Christian Governor of Jakarta Faces Blasphemy Trial In Indonesia

So-called "moderate" Indonesia continues on its path towards hardline fundamentalism. Freedom of religion is supposed to be part of Indonesia's constitution, but apparently not. Minority religious adherents are continue to be persecuted and the Christian governor of Jakarta, who is of Chinese descent, is now on trial for blasphemy. What, you might ask, did Basuki Tjahaja Purnama (aka Ahok) do to warrant a blasphemy charge? This:

Ahok angered religious conservatives after he referenced a verse from the Islamic holy book, Al-Maidah 51 of the Qur’an, rather boldly telling voters they should not be duped by religious leaders using the verse to justify the claim that Muslims should not be led by non-Muslims.

Indonesian hardliners have huge influence, and are responsible for much of the persecution. If he does get convicted he could face 5 years in prison. Thankfully he's not in Pakistan where he could face the death penalty.

More on The Guardian UK.

More info on this France 24 video, including how former president of Indonesia- Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono- has been supporting the hardliners, more than likely because his son is running against Ahok in the upcoming governor elections.  Just politics as usual. But it's shameful that Muslim majority countries continue to persecute minority religions, while Western countries continue to embrace Islam.

Pakistani Hardliners- New Law Protecting Women Is Un-Islamic

Pakistan isn't like Afghanistan. And it's a tad more progressive than say, Iran or Saudi Arabia when it comes to its women folk. There are no religious police out on the streets making sure women are covered. Unlike Saudi Arabia, they can drive. Universities are not segregated. Heck, they even elected a female Prime Minister. Twice. Although Benazir Bhutto was eventually assassinated she served two terms from 1984 through 1993. Of course, that was back then when Muslims weren't quite so fanatical and hardline as they are today. But although their legal system is rooted in British common law, the Penal Code often adheres to Islamic Shariah law and many of its barbaric practises, including death for apostasy and blasphemy. Any attempts to change the more radical Islamic laws, like Blasphemy and child marriage laws are met with major resistance, and often violence from a slew of religious hardliners.

The latest child marriage law ban never came to fruition because of opposition from the hardliners who actually want girls as young as nine to be eligible to marry, as per Shariah law.  And now, they want a new law protecting women to go bye-bye. There's a lot of domestic abuse within the Islamic nuclear family, so that's not surprising.

More than 35 religious parties and groups in Pakistan have come together to call on the government retract a new law in the country's largest province of Punjab that protects women from abuse. Claiming that the law is unIslamic, they accuse the law of being part of the West's agenda to destroy the family system in Pakistan.

The Women's Protection Act was passed by Punjab in February to protect women from domestic, psychological and sexual violence. It also calls for the setting up of a toll-free abuse reporting hot line, women's shelters and district-level panels to investigate reports of abuse. The new law also mandates the use of GPS bracelets to keep track of offenders.

The law however seems to have fallen foul of the mainly conservative clerics and religious leaders. They have said it is in conflict with both the Koran and the Pakistan constitution.

"This controversial law to protect women was promulgated to accomplish the West's agenda to destroy the family system in Pakistan," reads the joint declaration from the conference comprising the religious parties and groups. "This act ... is redundant and would add to the miseries of women."

[snip]

Pakistan Today said the Council of Islamic Ideology, a Pakistani religious body that advises the government on the compatibility of laws with Islam has declared the Women's Protection Act as un-Islamic. On 14 March, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of the Jamiat-i-Ulema Islam, the country's largest religious party, claimed that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had promised to address the reservations of the religious parties.

The rest here.

Niger Kills 109 Boko Haram- Thousands To Go

Nigeria's version of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has been venturing out beyond its borders into neighbouring lands, but I'm delighted to see they are meeting some major resistance.

Niger forces, along with help from Chad's military, were able to off around 109 Boko Haram Islamists after they attacked the city of Bosso and Diffa. Unfortunately, 4 soldiers and a civilian were also killed. As a result, Niger will try to get approval from parliament to have soldiers join Chadian and Cameroon soldiers in Nigeria to help destroy Boko Haram. U.S. intellegence believes that could be a "game changer in a positive way."

More here.

Well done! How many more to go?

ISIS Cartoon Garners Blasphemy Accusations For Indonesian Newspaper Editor

In so-called moderate Indonesia, Meidyatama Suryodiningrat- the editor of  The Jakarta Post (an English-language newspaper)- could spend 5 years in jail for blasphemy. Why? Because a cartoon the newspaper published this past July offended the hard-line Islamists.

