Kingston’s Islamic society has condemned St. Valentine’s Day celebrations as a celebration of pre-marital sex branding it “derogatory”.

Speaking to RiverOnline, members of Kingston University’s Islamic Society branded Valentine’s celebrations amongst fellow Muslims as unacceptable.

Mohammed Rahmany, an architecture student and President of the Islamic Society, objected to posters being put up in or around the front entrance of the Penrhyn Road campus where displays for Islamic Awareness week were being held: “It’s a celebration of lust, not love. You may think it’s love but it’s not, it’s just lust. Love comes after marriage and in Islam sex before marriage is not allowed.”

Other members of the 300 strong religious society, who are celebrating Islam Awareness Week with a series of lectures and discussions, shared his opinion. Faiz, a Forensic Science student and member of Kingston’s Muslim Society, said: “We as Muslims stay away from it. The matter of fact is there is harm in it. Everything around it, everything surrounding it. 

“It’s derogatory, it’s got evil effects. When a girl wants a relationship she wants a relationship, but for a man he just wants sex. Valentine’s Day is a celebration of all of this.”

Ben Rolfe from Kingston’s Christian Union said that while Valentine's Day can be used as a reason for sex, it’s fundamentally more than that: “It's a chance to spend time together, enjoying each others company and grow in love for each other.”

However, University Chaplain Stan Brown said: “Today most Christians regard Valentine’s Day as a bit of fun – nothing to do with its Christian origins. What often troubles Christians, however, is the way in which traditions like this become commercialised”

While millions around the world will spend their February 14th canoodling without fear of repercussion or disapproval,  in Saudi Arabia police banned the sale of all Valentine's Day items in 2008, telling shop workers to remove any red items, as the day is considered an un-Islamic holiday.

However, many Muslims have advocated the celebration of Valentine’s Day, one member of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee, an organisation that supports Muslim Communities within the UK, said: “All humans celebrate love it’s not just a non Muslim practice”.

Faiz conceded that compromises had to be made every day by Muslims in society: “In Islam, to even go near a girl is despicable, from talking to a girl to holding her hand to chatting on MSN, but you have to look at the context. It’s prevalent, it’s predominant and everyone does it.”

Mission Islam, an International Muslim group dedicated to accurately representing Islam, has suggested that St. Valentine’s Day’s Pagan roots are the main point of discontent amongst Muslim people.

They are, however, not alone in their opposition of the celebration. In India, single women and unmarried couples have received threats from radical Hindu group Sri Ram Sena (Lord Ram’s Army) who have opposed Valentine’s Celebrations.