“Ban Valentine’s Day Celebrations”
(Yawn)
I hate it when I can’t find the entry all typed up for me in one of the local online versions of the newspaper; it means I have to type the whole thing in by myself. I guess all the newspapers felt this was to ho-hum to put on the online edition.
Live from the Kuwait Times:
Ban Valentine’s Day Celebrations
KUWAIT: MPs have spung to action earlier than usual. They have urged the government to ban any form of Valentine’s Day celebrations on February 14. Lawmakers have asked the MInister of Commerce and Industry to see it that Kuwaiti traditions and values are fully observed, reported Al Watan. Speaking in this regard, MP Mohammed Hayef al-Mutairi urged the Commerce minister, Ahmed Baqer to ban the import of merchandise related to celebrating the “heathen occasion” (allusion to Valentine’s Day). He also warned local companies against displaying any of these goods for sale.
“This is against Islam and misleads our youth” he said. MP Abdullatif Al Omairi said that celebrating this day was a ‘blind imitation of the West.’ It is something that does not belong to us, something that is completely alien to our society, morals and traditions,” he warned. He urged the government to interfere and preserve Muslim values. “There are only two Eids in Islam. We should not celebrate Christians’ festivities because they do not celebrate ours,” he said.
As if celebrating Valentine’s Day could be stopped! As if a loving husband doesn’t invite his wife to dinner, or as if a loving wife doesn’t fix something special for her husband just because, just because. As if you won’t buy chocolates for your sweetheart, or flowers, whether or not there is a Valentine’s Day (February 14th) advertisement in a window. As if you can forbid the joyful celebration of a relationship. It’s not about a Christian holiday; this stopped being a religious holiday long ago, if it ever was, this holiday is purely about the joy of living. Not unlike Liberation Day, or a national day, neither of which are Islamic, and both of which are joyfully celebrated.
When will these lawmakers (and I include the lawmakers in all nations) learn that when you forbid something, you only make it more attractive?
In my country, we have some very serious national issues to tackle. I prefer that my lawmakers focus on national issues and not issues-of-choice to private individuals. (AdventureMan already knows where he is taking me on Valentine’s Day. π See you there!)
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nothing like banning/ censoring to make something more valuable and desirable.
What a clever business move π
LLLOOOLLL, Jewaira! I hadn’t thought of that. Those clever Kuwaiti merchants, they are two steps ahead of me. π
Yeah it misleads our youth into falling in love, and showing their partners that they love them. OH THE HORROR!
Not that I haven’t appreciated the lovely gifts, bouquets, and dinners I have received on St Valentine’s Day, but I remember being in Mexico one year on Feb 14 and a whole group of schoolchildren came to the pool where my friends and I were having a dip and a bite to eat. I asked them what the occasion was and they said it was
el Dia De Amor y Amistad … the day of love and friendship … They said it was an actual holiday, but their teachers were treating them to a day at a hotel where they could go swimming, play basketball, volleyball and soccer and have a picnic. Their teachers always did something like that. It was so touching and changed my whole notion of what I (mostly) consider to be a commercial occasion …
yeah yeah…
and the rest of the year, we are supposed to hate each other?
Purely commercial… I challenge everyone who is planning to ‘celebrate’ it to do so without spending a penny/fils!!
Mowahahaha π
I think these things are bad because people eventually focus on them rather than the idea/point behind them. It’s like the means becoming the ends like so many other ‘celebrations’ like ‘national’ days and what have you. This is unlike the two festivals/Eids in Islam, where they are prescribed to celebrate an actual achievement (Namely, the worship during the best 10 days in the year and Hajj season, and after performing the fasting of Ramadhan).
It’s also like ‘birthday’ celebrations! What are we celebrating exactly? That the kid has one less year to live in his life? Or that he is one year older than last year and he’s grown up and didn’t die like he has anything to do with that? It’s really has become an ‘end’ instead of a mean. That’s why I see ‘conservatives’ who do not ‘celebrate’ birthdays in their families replace that with celebrating an actual particular achievement by their child like completing the memorization of a chapter of the Qu’ran for example.