The cartoon- quite obviously critical of ISIS- shows a bunch of armed jihadists, one of whom is pointing a gun at the head of a blindfolded man kneeling next to other blindfolded men (we've all seen those videos and photos), and another one hoisting a black flag with a picture of a skull and crossbones with "There is no God but Allah" written in Arabic.

An apology on the front page wasn't enough to appease the easily offended..

Following an outcry from Islamic groups, the Jakarta Post issued a front-page apology and retracted the cartoon five days later, insisting it was meant to “critique the use of religious symbols” and as a “reproach” to ISIS, a brutal Islamist group which holds vast swathes of territory across Syria and Iraq.

A group called the Jakarta Muslim Preachers Corps filed a complaint to the police and on Friday, Jakarta police spokesman Rikwanto, who goes by one name, said that Suryodiningrat had been officially named a suspect the previous day.

“The status of MS has been upgraded to suspect,” said the spokesman, using the editor’s initials, the usual practice in criminal cases in Indonesia.

It's proof that there are more radical Muslims out there than people would like to admit. Anyone who supports a violent, terrorist group like ISIS is one step from being a terrorist themselves.

More here.

Somali Muslim Clerics Balk At Anti-Apostasy Booklet By Somali Muslim Scholar

There are Muslims trying to reform Islam. Not many, since those who do try are often targeted by the more radical elements in the religion. But there are some. Take Saudi educated Somali scholar Abdisaid Ismail who recently published a small booklet tackling the subject of punishment (which is usually death) for apostasy in Islam.  The book Xadka Riddada Maxaa ka Run Ah? (Is There Punishment for Apostasy in Islam?) was published in Nairobi, and discusses whether punishment is dictated by Islam, as well as touching on women's equality issues.

The book, which is little more than 130 pages, is unsettling the Somali militants as it challenges their misuse of Islam as a political tool.

Xadka Riddada, as it is commonly known, seems to be more dangerous for Islamist militants in Somalia than the thousands of troops sent by the African Union to the Horn of Africa nation, or the millions of dollars spent every month fighting Islamist terrorists.

The resistance to the book by radical clerics shows the fight against terrorism is essentially one of ideas rather than military might.
[snip]
He has done extensive research on the issue of apostasy in Islam and freedom of religion, and concluded that Islam does not prescribe the death penalty for apostasy, and that freedom of religion is clearly enshrined in Islam.

The booklet is a counter-narrative to the Islamist position that Muslims cannot abandon their religion and if they do, they should be killed -- a doctrine used to justify wanton killings in Somalia.

Ismail's take on Sharia:

Mr Ismail argues that many of the doctrines in Islam are based on the out-dated Arab socio-economic situation of the sixth century, and that much of the Islamic Jurisprudence now used by Islamists is no more than tribal reading of key religious sources.

He advocates the separation of Mosque and State, so to speak, which is contrary to the rallying call by Islamist jihadists and their ideologues for Sharia as the supreme law in Muslim countries. This call is equivalent to the Bible being declared the law in Christian countries, an unthinkable preposition in this day and age.

He also condemns "moderates" for opposing reform and basically siding with the extremists vis-à-vis their violence and brutality.

As expected, it is not being very well received by extremists, who believe apostates should be executed, and that women should remain barefoot and pregnant, and out of sight.  The book was condemned, and radical clerics have called the book "apostasy", and the death threats ensued. He was even thrown out of a Kenyan hotel in Eastleigh, and his booklet has been banned from book stores there. In democratic, liberal Kenya, no less.

So, according to Ismail, 'moderate' Muslims are not any more enlightened than extremists.

How long do you suppose the poor man will survive?

Source: AllAfrica.

Life Under ISIS Rule In Raqqa- Video Full Report

Here's the full France 24 news report on the 25-year-old woman who traveled back to Raqqa to film what life is like under Islamic State rule. She was born there, and this is the first time she has ever worn a veil.

Life looks like hell there.

Brave woman.

ISIS Justifies Yazidi Genocide- They Were Asked To Convert First

MEMRI has translated an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) propaganda video where an ISIS commander justifies the murder and rape of Yazidis. The man interviewing the Sheik asks him:

"Dear Sheik, various politicized media outlets published false reports that you had killed the Yazidis, (forced) them to convert to Islam, and violated the honor of their women. How do you respond to these reports?"

