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 s*x; 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.
NEWS EXPRESS
