To or not to celebrate Valentine’s Day
The day still continues to polarise segments of society.
PESHAWAR:
Even more than a decade after it gained widespread popularity in the country, Valentine’s Day continues to polarise segments of society.
Mobile phones and social networking sites such as Facebook have been inundated with messages for and against celebrating Valentine’s Day, as both sides try to gain a wider audience.
The Express Tribune talked to a few youngsters for their point of view. Rehan, who is a student of A levels at Roots College International Islamabad, was also found sending anti-Valentine’s Day messages for violating cultural values.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Rehan said celebrating Valentine’s Day was against the norms of an Islamic society. Valentine’s Day celebrations started after Valentine was beheaded by a Roman emperor for going against his orders.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day means we are celebrating Valentine’s death, which is neither logical nor ethical, he said. “Let it be celebrated as a festival but if we can celebrate Valentine’s Day why not celebrate Christmas and Holi?”
However, a few from the conservative city were found to in favour of celebrating Valentine’s Day and said it was only a festival like Jashn-e-Nauroz.
Shumaila, who has graduated from University of Peshawar’s Law College and is currently preparing for CSS, said branding Valentine’s Day as a Western import was illogical and those who subscribe to this view should also ditch the Gregorian calendar and start following the Islamic one. “It’s human nature to have a valentine. If you don’t have a crush you are not human.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2012.
Even more than a decade after it gained widespread popularity in the country, Valentine’s Day continues to polarise segments of society.
Mobile phones and social networking sites such as Facebook have been inundated with messages for and against celebrating Valentine’s Day, as both sides try to gain a wider audience.
The Express Tribune talked to a few youngsters for their point of view. Rehan, who is a student of A levels at Roots College International Islamabad, was also found sending anti-Valentine’s Day messages for violating cultural values.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Rehan said celebrating Valentine’s Day was against the norms of an Islamic society. Valentine’s Day celebrations started after Valentine was beheaded by a Roman emperor for going against his orders.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day means we are celebrating Valentine’s death, which is neither logical nor ethical, he said. “Let it be celebrated as a festival but if we can celebrate Valentine’s Day why not celebrate Christmas and Holi?”
However, a few from the conservative city were found to in favour of celebrating Valentine’s Day and said it was only a festival like Jashn-e-Nauroz.
Shumaila, who has graduated from University of Peshawar’s Law College and is currently preparing for CSS, said branding Valentine’s Day as a Western import was illogical and those who subscribe to this view should also ditch the Gregorian calendar and start following the Islamic one. “It’s human nature to have a valentine. If you don’t have a crush you are not human.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2012.