He doesn't specifically address the rape, but he does say they are trying get them to convert to save their kuffar souls, and were given that option first.

The video also shows a bunch of Yazidis who allegedly converted. But all you see is fear in their eyes. Check out the man at the very end of the video. So very sad.

Then you have the likes of this extremist Brit convert, ex-boxer Anthony Small, justifying the beheading of Foley, and terrorist violence.

Fatwa Bans Saudis From Traveling Abroad To "The Land Of Infidelity"

"God does not love" Muslims living alongside "infidels", so Saudi preacher Sheikh Abdullah al-Suwailem has issued a fatwa banning Saudis from travelling outside the country, unless they really, really have to.

“Travelling abroad is forbidden in Sharia except in cases of necessity and with conditions."  

because

 "..whoever dies in the land of infidelity could go to hell."

Muslim countries are "less undesirable."

Those conditions he talks about?

The traveler must be "a strong believer" with religious "immunity", so they don't give in to "desires", like alcohol.

“Whoever fears for himself falling for what is forbidden, such as drinking alcohol, should not travel except in the case of necessity,” he added.

And studying or doing business abroad in "the land of infidelity" is also a no-no unless "in extreme necessity."

Apparently Al-Suwailem helps rehabilitate al-Qaeda prisoners held In Saudi jails. Maybe some of that extremism is rubbing off on him. In fact, Saudi columnist Badria al-Bishr called al-Suwailem's fatwa "extremist bacteria." And former head of the religious police Sheikh Ahmed Bin Qassim al-Ghamdi, quoting from the Quran,  believes that "travel broadens one's mind"  and has "many advantages for all."

Actually, this might be a Godsend for the West, after all the majority of the 9/11 terrorists were Saudi.

By all means, stay at home.

Source: Al Arabiya

Video- 100s of Qaeda Jihadists Headed For Syria

Hundreds of al-Qaeda jihadists entering Syria willing to fight for their 72 and slaughter other Muslims.

Apparently they're from al-Qaeda in Iraq and the Levant and are headed towards Shiite villages in Aleppo province in the north.  They don't like the Shiites so we know what their goal is.

44 Muslims Gunned Down While Praying In Nigeria

Boko Haram Islamic extremists usually target Christians in Nigeria, but this time their targets were fellow Muslims. They allegedly killed 44 people at a mosque in Nigeria. They were praying at the time.

Suspected Islamic militants wearing army fatigues gunned down 44 people praying at a mosque in northeast Nigeria, while another 12 civilians died in an apparently simultaneous attack nearby, security agents said today. [snip]

It was not immediately clear why this particular mosque—located in Konduga town, some 22 miles outside Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria's Borno state—was targeted, but Boko Haram has in the past attacked mosques whose clerics have spoken out against religious extremism. The group also has attacked Christians outside churches and teachers and schoolchildren, as well as government and military targets. The news came as journalists received a video featuring Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, who gloats over recent attacks, threatens more, and even says his group is now strong enough to go after the United States.

Source: Newser

France Deports Tunisian Islamist Who Threatened Journalists

 After its infamous capitulation during WWII, there might still be hope for France as it continues to grow cojones by deporting those who threaten the country.

France on Friday arrested and deported a Tunisian Islamist suspected of wanting to harm two reporters, the interior ministry said.

The 36-year-old from a Paris suburb was known as being “close” to radical Islam and had “several times shown willingness to take part in the jihad in Syria” with a group linked to Al-Qaeda named Jabhat al Nusra, said the ministry in a statement.

The man was allegedly “implicated in several plans of violence notably relating to two journalists”.

“In light of these elements, this individual constituted a real threat to state and public security,” the ministry said.

Quoted in the statement, Interior Minister Manuel Valls reiterated “France's engagement in fighting terrorism and that people who advocate violence will not be tolerated”.

Back in 2010 they threw out Egyptian hate preacher, Ali Ibrahim al-Sudani. Of course, that was the second time they had deported him.

"This individual very recently reappeared on our territory despite an expulsion order in his name, carried out in January," Hortefeux said in a statement of the former imam of the Hamza mosque, at Pantin outside Paris.

"This hate preacher has repeatedly said violently hostile things about the West that are totally against our society's values," he said.

Apparently no-one knew how he arrived back in France.

France has been deporting extremists for a while, though.  Between 2001 and 2010 they rid themselves of a whopping 129 of them, and last year they kicked out a young Moroccan extremist who was inciting violence.

