GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Gaza resident Maher Annan gave a red carnation to his wife Umm Mahdi, as their four children Nour, Nagam, Mahmoud and Mahdi stood by smiling. This gesture was blasphemous according to the religious speech given by Sheikh Hamada Jabar on the evening of Feb. 13, directed at the owners of shops selling flowers and other gifts on Al-Wahda Street in Gaza City. Each of these shops was preparing in its own way for Valentine's Day.

"God called upon us to love, so how can celebrating love be considered haram?" asked Annan, as he bought a flower from the Crazy Flower shop. Sheikh Jabar stood in front of the shop, which was decorated with red ribbons, preaching to those who had gathered. He told them that Valentine's Day is a forbidden, Christian practice.

Annan, his wife and others were motivated by curiosity to listen to the sheikh, who was surrounded by other Salafist sheikhs. They were carrying banners calling for women to wear the veil and for people to give up smoking and not to celebrate Valentine's Day.

"A single flower is enough for me on Valentine's day. Why must people always focus on the bad side of things?" Umm Mahdi asked Al-Monitor.