I guess this has to do with our understanding of our life… whether it is an ‘end’ in itself or merely a ‘means’ like Islam teaches. With this perspective, I can understand the regulation that bans or at least frowns at these types of dedicated ‘celebrations’ (in public) particularly those that are ‘imported’ and people lived just fine before they knew they even existed.
To me, it is just a means to drive the mentality of life as an ‘end’ rather than a means. Not to mention the commercial and materialistic part of it. Each year they are ‘upping the notch’ a little, much like we see the ‘raising’ of the skirts higher and higher in public when no one objects/speaks or advices the perpetrators against it in public!!
Just take a look at the behavior that happens during the ‘national day’ on the streets for example. How far is that from the intended purpose of this celebration?
The examples in some of the comments above, like Sheila’s amazement of the teacher’s gesture in Mexico really doesn’t have anything to do with the dedication of a particular day for such ‘gestures’. They could have chosen any weekend to do the same and organize such an activity… so I don’t think this is enough to distill or change the notion of commercialism.
And I haven’t even touched on the directly negative effects of this either…. like the ‘peer pressure’ on the commoners to be expected to participate and engage in the commercialism of ‘valentine’s’: “My friend’s husband did this and that for her on the 14th!! WHY didn’t YOU do anything”. Neither have I touched on the potential for abuse in this particular ‘celebration’ (changing ‘my fiend’s husband’ to ‘boyfriend’ in the that sentence for example).
Now, aside from all this, the point was that banning/censoring makes the thing more desirable which I agree with; but this only occurs when the thing has been ‘sampled’ already. So the blame is really on not squashing this when it first shyly appeared in public here and it was allowed to spread to the point where some people ‘desire’ it and many shops/establishments feel ‘compelled’ to advertise/exploit it to compete!!!
Mostly incoherent, this late at night .. just providing the counter view …
now good night ;p
http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day. If you are interested, this website has the history of Valentine’s day which may actually spring from Roman times.
LLLOOOLLL, Chirp!
Sheila, I love the idea of Valentine’s Day being for love AND FRIENDSHIP. What a great idea. I can remember some lonely Valentine’s Days as a young single person, and how it could make you feel like one of the few people in the world who had no-one who loves them. π¦
Nbq, you sound just like my father, who calls many of these occasions “Hallmark Marketing Opportunities” and blamed the greeting card industry for creating holidays to sell more cards. And you are both probably partly right.
I am guessing that many of us like a little recognition, a little vacation from survival cooking (the requirement to have a nutritious meal on the table three times a day, seven days a week, infinitely,) and just want some small token to testify that our daily, repetitive tasks do not go unnoticed and unappreciated. I think Valentine’s Day has more to do with time than purchases.
Women talk among themselves. Most of my friends don’t want – or need – more jewelry or a showy bouquet of flowers; for most of us, just to see a little sparkle in our husband’s eye as we have a private dinner is enough. We are not such demanding creatures. We just want you to look at us and really see us; we want a little appreciation. We know you do, too, working hard every day to support your family. That’s really what Valentine’s Day is all about, marketing aside, just a day to show a little appreciation to one another. Yes, we can do it every day. Do we?
Thank you, Momcat. π
Shinoo, Valentine’s?? Thanks to all the ruckus created by hardliners over Feb.14,ultra-conservatives like me have now come to know all there’s to know about this alien concept of Valentine’s Day to the extent that more of us are now in the mood to celebrate it this year as novelty. It is beginning to seem like a fun concept, actually. All said and done it’s an innocent indulgence tout court. Recently, I read in the papers about this “Hug a Stranger Day” which they celebrated in New Delhi, and I think there is an appetite for such friendly gestures, right here in K-Town. Presently, I find not too many of us smiling and exchanging pleasantries with strangers as we should, be it in the elevators, in the malls or in the streets. Remember spreading love and good will toward your fellow man or woman(lest they accuse you of being gay) never did anyone no harm. On that note, have a rocking Valentine’s Day ball wherever you are!