Unfortunately, I'm sure this will be an ongoing activity, but at least they are doing it. Too bad England doesn't have the balls to do the same thing.  It took the U.K. years before it finally booted Abu Qatada  back to Jordan.

Tunisian Bomb Maker Blows Himself Up

Tunisian officials have no clue who the Muslim extremist bomb maker who blew himself up was. Maybe they'll find out from his wounded pregnant wife. If she surives.

How's that for instant karma.

Source: Al Arabiya

Aussie Imam- Over 100 Extremists Capable Of Violence Living In Sydney

A moderate Australian imam, Afroz Ali, admits that there are well over 100 radicalized young Muslim men living in Sydney suburbs who are on the verge of going over to the dark side of terrorism, and there's nothing he can do about it, although he's tried his damnedest.

Ali voiced his concern to 20 other imams during the April National Imam's Consultative Forum, which has the backing of the Aussie government.

"We have had a program for the last seven years now in which we have had 240 people who were considered to be moving in a direction which may have led them to violent radicalisation - to terrorism," Imam Afroz told the national forum.

"What we have found is, of the 240 people, 120, exactly half of them, are people who have changed their thinking, their mindset. That is something that I don't necessarily share too widely in public, but I am happy to share it here."

The videotaped conference is only just  airing on Channel 7's Today Tonight, and they were unable to contact Afroz for comment.  However, ex-radical Maajid Nawaz was available to talk.

He said he did not consider it a success that there were still 120 young radicals potentially headed for terrorism.

"I find it astonishing we've got one centre that has 240 radicals," Mr Mawaz told Today Tonight

"If 120 can become violent in one Islamic centre, that tells me the scale of the problem. It's massive because that's only one centre."

Read more here.

Australians should be very scared.

Muslim Vigilante Patrols Are Out Trolling London Streets Again

The Muslim patrols are at it again- trolling the streets of London for 'bad' Muslims, or non-Muslims doing bad things.

Back in January the "Muslim Patrol" (a group of Islamic vigilantes) was harassing people- whether Muslim or not- in Muslim-dominant areas for not complying with Islamic mores. Some of those vigilantes have been arrested, but others have taken their place. This new group calls itself the Shariah Project, and considers itself a kinder, gentler version of the hardline Muslim Patrol. However, some of those hardliners are members of the new group, including Abu Izzadeen (once jailed on terrorism charges) who tells Sara Firth, the reporter for Russia Today, that "the law of the land can go to hell."

The leader of the Shariah Project happens to be Abu Usamah who claims that Islam and Shariah will eventually dominate the world.

Mainstream Muslims have condemned both groups.

Al Qaeda Militants Get the Spa Treatment For Rehab

In the hopes of rehabilitating Al Qaeda terrorists, incarcerated militants will be getting first class prison accommodations in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They'll be getting spa treatments, exercise in an Olympic-sized indoor pool, access to a sauna, gym, a TV room, and even 2 day conjugal visits with their wives (if they're good), along with the intense counseling officials hope will make them nicer people.

The new complex is the work of the Prince Mohammed bin Nayef Center for Counseling and Care, a body set up seven years ago to rehabilitate extremists jailed during a Saudi crackdown on the local branch of Al-Qaeda.

“Just under 3,000 [Islamist prisoners] will have to go through one of these centers before they can be released,” interior ministry spokesman General Mansur al-Turki told AFP during a tour of the new center.

They have so many militants, there are plans for three more facilities to add to the two that already exist. The other one is in Jeddah, but the Riyadh one is the luxury facility which will house 228 inmates, all from the "deviant group", a euphemism for Al-Qaeda extremists.

The plan for those 228 lucky ones:

During the day, the prisoners will attend seminars on religious affairs, aimed at steering them away from thoughts of jihad.

“In order to fight terrorism, we must give them an intellectual and psychological balance... through dialogue and persuasion,” said the director of the rehabilitation centers, Said al-Bishi.

He said a total of 2,336 Al-Qaeda prisoners have now been through Saudi rehabilitation schemes.

“The percentage of those who rejoin the deviant minority does not exceed 10 percent,” Bishi said, a proportion he described as “encouraging.”

