TOMORROW (Feb. 14) means something special for a lot of people around the Western world. It is Valentine’s Day, a day on which the tradition of honoring your loved one has become a social custom in societies that celebrate such events. [...]
In the Kingdom, some things remain unchanged. Writing for the Associated Press, Abdullah Al-Shehri stated that “the Saudi religious police” (Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice) had “launched last Thursday a nationwide crackdown on stores selling items that are red or in any other way allude to the banned celebrations of Valentine’s Day.” [...]
With the youth across the Arab world increasingly embracing the concept of such an event to express their love and affection, it irks the more devout Muslims who oppose the celebration of this particular holiday as “a Western celebration of romantic love that corrupts Muslim youth.”
In contrast, in some Arab capitals the celebrations are going full steam ahead. [...]
So how do some people here view this particular day? [...]
Nadia, a Saudi college student disagrees. She is emphatic when she says her plans for Valentine’s Day include partying with her girlfriends. “This day doesn’t stop me from praying or reading the Qur’an. What makes it even more special is that it is falling during the school break and we can go out and stay up pretty late.” And yes, she is going out in red. She had a new abaya tailored for the occasion, with the color red being prominently patterned around her cloak.
Yes, tomorrow is different to some. And depending on which side of the fence you sit, the color red will definitely have some say.
Source: Arab News (Saudi Arabia), February 13, 2010