PS : Seattle mama, I am guessing Adventure Man’s flying you out of Kuwait for the perfect Valentine’s. Can some of us come along?
LLLOOLLL, “Umm Controversy,” I knew that was you! I knew it!
Sheesh ! whats up with these MPs ? Its not like you get converted to another religion if you buy some flowers or say ‘I love you’ to your loved ones. How childish are these people ??
I don’t want to advocate people making a big fuss over Valentines day but I think it’s worth it to just explore their viewpoint instead of dismissing it entirely. Hun a lot of people here are not Westernized and not exposed to American culture the way I am for example. They don’t understand what Valentines is about. I believe they think of it as something that promotes pre-marriage romance and this really isn’t in line with our traditions, and frankly it makes things harder for people who are trying to stick to tradition and the code of conduct here. What girl doesn’t want to have flowers and chocolates sent to her especially when the whole romance aspect is so heavily marketed? But at the same if you’re not married you’d want to protect yourself from getting involved in something considered morally shady. And with these things bombarding you all the time you either feel left out or get reminded of what you’re missing out on. You can see why this can create conflict. It’s like dangling a freshly baked brownie in front of a fasting person! Marriage related romance is encouraged in Islam but pre-marriage romance isn’t and I think this is why some people are against it.
I definitely don’t think MPs should waste time on this, but I do see why MPs and even some other Kuwaitis would want to subdue the Valentines marketing bonanza in Kuwait.
I have neither a girl friend nor a boy friend π but Valentine’s is still a special day for me when I like to show the people I love,I care. At the end of the day it has to be taken in the right spirit : it may be an alien Western import but with globalization and the world turning into one small village we can all do with such niceties; once a year at least. I enjoy cooking my mum her favourite dish on Valentine’s, buying my dad a present, giving my elder brother a bear-hug, or giving the maid the day off because on some level, it makes us all feel nice about ourselves. Here, there is a tendency to make a mountain out of a mole-hill for all things “ajnabi” which I think feeds into the general “ignorance-insecurity club sandwich” spin machine.
One should stop taking oneself seriously all the time. You can take your work and/or your job seriously, not yourself.
PS : Since the designer brand – Valentino is so close to the name : Valentine, should they be considering a ban on Valentino goods in this country? π
I dont like Valentines day… but I am totally against banning it! Thats ridiculous!
Ansam,
Of course we cannot ban a ‘day’. What they are talking about here is banning public display.
You have to understand where they’re coming from. It is not an ideal situation today, but they are simply applying some ‘Islamic’ state regulations and guidelines, even though we don’t have a comprehensive Islamic state (instead we have an adulterated mixture that was the brain-child/result of colonization back then which split the Islamic state into ‘countries’; for now)
‘Modern’ ‘civilized’ countries today base their laws and regulations on their national concepts and nationalistic pride. Similarly, the same thing is applied in an Islamic state which is based on Islamic pride and concepts (theology) as opposed to nationalistic ones.
Given this, we should be able to understand where they are coming from if we give an analogy to nationalistic and man made laws/concepts. For example, the death penalty for the act of ‘treason’ in most (if not all?) ‘civilized’ countries (including USA). It is considered deserving of the death penalty as a punishment/deterrent because of the grave consequences it has to the country and people as it is seen as a schism and as a stab in the back to the people. Similarly, we have the death penalty for apostasy because from the theological view, it is also seen as a source of schism and contention to the commoners among the public (if only as a deterrent to others facing personal conflicts and contentions not to publicly announce and spread that; ‘freedom of religion’ and choice concepts do not apply here, because these where ‘conceived’ as a way to prevent people from searching and finding the truth when the truth conflicts with the status quo, and since Islam is seen as The Truth, then we are not doing the public a favor by allowing such mischief that would spread doubts among the unlearned among the public; instead someone with doubts if sincere, can discuss them privately with someone more knowledgeable).
