Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai Politics Talk

religious police out in force in run-up to Valentine’s Day
If you can’t stand shops filled with roses, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, teddy bears, cards and novelty gifts, Saudi Arabia is the place to be this Valentine’s Day.

The country’s feared muttawa — religious police — have launched a campaign to banish from the shelves anything that could be construed as a romantic gift. As Sunday approaches, they have been patrolling the shops and posting warnings in local newspapers to remind traders that anyone caught violating the ban will be punished.

Saudi Arabia adheres to a strict interpretation of Sunni Islam and bans the celebration of Western holidays — and Valentine’s Day is a particular target because of its nominal connection to the life of a Christian saint. The kingdom, the birthplace of Islam, also bans birthday celebrations and Mother’s Day, and even several Muslim holidays, because it considers them “religious innovations” that Islam does not sanction.

But roses and romantic gifts are legal for the rest of the year — so amorous Saudis and expatriates have been buying their gifts well in advance of the Valentine’s Day crackdown.

In Riyadh, dating in the Western sense is not socially acceptable, though unmarried couples do meet in restaurants and cafés that have partitions to hide them. However, the arrival of mobile phones, e-mail and internet chatrooms has radically altered the dating scene, allowing couples to communicate in private.

Despite slow but steady efforts by King Abdullah to modernise attitudes, the religious establishment keeps a brake on the process of change — but tensions surface frequently. On Monday, students at a girls’ school in Mecca rioted when the head teacher confiscated their mobile phones, make-up and perfume. Female wardens from a nearby prison were called to the school after the children attacked the head and barricaded her in her office, before breaking tables and chairs and letting off fire extinguishers.






From The Times

Hey, for once the religious police have it right. Valentines day should indeed be banned - the mark ups on restaurants and roses and chocolates is scandalous, not to mention the greeting card industry making a killing!

Well done chev-the-chav, for pointing this out. Onwards with your crusade against crass commercialism!

Cheers,
Shafique