Like every February 14, the atmosphere of love goes through the atmosphere and bounces off the walls. Gifts, sweets, flowers and giant stuffed animals are seen in the streets. While the couples commemorate the day of love, several other singles are looking for how to spend their evening.
But some countries in the world refuse to celebrate this holiday originally from the west. These nations do not celebrate Valentine’s Day officially for religious reasons or for a tradition distant from that of the West.
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It is important to remember that in various countries of the world there are deeply rooted traditions and own celebrations foreign to the Christian world western. These festivities are as legitimate as ours.
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This festival, spread by the United States and Europe to the rest of the world, has not been accepted in some regions, especially those from the Middle East.
Russia
Although Russia does not celebrate the traditional Valentine’s Day as in much of the world, it does have a similar holiday, but different from how we know it.
Valentine’s celebration it happens in a very similar way in Russia on March 8on International Women’s Day.
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On this festivity it is traditional to give flowers and chocolate, as well as receive your partners and celebrate union and love.
Pakistan
This Islamic country has experienced many protests once morest the celebration of Valentine’s Day. This is due to religious reasons that clash with Western Christian culture.
In 2014, for example, the universities of Peshawar and Pakistan clashed over the contradictions that this holiday brings in light of the law of Islam. The conflict erupted to the point of physical confrontations between the disputants and ended with three students being injured.
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This led to the fact that on February 7, 2018, the High Court of Islamabad prohibited Valentine’s Day, arguing that this is not a holiday proper to the religious tradition, and that it is a celebration imported from the west once morest the law of Islam.
Iran
Since 2012, the Iranian authorities banned the sale of roses, flowers and greeting cards or allusive to the celebration of Valentine’s Day.
In recent years, the ayatollahs have tried prohibit the celebrations of February 14describing the party as a “decadent Western custom” and threatening those businesses, establishments or people who celebrate this day.
Even the sale of heart-shaped figures is prohibited. Iran qualifies the holiday as a “cultural invasion” alien to their traditions.
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Despite the threats and sanctions, some Tehran restaurants are filled with products related to the day of love. Despite this, there is an official deployment of lookouts that are in charge of enforcing the law that prohibits this celebration.
Instead of February 14, Iranians are encouraged to celebrate the Sepandarwasha holiday with Zoroastrian roots that dates back to the first Persian empire.
“The holiday, which falls on February 23, is known as a Persian day of love in honor of Spandarmad, a deity who represented a loving wife,” notes ‘National Geographic’.
India
Despite being a former British colony and subject to multiple cultural impositions by the crown and the WestIndia has resisted the Christian tradition of Valentine’s Day, which has not lasted long.
Even this year, government officials suggested that, to promote Indian culture and not a Western import, the people came out to hug cows on Valentine’s Day.
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Even though cows are sacred in this country, the proposal was canceled due to a sea of opinions for and once morest that the announcement generated.
In 2015, the political leader Chandra Prakash Kaushik declared that he was not once morest the holiday. “We are not once morest love, but if a couple is in love they should get married…if they are not sure, they should not belittle love by going together openly.”
Saudi Arabia
In Saudi Arabia, it is taboo to show affection in publicso a day to celebrate love is not something that goes according to their traditions.
However, in this country you can see celebrations and sales of chocolates, stuffed animals and red clothes, only you cannot call it by name due to existing prohibitions due to Muslim law.
Celebrating this holiday can lead to severe punishmentsaccording to law.
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In 2014, five Saudi nationals were sentenced to 39 years in prison and 4,500 lashes because they were seen dancing on February 14 with several women they were not married to.
Buying roses or chocolates on Valentine’s Day can also carry harsh penalties in this country.
Malaysia
As far as Malaysia is concerned, since 2005, the Asian country has prohibited celebrating Valentine’s Day, as it is considered a commemoration contrary to Islamic law. In this country, little more than 60% of the population is part of the Muslim religion
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The country’s Fatwa Council, which interprets Islamic law and issues decrees, declared the holiday antithetical and opposed to Islam, because it had “elements of Christianity.”
Santiago Andres Venera Salazar
INTERNATIONAL WRITING
TIME