PLEASE READ THIS: “SHAME IS A CARDINAL BRANCH OF THE ‘AQEEDAH”: A REACTION TO THE WORLD MUSLIM BEAUTY PAGEANT INNOVATION INTRODUCTION “Yet there are some among the people, who in their ignorance, dispute about Allaah and follow every rebellious devil” Al-Hajj: 3. It appeared funny, but realistically unfunny when the news of the World Muslim Beauty Pageant reached me. A million and one thoughts flowed withing my mind. My reasoning immediately went straight to the world institutionalised ‘Glorified Prostitution’ which its organisers still prefer to refer to as ‘Miss World’. Could this be an exclusive Muslimah version of the moral decadence? Nay! The last time I checked, there was nothing like ‘Sunnatic Catwalk’. Neither has even ‘Stupidity’ adopted ‘bikini’ as a prescribed decency. My curiosity constantly begged for what this could be all about, before the comprehensive insight of what the event entailed was stumbled upon. Foxnews (Published September 18, 2013) reads: Nigerian wins Muslim Beauty Pageant Rival to Miss World. Deriving my conclusion from Fox’s report, it was satisfied that there was no bikini catwalk and it was also a requirement for all contestants to wear headscarves being an Islamic version of the Miss World. “The 20 finalists, who were all required to wear headscarves, put on a glittering show for the final of Muslimah World, [strolling up and down a catwalk] in elaborately embroidered dresses and stilettos”. Fox News also explained that “they were judged on how well they recited Koranic (Qur’aanic) verses and their views on Islam in the modern world.” It may be implied from the brief description of the event that the organiser’s intent is to propagate and promote Islaam. But the big question is that; Is this form of Islamic propagation acceptable? THE ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE THE IMITATION OF AN UN-ISLAMIC TRADITION: To begin with is the statement of the organiser. A Muslimah who loosed her job some three years ago as a TV news anchor for refusing to remove her headscarf told AFP: “This year we deliberately held our event just before the Miss World final to show that there are alternative role models for Muslim women.” The surface of the statement utterly negates the uncompromised dictate of Islaam not to imitate the disbelivers in any ramification. It is glaring and evident that the idea was drawn from the un-Islamic Miss World concept. The Prophet (SAW) of Allaah says: “He who imitates any group is also one of them”. The issue of imitating the kuffaar in their practices, regardless of the fact that we might decide to fashionise our version with the tone of Islaam is strictly not taken jokingly in the Sharee’ah. It is evident from many practices of the Prophet (SAW) that he so much detests to practice anything that has a similarity with any established practices of the people of the books. Major examples of such are; The special plea to Allaah to change the Qibla from Aqsa to the Ka’aba; The shunning of the festivals of the people of Madinah with further replacement with the two ‘eids; and his (SAW) decision not to accept the sounding of bells as a medium for calling to prayer. The evil of imitating the disbelivers in their traditions; an act that has become dominant amongst many Muslims of nowadays has been forewarned by the Prophet (SAW). It is reported in Bukhaari thus: “Narrated Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri: The Prophet said, “You will follow the ways of those nations who were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit so much so that even if they entered a hole of a mastigure, you would follow them.” We said, “O Allah’s Apostle! (Do you mean) the Jews and the Christians?” He said; whom else?” AN ACT OF BID’AH (INNOVATION): “…the event was not really about competition… We’re just trying to show the world that Islam is beautiful”- says the winner of the competition. The intention is not an excuse. The Prophet (SAW) said: “He who does an (innovative) act that has no bases from our commandments (Qur’aan and Sunnah), it shall be rejected.” One of the major sources of Innovation as identified by Jurists is trying to copy practices that have no Islamic source as discusses above. This form of innovation is referred to as ‘Bid’atun Ajnabiyyah’- (An Innovation from a foreign source). Any source that is different from those endorsed by the Islamic Jurisprudence is therefore regarded as foreign. The concept of beauty pageant being an alien practice to Islaam can therefore not be a lawful means for the advancement of the Deen. Islaam is perfect and complete. We are thus encouraged to practice it and not to modify it. It is hence a