The Miss World 2013 which will be held in the largest Muslim country – Indonesia got a strong reaction from Muslims in Indonesia and Malaysia, with a significant wave of rejection. This was realized by Budi Rustanto, Director of MNC Group who stated that is not easy to hold Miss World in Indonesia (Okezone.com 21/08/2013). However, the MNC group as the holder of exclusive broadcast rights of the Miss World competition has closed its eyes and ears, and continues to disseminate the socialization to the media for the success of Miss World 2013, which will take place on 4 – 28 September in Indonesia and will involve 170 countries, including Muslim countries. At least 45 institutions and Islamic organizations in Indonesia stated firmly that they rejected the Miss World event, including Indonesia Islamic Scholar Council (MUI). Similarly, in Malaysia, the National Fatwa Council of Malaysia (JAWI) had forbidden 4 Muslim women to take part as contestants of the Miss Malaysia World pageant in August where the winner would be the official emissary for Malaysia in Miss Word 2013.
Capitalist media like MNC group as well as the Muslim rulers in Indonesia and Malaysia are not only blind and deaf to the sound waves of rejection of Muslims to this competition but also blind and deaf to the impact of this kind of pageant which capitalizes women’s bodies. They are dazzled with the Western culture and want to import it into the Islamic world, and earn tons of money from the exploitation of women’s beauty and body, which has blinded them of its impact on the community. It is this systematic dehumanization and degradation of women by the advertising, entertainment, beauty, fashion, and pornography industries within Western capitalist states such as the UK, US, and Australia that has proven to be a recipe for disrespect, exploitation and abuse of women, contributing to the epidemic levels of violence, sexual harassment, and rape within Western societies.
These hypocritical Western imitator Capitalist rulers in the Muslim world are clearly separated from their own people – in thinking and feeling and do not represent them in the least. They adore democracy but at the same time ignore the voice of the majority of people. They boast about the progress of the nation but at the same time let foreign culture ruin their future generations. And by agreeing to host this degrading pageant on its territory, or approving to send delegation contestants, the Muslim world regimes have demonstrated that they are willing to accept the same impact as the damage in Western societies that undermined their youth and family units.
O Muslims! We call you to fiercely oppose the staging of this pageant in Indonesia and the importing of all liberal culture into our lands, including the objectification of women and lewd entertainment culture that spreads immorality and are a source of corruption for our youth and societies. We urge you to distance yourselves from the West imitator secular-capitalist rulers who are a tumor in this Ummah because they are exactly as Allah described in His Word:
صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَرْجِعُونَ
“Deaf, dumb, blind. They will not return.”
(Al-Baqara, 2:18)
O Muslim women who love this Deen! Join the noble struggle to re-establish the Khilafah which will replace man-made systems in Muslim countries. It is the only state that will nurture the pure, noble morals and values of Islam, prevent the influx of corrupt culture, and hence create youth of distinguished, exemplary personalities who embody modesty and chastity. It will also oblige men and society to safeguard the women’s dignity, status and wellbeing and promote that women be valued upon their piety, character and conduct rather than their beauty.
Fika Komara
Member of Central Media Office Hizb ut Tahrir