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Saudi Arabia, Kuwait Look To Restrict Valentine's Day Celebrations

By Howard Friedman

Saudi Arabia's religious police often clamp down before Valentine's Day-- seeing it as a day that encourages men and women to have relationships outside of wedlock. This year, according to Reuters, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has ordered Riyadh florists and gift shop owners to remove red roses and any other items colored scarlet. The color is seen as symbolizing love. Meanwhile, in Kuwait the head of National Assembly Committee Monitoring Negative Alien Practices wants to go further. Yesterday's Kuwait Times reports that MP Waleed Al-Tabtabae wants various government ministries to take steps to completely ban Valentine celebrations because they are in conflict with the traditions and values of Kuwaiti society. Islamist MP Jamaan Al-Harbash says Valentine's Day conflicts with the values and teachings of Islam. [Thanks to Matthew Caplan for the lead.]

Full post as published by Religion Clause on February 12, 2008 (boomark / email).