A cross section of Nigerian Muslims have berated organisers and participants in the Muslim
Miss World
beauty pageant incidentally won by a Nigerian, Miss Obabiyi Aishah
Ajibola, a student of the University of Lagos. All of those who bared
their mind in today’s edition of
Vanguard
newspaper condemned the pageant held in Indonesia on September 18,
describing it variously as a show of shame and un-Islamic and warning of
heavy consequences from Allah for both the organisers and participants
in the competition. In a major article on the issue entitled “Miss
Muslimah
World: A rash invention”, Ishola Balogun wrote: “I listened and watched
with amazement comments from people who tagged themselves liberal
Muslims rationalising the show of shame in Indonesia last week where a
Nigerian Muslim Obabiyi Aishah Ajibola was crowned the Miss Muslimah
World. More stupefying is that those who ought to know and point out
where the organisers of the pageant goofed and where the pageant is
antithetical to Islam rather chose to celebrate it. Very unfortunate.
“Woman, as taught by Islam since the light of Islam, is a precious and
most valuable being. She is to be protected, honoured, treasured and
valued. And like a treasure, her beauty should be respected, hidden for
the purpose of her security and safety so as not to be exposed to abuses
by unworthy eyes and lustful minds. “That is why the Quran in Chapter
24 verse 31 says: “And say to the believing women that they should lower
their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display
their beauty
and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof;
that they should draw their head veils over their bosoms and not
display their beauty except to their husbands, or their fathers or their
husbands’ fathers, or their sons or their husbands’ sons, or their
brothers or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their
women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess, or male servants
free of physical desire, or small children who have no sense of sex; and
that they should not stamp their feet in order to draw attention to
their hidden ornaments. And O believers! Turn all together towards
Allah, that you may attain bliss.” In the verses preceding the above
verse, Allah also warned men telling them to lower their gazes. “The
fact that in every pageant, flaunting, parading
of the body
and cat-walking are a common phenomena, the Jakarta show was not an
exception in this regard. The alibi that the 21 contestants were adorned
in the Islamic wears with hijabs did not remove the fact that they
flaunted and cat-walked to the amused audience which were both sexes.
That to a large extent must have whipped the emotions and passions of
men present at the event. “So long as evidence from the Quran and Sunnah
exists on lowering our gazes on women, all those men who sat to watch
the catworking, strolling and poses of the Muslimah have run afoul of the
injunction
of Allah and the sunnah of Prophet Muhammad. (s.a.w). Didn’t the
so-called liberal Muslims know that the philosophy behind the above
warning is to make the ‘beauty’ of a woman private and not a public
affair? Have they also pondered on the parametres for picking the
winners? “Yes! they recited the Holy Quran but was it a Quran reading
completion? No. There were men not only among the audience but also
among those who adjuged the the winner and losers. The Judges are Puan
Jameya Syerif; Dr. Baron Abdul Radzak; Fareed Esky and KH Amidan of
Indonesia Ulama Council. They tested the ladies on dedication,
reputation, and concern to academics, religious knowledge, information
technology and
social community. “In one of the posts which I read immediately after the pageant; it reads: “The grand final of the third World Muslimah
peagant at Balai Sarbini in South Jakarta on Wednesday also began
uniquely — with the women reciting verses from the Koran before
strutting down the stage, wearing loosely fitting outfits and veils
instead of revealing gowns. While some of the women paraded with a
model’s confidence, others were more awkward as they tottered by in
glittering
high heels and long gowns.” “Again, what is the need for a Miss World alternative? The argument that the Miss Muslimah World is a riposte to the Miss World
is not enough to call Islmaic pageant when the religion does not
support it. The Quran says in Surat Hud: “And do not incline towards the
disbelievers.” Do not adore their ways and do not follow them. And
hadiths also says ‘He who imitates a nation is from amongst them.’
“Instead of concentrating their energies on dawah, and offer assistance
to people struck with poverty and disease all over the world, show love
to people, especially to people in war-ravaged countries, denounce war
and inhuman treatments in some parts of the world, they decided to
compete with the shameful competition of Miss World. Islam has no hand in such matters. We must reject in its entirety this rash invention. The organisers
should have a rethink, and refocus their interest and perhaps remove pageant out of it.
Quran recitation
competition is accepted world but with low publicity when women are
involved because of the reservation Islam has for women. “Islam
preserves the woman’s right of modesty, guards her from the corruption
of society and that no male other than her close relatives and her
husband, has the right to behold her beauty. The Prophet said: “A woman
should be concealed, for when she goes out,
the devil
looks at her.” (Tirmidhi, Hadith no. 3109) The adornment of a woman is a
private matter and not what should be celebrated in the public. That is
what Islam teaches. Period. “Other Muslims interviewed by Vanguard also condemned the Muslims Miss World
pageant and the participants, including the winner.” It’s against the
principles of Islam —Lukman Idris This Muslim pageant thing was sheer
vainglory. This waywardness and has no basis in Islam as much as it does
not in Christianity. Looking at the exercise, it’s a way of showing off
the even though they were wearing Hijab which are fashionable. Also,
during the exercise you will see men either Muslim or non-Muslim who
will be commenting on their beauties and also being lustful. So,
generally to me the pageant is totally against Islam and I will advise
the organisers to put a stop to it. This is a sign of end time. It’s a
show of shame —Nurudeen Successful indeed are the believers. And Glory
be to Almighty Allah who blessed us with Quran and Sunnah. To say the
truth, this show is never part of Islam, It is not a Sunnah of the Holy
Prophet Muhammed (SAW), It was not practiced by our predecessors. To
everybody reading this article, this show can be described as show of
shame, by the so called ignorant people whose intention is to tarnish
the name of Islam. Well, everybody shall be duly rewarded by our Creator
according to individual actions. For the non-Muslims, Islam is a way of
life, and does not teach beauty contest. No alternative to Allah’s
injunctions
—Hajia Wasilat There is no alternative to what Allah has decreed.
Better things are out there they can do to contribute to Islam not
beauty pageant. As regards to Islamic belief, the Islamic pageant is not
advisable because God created women with some kind of attraction and in
order to curb unnecessary emotions, women are required not to flaunt
their beauty. Despite the fact that they didn’t expose their body, men
can still get attracted to them through their voices and the way they
cat-walked. So, to me the pageant is against Islamic religion. Even if
they want to test their knowledge or try to promote the Islamic religion
through the recitation of Quran, I think it should not be in that
manner because, as a woman in Islam, it’s not proper to expose yourself
in public. Aisha, organisers should repent —Hajia Maryam When I heard
about it, I thought it was a rumour, but was surprised when I saw it
myself and I was ashamed. The event is totally un-Islamic, therefore
Aisha as she claimed to be, should repent and return all the prizes if
actually she was a Muslim.The prizes are haram and the act, because
Islam does not support pageant. But I think what they should have done
is to just focus on the recitation privately and not by making it
publicly. Even in Islam it is a sin for a lady to recite in the public
except in a situation whereby you are either teaching or reciting to
children. Women are not allowed to flaunt their bodies. A Muslim woman
is not allowed to flaunt her beauty in whatever form even in her Hijab
(Islamic veil). So the concept of Miss Muslim World is alien to Islam
and so not acceptable. The organisers of this programme should fear
Allah and stop inventing this concept into Islam, for every innovation
leads to hell fire. I think they should rather do charitable cause for
Muslims who are living in abject poverty. Islam is a complete religion.
Innovations like this is not allowed.
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