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Kuala Lumpur: Couples in the primarily Muslim countries of Malaysia and Brunei are being urged to shun Valentine’s Day by religious officials, who say it conflicts with Islamic principles and causes moral erosion.
While there no laws banning Wednesday’s celebrations in either country, some officials noted that Saint Valentine was a Christian and feared that festivities may prompt impure behaviour among young people.
The warning came as florists, hotels and restaurants laid on promotions for the occasion, featuring roses, candlelight dinners and singers serenading lovers.
Mohammad Ramli Nuh, a state lawmaker who belongs to the ruling United Malays National Organisation, is against the romantic revelry. He said, "From the point of view of Islam, this is not an advisable practice."
He added, "Unmarried couples might come together and mingle with each other in unacceptable ways."
In Brunei, spiritual leaders used mosque sermons to express concerns that couples "might not just send greetings and gifts but go beyond the limit and even engage in promiscuous activities."
A message by the imams carried by Brunei media said, "It is sad to note that we also celebrate such an occasion without knowing its origin, whether it is permissible in Islamic beliefs or otherwise."
Muslims should not "follow Western cultures in the name of modernisation without knowing that such culture is against the Islamic teachings," the message added.
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