What was our topic? Oh yeah, valentine’s…. An analogy would be to the banning of the public display of non-Islamic worship activities in an Islamic state (even though they are free to practice behind closed doors). This is again to protect the Muslim public and maintain the ‘correct’ status quo. The analogy here is when for example, two countries are at war. Citizens of the enemy country may be resident in the other country… but would it be allowed for them to go out and display their country’s flag and shout slogans against the country they are living in? I think not! loool.
There is always a war between Truth and falsehood, and if one side believes in Islam as The Truth being the last unadulterated message from the Creator to His creation, then all other form are falsehood; thus, even if there is no physical war, there is always an ongoing ‘theological’ war between the conflicting creeds.
“And they say: The Beneficent hath taken unto Himself a son. Assuredly ye utter a disastrous thing. Whereby almost the heavens are torn, and the earth is split asunder and the mountains fall in ruins, That ye ascribe unto the Beneficent a son, When it is not meet for (the Majesty of) the Beneficent that He should choose a son. There is none in the heavens and the earth but cometh unto the Beneficent as a worshiper/slave.” (Mariam: 88-93)
Peace be on those who follow The Guidance π
All none married people don’t read my comment please
A perfect valentine’s day is the one that starts with a box of chocolate and ends . . .
eheheheheehe
(EDITED!)
Daggero : As a corollary to your comment, I find most weekends in Kuwait to be starting that way . . . . . So what’s so special about Valentine’s day??
π
(EDITED!)
Please, AbuHilal, help me out here – which Islamic state concept do you promote? The Saudi model? The Taliban model? The Iranian model? I see about as much consistency and coherence in Islamic approaches as in all the others.
We are human. We are fallible. And yes, in my country you CAN fly your own flag and make an argument against a war fought against another country. It’s allowed. It’s systematic – we encourage dissent as a means of examining our own position. We consider it a strength to look at a number of possibilities.
Daggero! Arabian Nights! My Mother reads this blog! School children read this blog! Thank God I get up early in the morning. Go to your rooms! You are grounded!
I just dont like Valentine… not because of “Islamic” reasons! I just dont like it LOL
I like Valentino’s answer – love doesn’t have to be about men and women, it has to do with saying “you’re special” and “I SEE you” to someone who is special and who often goes unappreciated. A teacher. A Mom. A secretary. An accountant. People who take care of you and you never give it a second thought.
It doesn’t have to be a marketing thing, it doesn’t have to be flowers or cards or dinner out. It can be some home-baked cookies, or putting out a bowl of candies for the office – it’s about sharing, it’s about appreciation. That’s how I see it.
intlxpatr,
I see your point (perhaps your viewpoint is skewed this way because so far, the US recent experience of war is that fought far away from its borders; despite 9/11 and not withstanding Pearl Harbour) So, let me try to modify my analogy to be more fitting:
You said: “In my country you CAN fly your own flag and make an argument against a war fought against another country. It’s allowed.”
My revised analogy: Instead of ‘war’, revised to mean that the enemy is “at the gates” and surrounding the country, and already invaded parts of it infact. Imagine if Russia took over the East Coast and some people in the Midwest marched in favor of this invation. Or for example when Iraq invaded Kuwait and some marched in Kuwait in support of Saddam for example.
“Please, AbuHilal, help me out here – which Islamic state concept do you promote? The Saudi model? The Taliban model? The Iranian model?”
Just because people are infalliable, as you said, and there are less than ‘optimal’ recent attempts/efforts, that does NOT mean that a suffecient model is unachievable and impossible!! As if you are claiming that the model I am seeking never existed in history, which is not true.
