Saudi Valentines elude Puritan Morals Police

Juan Cole 02/15/2014

(Via AFP)

Saudi Valentines defy the love police (via AFP)

Red roses lurk hidden in flower shop back rooms and heart-shaped chocolates are sold under the counter, but Saudis still manage to buy Valentine’s gifts and defy the religious police. Florist Hussein came up with a simple solution to a ban on red tokens…

See also Karima Bennoune, “For Aziz Smati on Valentine’s Day ”

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About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page