark Steyn acquitted in Canadian sharia case

October 10, 2008 03:24 PM by Michelle Malkin

76 Comments | 15 Trackbacks

“In the matter of the human rights code…”

Not without my daughters (and son)

July 26, 2008 08:21 AM by see-dubya

53 Comments | 0 Trackbacks

Deported “Al Qaeda first stringer” is holding his Ohio-born children in Yemen.

The Dallas honor killings revisited

June 20, 2008 11:39 AM by Michelle Malkin

61 Comments | 4 Trackbacks

“I don’t believe any of it,” Amina told Eddie, “because I see how their women are treated. They have to walk behind the men. They beat up their wives.”

Blackwater asks Federal court to judge them under Sharia law

June 19, 2008 05:42 PM by see-dubya

33 Comments | 3 Trackbacks

Sort of missing the point of the whole fight.

Remember that Saudi Academy in Fairfax, VA? Yeah, their 1999 valedictorian joined Al Qaeda.

June 13, 2008 01:11 PM by see-dubya

61 Comments | 14 Trackbacks

Plus accusations of covering up sexual abuse. What will Gerry Connolly say?


Categories: Sharia



Follow me on Twitter Follow me on Facebook