'World Muslim Award' Want to emulate Western Beauty Contest

The participants of the event to the World Muslim beauty queen-3 in Jakarta, 2013. (Reuters / Beawiharta)

'World Muslim Award' Want to emulate Western Beauty Contest

The organizers hope to show positive role model for Muslim women around the 

PRAMBANAN-

Diverse women from around the world competed in the final race in Indonesian Muslim particular, Friday (21/11), which is regarded as a rival pageant West.

The women were, including a doctor and a computer scientist, walking on stage with sparkling gown with background magnificent Prambanan temple for the contest.

All 18 finalists must wear headscarves and assessed not only by appearance, but also their ability to read the Quran and their view of Islam in the modern world.

"We wanted to see if they understand everything about the Islamic way of life - from how to eat, dress, how they live," said Jameyah Sheriff, one of the organizers.

The winner that night was a 25-year-old computer scientist from Tunisia, Fatma Ben Guefrache, with prizes including a gold watch, a gold dinar and umrah to Mecca.

"May God help me in this mission, and liberate Palestine. Please, please release the Palestinian and Syrian people," he said in a victory speech of tears.

Muslim World Award first attracted global attention in 2013 when the organizers display it as a peaceful protest on the Miss World, held almost simultaneously in Bali.

Although still popular in some countries, the Miss World who managed England often faced accusations that the event was degrading to women, and race sessions where the contestants posing in bikini has become the center of criticism.

In an effort to appease hardliners, organizers of the Miss World has been abolished sessions edition bikini for Bali, but the event was still triggered a demonstration of the radicals who called it "contest whore."

Hijab Not Scary

Contestants from England, Dina Torkia said, he hopes the World Muslim year not only shows the contrast with Western beauty contests, but also remove the prejudice against Islam.

"I think the most important thing is to show that we are normal women, we are not married to terrorists. Veil in my head is not scary," he said.

But the race this year to face several challenges, such as the resignation of seven finalists and others had trouble getting visas due to the complex bureaucracy in Indonesia. Most of the retreat is because they do not want their families to travel alone, said Sheriff.

India contestants miss the plane first because he was interrogated authorities suspect saw a woman traveling alone and wearing a headscarf, although he later succeeded to the next plane.

Other contestants perform sacrifices to take part in the event which has been held four times this, as Masturah Jamil who quit his job as a teacher in Singapore because his boss did not give a day off to participate in the race.

The organizers hope to show positive role model for Muslim women around the world and the contestants, aged between 18 and 27, including scientists from Tunisia and doctors from Bangladesh.

But not all enjoy round-finals, which according to Torkia disappointing.

"I came into this competition with the hope to increase my faith, but so far most of the campaign and the media and look beautiful," he said.

The final event closes a long process, including online audition followed by events during the two weeks in Indonesia. Over here, the contestants visited orphanages and nursing homes, and photographed at Borobudur.

The main event was held at Prambanan Hindu temple, to show that Muslims accept other religions, according to the organizers. (AFP)VOA