Of course, there are detractors who believe that the religious counseling part of the rehabilitation programme is too similar to Al-Qaeda's, and that there have been those who returned to the jihadist battlefield, like Saeed al-Shehri, after being 'rehabilitated.' I guess the allure of jihad and the eventual 72 virgins has more appeal than all those massages, laps around the pool, and those conjugal visits with one of their wives might have.

Social scientist Khaled al-Dakheel told AFP:

“We cannot know if the program will succeed in eradicating terrorism and extremism."

“There must be pluralism and an acknowledgement of the rights of others to be different.”

That certainly doesn't exist in Saudi Arabian Wahhabism.

Source: Al Arabiya.

Bill Maher: "Liberal Bullsh*t" Comparing Islamic Violence To Christianity

The only thing that liberal Bill Maher can be lauded for:  his views on radical Islam. He knows the danger and isn't afraid to discuss it.

On his HBO's "Real Time", Maher gets into it with fellow liberal CSU-San Bernardino professor Brian Levin- of the Center for Study of Hate and Extremism.

Since Levin studies "crazy people who do terrible things", Maher wondered how people like the eldest Boston terrorist bomber could hold two  contradictory mindsets, citing his Internet profile that stated his world view as Islam, and his personal priorities as career and money.  He then mentioned the 9/11 hijackers who visited strip clubs the night before they boarded the plane. Cutting him off, Levin launched into a diatribe about it not being just an Islamic issue.  Maher then called Levin's contention that it's not only Muslims who are hypocritical and do "wacky things"- "liberal bullshit."

“You know what, yeah, yeah,” Maher said. “You know what — that’s liberal bullshit right there … they’re not as dangerous. I mean there’s only one faith, for example, that kills you or wants to kill you if you draw a bad cartoon of the prophet. There’s only one faith that kills you or wants to kill you if you renounce the faith. An ex-Muslim is a very dangerous thing. Talk to Salman Rushdie after the show about Christian versus Islam. So you know, I’m just saying let’s keep it real.”

In comparing religions, Maher asked could they do "The Book of Islam" -referring to the play "The Book of Mormon" currently running on Broadway. We all know the answer to that question, Levin does not.

Bill Maher was the clear winner in that debate.

Here's the full interview.




H/T Blazing Catfur

Video: Militants Jabhat al-Nusra Promise A Caliphate For Syria

Syrian militant terrorists from Jabhat al-Nusra fighting Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria calling for the return of the Caliphate (Khilafah).

"...there's no deviation from the Khilafah."  

"The Caliphate of 'there's no God but Allah' shall return!!"

"Khaybar, Khaybar... Oh Jews! The army of Mohammed shall return!"  

"I swear by Allah, no banner shall be raised over Damascus that represents Iran, atheist Syria, or a black turban representing Iranian acceptance, for only the banner of monotheism shall be lifted over Damascus, with Allah's permission. The Caliphate is coming!!"  

The speech is peppered with the typical Takbeer (glorify Allah) and Allahu akbar.

Brits Stuck With Abu Qatada For Life? His Rights Come First

 Everyone agrees that hate preacher/terrorist Abu Qatada is a "very dangerous" individual. He also happens to be a parasite sucking the British government dry while he lives in comfort- with his brood- courtesy of the British taxpayer.  Yet deporting him back to Jordan is proving to be a fruitless endeavour. Why? Because his human rights trump the rest of the British citizenry. At least that's how some judges feel about Qatada's case.

The judges said that while Qatada’s deportation was ‘long overdue’, his risk to the public was not ‘a relevant consideration’ under human rights laws.
[snip]
The Appeal Court yesterday upheld an earlier verdict that sending the hate preacher to face a terror trial in Jordan would not be fair.

Not fair, because they're afraid Qatada might be tortured in Jordan.

Brits have been trying for ten years to boot him out of the country, and now they might be stuck with him forever, unless Home Secretary Theresa May can work a miracle.

Home Secretary Theresa May will now lodge a last-ditch appeal to the Supreme Court. If that fails, it would raise the prospect of Qatada – variously described as a ‘truly dangerous individual’ and Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe – never being deported. He could apply to be freed within days.

But some are blaming May for this epic failure.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Mrs May’s strategy of pursuing the case through the British courts rather than in Europe had backfired disastrously, adding: ‘This is an extremely serious and disappointing judgment.’

Read more on the whole disastrous situation on the UK DailyMail.

It's not the first time the British courts have sided with terrorists, placing the English people at risk.  An Algerian terror suspect, living in the country illegally for years, was also allowed to stay in England because he was suicidal.

