Acehnese Students Reject Valentine's Day Celebrations
Senin, 14 Februari 2011
BANDA ACEH,- Tens of students from the United Action of Indonesian Islamic Students (KAPMI) staged a rally here Sunday rejecting the celebration of Valentine’s Day.
"Valentine’s Day that is annually celebrated on every February 14 is not Indonesian culture and is against Islamic teachings," Chairman of KAPMI-Aceh chapter Muhammad Zamzami said.
Celebrating it would badly affect Muslim students instead of providing them with benefits, he said. The protesters, dominated by female students, staged a rally at Simpang Lima Circle in Banda Aceh.
During the rally, the student activists gave motorists and passers-by leaflets on a rejection of Valentine’s Day celebrations. Zamzami said Valentine’s Day was not part of Islamic teachings, Indonesian culture nor the Acehnese people’s culture.
Instead, it was part of other nations’ culture and tradition that could harm young Muslims’ attitude and Islamic faith, he said. Celebrating it would also be costly and, worse than that, could plunge lots of youngsters into pre-marital sexual activities, he said.
Zamzami further called on the Indonesian government and Council of Ulemas to issue an official rejection of the observance of Valentine’s Day. According to him, a number of Muslim students still joined the celebration of Valentine’s Day due to their ignorance and poor knowledge about the historical background of this annual activity by sending cards or bunches of flowers to their lovers on Feb 14.
As written in Wikipedia, Valentine’s Day is closely related to history of Christian martyrs, Saint Valentine. It was established by Pope Gelasius I in 500 AD.
The voices of rejection to the celebration of Valentine’s Day had also been echoed in such Muslim countries as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Malaysia. BBC has reported that Malaysia, for instance, has even stepped up a campaign to stop Muslims celebrating Valentine’s Day - labeling it a "trap" that could encourage immoral behavior.
