Indonesian officials, clerics ban Valentine's Day observance

Updated 3:08 am, Sunday, February 14, 2016

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A Muslim student dressed as Cupid takes part in a protest against Valentine's Day in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. Dozens of students staged the protest calling on Muslims to avoid the celebration of the western holiday, saying that it's against Islamic teachings and could lead to forbidden sexual relations. less A Muslim student dressed as Cupid takes part in a protest against Valentine's Day in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. Dozens of students staged the protest calling on Muslims to avoid ... more Photo: Trisnadi, AP

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Muslim students display a banner during a protest against Valentine's Day in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Indonesia, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. Dozens of students staged the protest calling on Muslims to avoid the celebration of the western holiday, saying that it's against Islamic teachings and could lead to forbidden sexual relations. less Muslim students display a banner during a protest against Valentine's Day in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Indonesia, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. Dozens of students staged the protest calling on Muslims to avoid the ... more Photo: Heri Juanda, AP

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Muslim students display posters during a protest against Valentine's Day in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Indonesia, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. Dozens of students staged the protest calling on Muslims to avoid the celebration of the western holiday, saying that it's against Islamic teachings and could lead to forbidden sexual relations. less Muslim students display posters during a protest against Valentine's Day in Banda Aceh, Aceh province, Indonesia, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2016. Dozens of students staged the protest calling on Muslims to avoid the ... more Photo: Heri Juanda, AP

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A Muslim girl displays posters " Muslims forbidden to celebrate Valentine's Day" during a protest against Valentine's Day in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016. Dozens of activists staged the protest calling on Muslims to avoid the celebration of the western holiday, saying that it's against Islamic teachings and could lead to forbidden sexual relations. less A Muslim girl displays posters " Muslims forbidden to celebrate Valentine's Day" during a protest against Valentine's Day in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016. Dozens of activists staged the protest ... more Photo: Achmad Ibrahim, AP

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Muslim activists display posters during a protest against Valentine's Day in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016. Dozens of activists staged the protest calling on Muslims to avoid the celebration of the western holiday, saying that it's against Islamic teachings and could lead to forbidden sexual relations. less Muslim activists display posters during a protest against Valentine's Day in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016. Dozens of activists staged the protest calling on Muslims to avoid the celebration of the ... more Photo: Achmad Ibrahim, AP

Indonesian officials, clerics ban Valentine's Day observance

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JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Officials and clerics in the world's most populous Muslim nation have banned young Indonesian Muslims from celebrating Valentine's Day, arguing that the observance runs against Islamic teachings.

In Banda Aceh, the capital of the devout Muslim province of Aceh, thousands of high school students held rallies rejecting the celebration of Valentine's Day.

Banda Aceh's mayor, Illiza Sa'aduddin Djamal, and Shariah officials joined Saturday's rallies, held in four locations in the city's downtown area.

"The Valentine's Day celebration has become a culture," Illiza said. She added that the rallies were aimed at making young people aware that Valentine's Day is not part of Islamic culture.

The bans were imposed in many Indonesian cities. A similar rally by junior high school students was held in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city.

In Makassar, the capital of South Sulawesi province, a noted Muslim youth group, Pemuda Muslimin Indonesia, called on Muslims in the province to stay away from the celebration.

The influential Indonesian Council of Clerics has repeatedly declared the Feb. 14 celebration as an observance stemming from another faith, saying that celebrating it would be the same as promoting faiths other than Islam.

Nearly 90 percent of Indonesia's 265 million people are Muslims, with most practicing a moderate form of the faith.

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