What the Brits are doing is suicidal.

Benghazi Coptic Christian Church Torched By Extremists

More Christian persecution, this time in Libya.  A Coptic Christian church in Benghazi, that had already suffered damage by Islamic extremists in February, was torched again on Thursday.

According to a witness:

"Several armed men arrived firing in the air, started a fire in the church and left," a resident near the church in central Benghazi said, asking not to be named.

At least this time no-one was hurt. Back in February a priest and his assistant were also attacked.

Christians have been living in fear of the rise of Islamic extremism since Moammar Gadhafi was driven from power and killed in 2011 with the help of the U.S.

"Valentine, Infidel Culture" - Some Muslim Killjoys Claim

Protest in Karachi, 2012

The 'day of love' is celebrated around the world on February 14th, not for its Christian religious roots, but because it's a great way to let those you love- family, friends, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends- know how much you appreciate them. People traditionally exchange Valentine cards, flowers, chocolate, with the predominant color being red. But not in Saudi Arabia, where the ever- present, ever ready to rain on any parade religious police are on the look out for anything of that color, or anything else for that matter, that could potentially be given as a gift. Apparently they're okay at any other time of the year, not just around February 14th.

Why?

Because Valentine's Day is banned in Saudi Arabia.

Why?

Because it is viewed as a Christian religious holiday, and as we all know the oh-so tolerant Saudi Kingdom doesn't allow anyone to publicly celebrate any religious holiday other than Islamic ones. The bizarre thing is no-one, anywhere, attributes any religious connotation to the holiday, these days. I actually forgot it was also called Saint Valentine's Day because it's a term that is rarely used, opting for the more secular term Valentine's Day. Although it's probably consumerism at its worst, it's a relatively harmless holiday, and certainly not religious.

But it's not just the Saudis that ban V Day. While most of the world enjoys participating in a pretty innocuous celebration of love, the usual kill joys have, as expected, popped up in places like Pakistan, where some believe it's un-Islamic. Right, because Mohammed told his followers not to send someone some roses and chocolates to demonstrate their undying love for that person.

During the week, Some Pakistanis celebrated Valentine’s Day with balloons and flowers, but others denounced the holiday as an insult to Islam.

In the port city of Karachi, home to 18 million people, billboards decorated with a black heart urged citizens to “SAY NO TO VALENTINE'S DAY,” Reuters reported.

“This tradition reflects insensitivity, indignity and ignorance of Islam,” the signs read. They were put up by a group affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami, a religious political party that holds six of 342 legislative seats told Reuters.

“Teenagers see it as a time to express love and affection and they often end up in sex parties, like in the West.”

According to Syed Askari, a spokesman for Jamaat-e-Islami, “Valentine’s is against Islamic culture. In our view, relationships are sacred. We have arranged marriages in this culture and people don’t get married for love.”

“This is imposing Western values and cultures on an Islamic society,” he added.

The spokesman derided the West, warning that Muslim countries shouldn’t turn like them.

“Look at the West - people love their dogs but throw their parents out when they get old. We don't want to be like that.”

And to show just how insulted they were, women in Peshawar burned Valentine's cards, because burning things is fun, and being hateful is far more appealing to them than embracing love.

Indonesian conservatives believe the same thing, that celebrating Valentine's Day leads to premarital sex and "sex parties". I don't ever recall sex parties after receiving V Day cards in my youth. But conservative Indonesians are convinced, so Valentine's Day was banned in the conservative regions.

The Head of the hardline Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) in Depok, Habib Idrus Al Gadhri, declared the day “haram” (forbidden) for Muslims, claiming it is part of the culture of “infidels.”

“It’s Western culture and immoral so it's ironic Muslims celebrate it,” he said.

That didn't stop hotels and businesses in Indonesia from participating in the festivities.

In Eastern Java, young girls decided to change February 14 to "headscarf day", and while carrying banners with “Valentine, Infidel Culture”, they handed out information on why both sexes should dress modestly.

In other places, including the more cultured and moderate Islamabad, business was booming.

“Valentine’s Day is good for business,” said grinning Mohammed Ajmar to Reuters as he handed a customer a huge heart made of red roses and glitter.

Even in Iran, where the holiday is banned because of its Western roots, people were celebrating, in spite of the threat of sanctions and shops being shut down for selling red roses.

It's an international day of love, which this world needs more of.

IB Times discusses the countries which frown upon or outright ban the holiday.