What I am pointing out here is that (from the Sunni perspective at least; but that’s another topic), there does exist a model for a social/economic implementation of Islamically derived laws as detailed in Islamic Jurisprudence. As a start, the first step towards a suitable model is a regime that at the very least recognizes this and accepts Islamic jurisprudence (in all its branches, not only those that fit their whims like some ‘kingdoms’ today strictly applying regulations about ‘obeying’ the ‘ruler’ to subdue the people while violating other aspects/branches of the jurisprudence). Accepts it as the only valid source for laws and then reflects this in its administration and policies.
With the state of affairs and the balances of power in the world today, it is obviously a time of much strife, trials and tribulations for Muslims. So, it may not be time for such a model to come back yet, but that does not mean that what is not achievable in whole is abandoned all together. That is why perhaps we see these ‘conservative Islamists’ striving to revive this (even though differences exists in some recognized jurisprudence schools with regards to certain verdicts, the practical application is to go with what the rightful ‘ruler’/government selects from among the valid verdicts; while if none is preferred over the other, then no group has the right to enforce its own views, even if it is from a valid source, over people who are following another valid view/source. Perhaps an example is the incorrect practice of the ‘saudi mutawwa’ in scolding ladies who do not cover their face; not that covering the face may not be required in certain circumstances where schism is feared of course) (The criteria of what constitutes a ‘valid’ source is similar to that in other fields of knowledge; but that’s another topic. This short page will help explain: http://fiqhlessons.blogspot.com/2004/07/why-one-must-follow-one-of-four.html)
“I like Valentino’s answer – love doesn’t have to be about men and women, it has to do with saying you’re special”
No one is arguing with that. The problem is with how this occasion is marketed and perceived among the public. It’s a lot like what happens during new years when some people think it is an opportunity/license to indulge in vice that they don’t usually indulge in the rest of the year! I know of a Kuwaiti who travels every year to New York to be there when the ball drops on new years and ‘indulge’ himself in the ‘activities’. Thus, these occasions have become a ‘launching-pad’ that entice others in the public into ‘indulging’ and therefore it is a responsiblity of the government to protect the rest of the public by minimizing these public potholes.
So you are Salafist, AbuHilal?
You see, one of the problems I have with secular governments is who determines the “correct” source? I understand your reference to the four fiqh; I do not agree that you must follow one of the four.
Islam, as I understand it, has much to do with a direct relationship between man and God. The reference you give has layers and layers of human interpretation between man and God, and damnation for those who attempt to read and understand on their own.
I want governments to be fair to all believers – and to non-believers, too. A government, in my sense of all that is just and fair, a government has to be impartial, treating all citizens equally and impartially.
I am glad you pointed out the misguided zealousness of muttawa who would order a woman to cover her face. Would you say that a non-Muslim woman must cover her hair?
Can we agree that Valentine’s Day is a very silly holiday? That expressing appreciation and love (non-sexual love) is not a bad thing to do?
“As if celebrating Valentineβs Day could be stopped! As if a loving husband doesnβt invite his wife to dinner, or as if a loving wife doesnβt fix something special for her husband just because..”
I’m confused here…
if you want to celebrate your love and friendship with someone, why can’t ypu do it all year long? why just on this specific date? valintine never made sense to me and it never will.
Confused – you are absolutely right. And how often do we do the things we should? In the daily course of events, we get so busy with our studies, our house duties, our work, our running errands, our commitments, that we stop noticing those who matter the most to us. I think it is a human frailty – we are self-absorbed.
So, although there are points on which we disagree, I agree with those who believe Valentine’s Day is non-Islamic – that is true – and that it is also a very commercial “holiday.”
But it isn’t a day off. It isn’t anything really, except a reminder to appreciate those whom we love – our sweethearts, yes, but also those around us who take good care of us, and with whom we have connections that keep us human. I know I need the reminder – to stop, to take a deep breath, to pause in the craziness that life can be and to tell the people who matter to me that they matter to me.
