The Global Valentine Report v.2

This from Malaysia: "Unmarried couples might come together and mingle with each other in unacceptable ways." (gasp!)

From Brunei: "In neighboring Brunei, spiritual leaders used mosque sermons last Friday to express concerns that couples "might not just send greetings and gifts but ... go beyond the limit and even engage in promiscuous activities." (say it isn't so!)

OMG - Is there a moderate Muslim in Qatar? Now it's my turn to gasp!

‘Muslims not banned’ from celebrating Valentine’s Day - Islam does not ban Muslims from exchanging gifts and flowers on Valentine’s Day, Dr Abdul Hamid al-Ansari, former dean of the Shariah College at the Qatar University, has said. He called upon Muslims to join the world in celebrating happy occasions.

“There would be no harm if Muslims celebrated the Valentine’s Day by exchanging gifts or greeted their loved ones or friends on this day. No scriptural text bans Muslim youth from taking part in enjoyable activities on that day as long as they are in compliance with the main teachings of Islam,” Dr al-Ansari told Gulf Times yesterday.

He criticised some Muslim scholars who called for a clampdown on any such celebration, saying such people were “isolationists and advocates of backwardness”. “I think these isolationists are terrified. We cannot isolate ourselves from the rest of the world. We should not listen to these ‘terrified voices’ which seek to reinforce our miseries by opposing any kind of enjoyment. Islam does not ban Muslims from enjoying life.

Love is in the air in Bangladesh! Love Triumphs over Taboos...

Love was in the air at several Dhaka universities on Wednesday as students held concerts and cuddled at rare events to celebrate Valentine's Day in majority Muslim Bangladesh.

Up to 10,000 students at Dhaka University, the country's biggest, attended an open air concert despite pouring rain. Some even stole off to hug and kiss on campus in a city where public displays of affection are considered taboo.

In the 'Veranda of Mecca' lovers are told to avoid dancing and Going out for Valentines

Indonesians in the staunchly Muslim province of Aceh can celebrate Valentine’s Day, but should avoid dancing or going out, and certainly any intimacy before marriage, an Islamic leader said on Wednesday.

Aceh, on the tip of Sumatra island at sprawling Indonesia’s western extreme, is the only province in Indonesia with the right to adopt strict Islamic sharia laws in the judicial system.

‘In our teachings, being together with the opposite sex, drinking, gambling should not be celebrated on Valentine’s Day in Aceh,’ Muslim Ibrahim, chairman of the leading body on Islamic affairs in the province, told Reuters.

He said that Valentine’s Day in Aceh was associated with pre-marital relationships.

‘As long as all the things (forbidden in Muslim teaching) do not happen on Valentine’s day, I don’t think it is a problem,’ he said.

‘They may celebrate Valentine’s as long as they do not go out, not drink, and do not do what violates Muslim teachings.’

What fun would that be?