Top Model

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim.

One day I went to the gym. My work-out routine. At the moment, there was a show on TV - American's Next Top Model. And I happened to see a contestant who, in my point of view, is very beautiful but her face didn’t look quite Western to me. And when she introduced herself, I got the answer. Her name is Maryam, 18 years old girl from Iran.

In an interview, she said this:
"I’ve been in a country where I didn’t have the freedom to think about it … there are models but they wear scarves.” “I want to represent all the exotic beauty of women that (are) in the Middle Eastern countries that nobody sees."

She, who admires models like Coco Rocha and Heidi Klum for their strong character, feels so grateful to finally have an opportunity to pursue modeling. She believes people are born with the potential to be model and feels like she's had something inside of her since she's been a little girl.


Iran. A country like no other. Ruled by such a-down-to-earth President, Mr. Ahmadinejad who tried to make Iran as Islamic as possible, starting from himself. I've seen the country's contingent to 2010's Asia Games in Guangzhou. The female athletes wowed me. They wore complete set of aurat-covering attires. And they seem happy with it.




And about the fashion world in Iran. Yes. Like Maryam stated above, the models in Iran wore scarves during the fashion show. But does that hinder their exotic, wonderful beauty that Allah granted them? No. They look fabulous still.



I don’t know whether Maryam is a Muslim or not. But in my humble opinion as a Muslim, I think the exotic beauty of women that are in Middle Eastern countries (read=Muslim women) that nobody sees, does not need to be represented. We believe Allah cares not whether you are beautiful or ugly for He created all of us equal.

Abu Huraira reported Allah's Messenger (may peace and blessing be upon him) as saying: "Verily Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth but He looks to your heart and to your deeds." (Sahih Muslim : Book 32, Number 6221)

The beauty that we have belongs to Him only and the hidden ornament that we kept is for the one who is or will be 'halal' for us one day, as well as our 'mahram'.

So, my fellow muslimah. Don’t let the world and her games ridicule you. Let's strive for Allah's love. InsyaAllah. :)