It’s a choice. YOU don’t have to celebrate it. You don’t even have to acknowledge it. Part of my point in the original blog entry was – if you want to make something attractive, ban it.
The important thing about Valentine’s I keep telling myself is it may be non Islamic but it isn’t un-Islamic in the spirit of generosity, goodwill, kindness and above all, tolerance toward your fellow beings which it espouses.
So, live and let live!
intlxpatr :
You will be amazed and astonished how advanced and forward most of the kiddies in Kuwait schools are, especially those attending the state schools. My boys studying in primary school in Edinburgh hit instant puberty after a visit from their cousins in Kuwait,who were more than willing and able to explain to them all about the birds and the bees – in fact, there were some things neither me nor my husband knew about π
So, rest assured; do not worry about the need to keep this blog sanitized for issues with school children reading it.
Today’s kids are one step ahead of adults.
Abou Maryam – I like the way you think. I hope you have a happy day.
Umm Kholoud – LLLOOOLLLL! I doubt there are many Kuwaiti kids who would find any interest in my blog! It’s schools in the US, Canada and European countries who check in; it’s a little window on the world. Some use this blog to do reports! And . . . then there is my MOM. I still care what she thinks. π
But don’t you wish they could be kids a little longer? Some of the things I hear make me feel sad for the kids – like what have they got to look forward to, ther eis nothing sacred, nothing reserved, nothing special any more. Maybe . . . maybe I am getting old! Yikes!
“There are only two Eids in Islam. We should not celebrate Christiansβ festivities because they do not celebrate ours,β Does this mean that if Christians started celebrating Islamic holidays, that Moslems would start celebrating Christian holidays?
Furthermore, doesn’t the Kuwaiti parliament have better things to do with their time – like dealing with the economy or rise in REAL crime?
The forces of anti-modernity working overtime in the National Assembly are a constant source of amusement both for expats in the Persian Gulf and for Kuwaitis living abroad.Some would argue, they are doing their bit to amp the social life in a convoluted sense, in what is clearly not a very happening place. In the wake of the financial meltdown and global recession their anti Valentine’s Day tirade is akin to Niro fiddling while Rome burned.
I agree, like Christmas,Valentine’s isn’t just a season – it’s an attitude for life. But for those of us who find this difficult to remember;hey presto, there’s at least February 14th to mark on your agenda for showing your deepest appreciation to the people who truly matter in your life.
DG – Ya think?? π
Ha ha ha, World is Watching, you got me on the other two, but I know this is you.
I can’t believe this people ,
Valentine’s day came and went and you are still arguing about whether to celebrate it or not !!!!!!
It’s over , Hello
daggero,
I thought it was on the 14th, no?
Besides, there’s always next year… so the debate should go on loool
Daggero – on what planet? Valentine’s Day is always February 14th.
NBQ – You are right.
Intlxpatr
good morning
You are right valentines it is on the 14th
when i came in last night i looked and the moon and it was full moon so it must have been the 15th or 16th of the month , that’s why i was wondering why the discussion was still raging on when the date has passed .
i mean with full moon you get full romance
Intlxpatr
goood morning ,
You are right , valentine day is on the 14th of the month , but when i came back home last night i looked at the sky and the moon was full ,even more than full . So it must have been the 15th or the 16th of the month , So i was surprised when i saw the discussion was still raging on .
I mean with full moon you get full romance No ??!!
And the Planet is Kuwait
shooooooooooot
my computer or your website is acting up i had to write the comment twice hehehehhehe
and it got published twice
sorry about that
LLLOOOLLL, Daggero, must be that full moon. Now go forth and howl!
I think u got ur calendars mixed up. I think the fullmoon shows in the middle of the Hijri/lunar month & not the gregorian!
So, sorry to dissappoint you, but u won’t have a fullmoon for valentine’s! (unless both calendars coincide in their dates in February; it’s close this year, but not quite.)
No, no, nbq, the full moon was last night! Maybe tonight! Not for Valentine’s Day, you are right.