Click here to read PART I of the rejoinder
In the Name of Allâh the Most Beneficent the Most Merciful
We have read the response of Prof. Lakin Akintola to what he called ‘a Tsunami of criticisms’ [also dated 19th September] which was actually a response to the criticism that greeted his MURIC’s congratulatory press release made in honour of the Muslim ‘beauty queens,’ especially the Nigerian winner, and the organizers of the contest.
By the mercy of Allâh, we wrote a rejoinder to the press release, just as several well-meaning Muslim writers did, and we did implore the Prof. and the people at MURIC to make necessary adjustments to their dangerous position, to save the unsuspecting Muslim public from misguidance of thinking that a beauty pageant can be ‘Islamized’ in any way.
The Prof. captioned the response as ‘THE NEED TO REVIEW MUSLIMAH PAGEANT.’
He wrote: ‘A Tsunami of criticisms visited the announcement of the outcome of the World Muslimah pageant.’
Perhaps the Prof. was not aware that the press release from his organization congratulating the contestants did indeed add salt to the injury. And that the criticisms it drew were more than what the act itself did. This is because when a sin thrives in the society and some respected people begin to give it some support, the sin will very soon become widespread and cause a doom for the whole society.
That exactly was the effect of the congratulatory message from MURIC on the evil contest.
The Prof. wrote: ‘Questions are being asked and I find some of those questions very pertinent. For instance, I looked objectively at the adjective 'beauty' in the Muslimah beauty pageant and concluded that we do not lay emphasis on beauty in Islam. Who is looking at the beauty? Is it their fellow women or it includes men? I know that certainly men were there. Men have always been there.’
It seems that the Prof. gives in here to the criticism that the contest, without any doubt, will expose men to looking at women they are not permitted to look at. We have brought the proofs on the prohibition of men looking at foreign women and vice versa in our last article.
It would however have been very nice if our honourable Prof. has not created another leeway for justifying the satanic contest by some means.
He asked: ‘Should men be looking at our women catwalking and judging whether they are beautiful or not?’
He was right when he answered his own question as below: ‘We all know it is not acceptable in Islam for men to be looking at women.’
But he created another issue when he wrote: ‘It is an entirely different matter if only women are involved.’
Is the Prof. saying women are permitted to size up other women and then pass the judgement that they are beautify?
To put the poser in a better perspective; can a Muslim woman look intently at another Muslim woman and then conclude whether she is really beautiful or not?
The Prof should know that even a Muslim man is not permitted to look at the nakedness of another man, just as the Muslim woman is prohibited from doing the same. So we wonder if when you say some women can look at other women in order to pass judgments of whether they are beautify or not, if that cannot lead to a woman getting attracted to another woman and eventually leading to other evils such as lesbianism.
There is no justification for it Sir, the beauty pageant is evil whether only women are involved or not.
Other reasons are coming in this rejoinder.
So our Prof. concluded: ‘But we cannot condemn the exercise in its entirety. The organizers of this latest contest and some others that have taken place here in Nigeria and beyond deserve our commendation and our empathy. They are Muslims who have passion for promoting Islam from a different angle.’
We are afraid if the tone of the above comments is not apologetic and looking at an issue of the Deen from a jaundiced perspective.
We ought to rather condemn the act in its entirety. It is a small evil that leads to the bigger one. ‘Muslimah Beauty Pageant’ is not even a small issue.
The Prof wrote: ‘Not everything they did is wrong. It is unwise to throw away the baby with the bath-water. It is the 'beauty' in the title that we quarell with and probably the catwalking? That too may be impelling.’
What of emulating the Kuffaar? No matter how you strive to justify the satanic contest; it is evil and it is evil!
Now see the solution proffered by the Prof: ‘What to do? We can start by removing the word 'beauty' from the title. Catwalking may be replaced with walking down the aile using natural gait while reciting the Glorious Qur'an. The panel-beating here is not a straight-jacket one.’
A simple question for our Prof. is: where is the proof for this in the Kitaab and Sunnah?
The Prof., we are afraid, is just trying to ‘Islamize’ the western culture at all cost. We seek Allaah’s pardon for ourselves.
He added: ‘Other Sunnah-compliant ideas can still be added…’
Sunnah-compliant ideas! Like what and what Sir? We are sorry you will never find any unless you formulate one.
He rounded off: ‘…and I sincerely hope that organizers of future events will be more innovative.’
Yes they will come with more innovations (in the Deen) and they will be rejected.
On the authority of our mother, Aa’ishah, (may Allâh be pleased with her), the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) said:
مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِى أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ مِنْهُ فَهُوَ رَدٌّ
‘Whoever introduces to this affairs of ours what is not part thereof will have it rejected.’ Recorded by: Bukhârî and Muslim.
In the singular version recorded in Saheeh Muslim also on the authority of Aa’ishah (may Allâh be pleased with her), the Messenger of Allâh (salaLlâhu alayhi wa sallam) said:
من عمل عملا ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد
‘Whoever carries out a deed devoid of our command will have it rejected.’
So in Islam it is not a matter of acting to ‘promote Islam’ but ensuring that the act is indeed sanctioned by the Deen, otherwise whoever comes with any act with no backing in the Deen will have it rejected, not only that, it may attract some punishment for its doer in the hell.
He (salaLlaahu alayhi wa sallam) also said on the authority of al-Ir’baad bn Saariyah (may Allâh be pleased with him):
وإياكم ومحدثات الأمور فإن كل بدعة ضلالة و كل ضلالة في النار
‘Be wary of innovated matters (in the Deen); every innovation (in the Deen) is misguidance and every misguidance is in the hell.’
The first part of the hadith was recorded by Abû Dâwud, At-Tirmidhi, etc.
The way of the Prophet and his Companions is better followed. Doing otherwise is to call for punishment from Allâh. The Mighty Lord said:
وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَى وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّى وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا
‘…and whoever contradicts and opposes the Messenger (Muhammad) after the Right Path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers' way. We shall keep Him in the path he has chosen, and burn him In Hell - what an evil destination. [Nisaa: 115].
It is unimaginable that some women companions actually gathered in a place in Madeenah and began to do ‘Sahabiyaat Beauty Contest!’ Allâh did protect them from such a vile act.
And Allâh our Lord specifically warns all of us Muslims from opposing the Messenger (salaLlaahu alayhi wa sallam):
فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَنْ تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
‘…and let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements, etc.) (among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them.’ [Nuur: 63].
Lastly for our dear Prof., we like to make a humble request that you return to the truth in this matter. Sir, the more you allow the matter to drag on the more you allow Shayataan to mislead some folks. May Allâh not make you and me instruments of Shaytaan.
Please, come back to the truth. If you do, all of us will be happy and the whole Ummah will become more united against open sins and obscenity; and all these rejoinders will disappear, Insha Allaah.
One of the Salaf has said:
الرجوع إلى الحق خير من التمادي في الباطل
‘Returning to the truth is better than remaining obstinate on falsehood.’
Aboo Aamir al-Atharee,
15 Dhul-Qa'dah 1434 AH [20 September 2013 CE ]
Ede, Nigeria.