blasphemous statement and against the ‘aqeedah to say that one is trying to “beautify Islaam” in that context. The question that such insinuation begs is that; has Allaah left His faith unadorned? Or is that supposed to be a challenge that you are a better adorner than the Most Exalted? Astaghfirullaah! It must be understood that the only true beautification that can be done to Islaam is by adhering to its rulings stricto sensu as decreed in its legislative sources. Any other “we are beautifying Islaam” slogan is a dangerous trick from the devil and must be completely shunned. Allaah says: “…and Shaytaan made beautiful to them that which they were doing.” Al-An’aam: 43. It is noteworthy to mention in this part that the Prophet (PBUH) said in one of his strongest warnings against innovations that: “… Every act of innovation is a mischief, and every (such) mischief shall end in hell”. ACTING WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE: The importance of knowledge cannot be over emphasised. A short knowledge of the Islamic Law will reveal to anyone that this new invention is indeed the devil’s innovative for seduction, moral decadency and corruption of Islamism. In examining some activities of the competition on an individual basis, we can not shy away from the sincere truth that apart from the fact that the idea of the program is Islamically Illegal ab initio, many specific events that occurred isn’t even befitting on common grounds of morality. If the CATWALKING of a Muslimah in public is what is needed to identify herself as a 21st Century Muslimah, she had better pray that the Century never meets her. This is ostensibly the ‘khusr’ that Allaah had forewarned that will subjugate the human race by the ‘Asr. The DRESSING AND DECORATION of a Muslimah with the intention of her being judged by the public is also unacceptable by the Sharee’ah. This amounts to revelation of the adornments that the Qur’aan has obliged her to conceal. All Scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah agree that the mere beauty of a lady can form part of her adornment. Not to now talk of the makeup and the special dressing and decoration for the sole purpose of contesting amongst others in the public. Subhaanallaah! Allaah says: “And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except that which is apparent…” Falling into all the above discussed pits is most likely to be a resultant of inadequate awareness of both the organisers of the event and the participants. It is due to this that seeking knowledge has been ordained as a ‘Fard’ (Compulsory) for all Muslims. The implication of not having adequate knowledge about the faith is that the person will be exposed to the deceits of Shaytaan and will find himself several innovations ignorantly. Allaah the most High said: “Verily, those who fear Allaah amongst His servants are the knowledgeable ones.” Faatir This verse by implication simply connotes that one cannot fear Allaah or practice the religion in the appropriate manner without adequate knowledge. You’re bound to fall into pits. CONCLUSION: The major lessons to be derived from the entire happenings are that Muslims should intensify more in their quest for knowledge; abstain from wanting to imitate practices that are not Islamic in origin and disassociate from any form of ideology that has to do with wanting to perfect or modify the already perfected Islaam. Amongst the other major flaws that are not discussed in the body of the article are the facts that a woman will have to recite the Qur’aan in public. It is however still ambiguous to me if the recitation was with a melodious voice or not. If it was, that would have amounted to another non-compliance with the detailed ruling of Sharee’ah. For the voice of a matured Muslimah is regarded as an ‘awrah (nackednesss) when unnecessarily tinted before the public. In conclusion, the organisation of Beauty Pageants as a means to detect or judge Muslim women who will be presented as role models to the world is absolutely erroneous. Allaah says: “…Verily, the most honoured amongst you (mankind) to Allaah is the most pious.” The idea therefore is not in anyway consistent with Allaah’s criteria. In reality, it is rather a promotion of ‘Riyaa’- (Show-off) which is authentically described as a lesser Shirk by the Sunnah. I supplicate that Allaah’s pardon be descended upon all the unknowing souls that have taken part in the prohibited event. And may both the writer and the readers not be withdrawn from living without Allaah’s absolute forgiveness.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Sep 2013 21:39:50 +0000
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