A Malaysian youth group urged the Muslim women to "avoid the use of emoticons" in an anti-Valentine's Day message. According to the group, the celebration of Valentine's Day will threaten the faith of Muslims and lead to illicit sex.
This latest advice is part of a seven-point guide that was issued by the National Muslim Youth Association (Pembina) in Malaysia regarding how Muslim women should conduct themselves during interactions with "non-mahram", or men they can marry.
Pembina said in a Facebook post that the guide is also applicable on other days apart from Valentine's Day. It requested the women to keep private text messages short and to stay away from using the ubiquitous smiley faces and colourful icons.
The group warned the women to dress properly and not to use too much of fragrance. The women should not speak in a sweet or mellow voice. The Muslim women were also warned against being alone with "non-mahram" men, and to only interact with them during the daytime and not after nightfall.
The Malay Mail Online reported that the seven-point guide is part of the annual anti-Valentine's Day campaign organized by Pembina. Recently, several posts on the group's Facebook page showed images of Muslim youths holding up posters or placards reading: "I do not celebrate Valentine's Day!". Young people were also asked to wear the anti-Valentine's Day T-shirt and to publicly rebuke those unmarried couples who are dating.
The Malay Mail Online also reported that Malaysia's Islamic authorities have also been consistently opposing the celebration of Valentine's Day among Muslims.
However, Malaysia is not the only country to have such anti-Valentine's Day campaigns. Other countries like Indonesia and Japan have also witnessed the protest against the celebration of love on Valentine's Day. A group of students in Surabaya, Indonesia staged a protest and denounced the day as a celebration that encourages casual sex.
AFP reported that a group in Japan which is known as "Kakuhido", or the Revolutionary Alliance of Men that Women Find Unattractive, called for an end to public displays of affection. It claimed that it hurts their feelings. Meanwhile in Pakistan, an Islamabad court issued an order to ban the celebration of Valentine's Day.
