Q: I need a major favor from you, Imam. You are part of the MSA. Pictures are going around of scantily dressed women that were part of a fashion show. (Through texting, brothers of sisters sending it to friends…) I was told that the Islamic center you are part of did not promote this event.  For that my parents are most proud. To quote: ‘you should have known better not to go. If the Imaam did not promote it there had to be a reason.’ Reason or not, fliers were placed on our cars at your Islamic Society. So the temptation to go was great. After all, if we see a flier repeatedly at Jummah we would go to the event.  Even if the MSA complaints about lack of support from you. Botton line, Can u remove our pictures from FB and other places that it seems to be floating! Please. (Text)

Q.  ….. woman are second class citizens. We girls are locked up so this gave us an opportunity to do something fun. It’s not our fault! Such fashion shows allow us to express ourselves…. (please refrain from writing a book in question form.)

Answer: (This answer is primarily by admin with a few words from the imaam)

Just as you need a ‘major favor’ from me, I need a major favor from you. You need to go to events that represent your religious thinking. Fair enough, I can understand you attending the speeches of the various shiekhs at MSA events. But what where you doing in the ‘fashion show’ section, more so if it is against your values? If you are not amongst those who displayed their (your) body to strangers, then merely beg Allah (SWT) for being at that portion of the event – for to be part of any immorality is also immoral!   Additionally, send a letter to the MSA disapproving such display of other women.  (You could say something like: We have women being displayed on billboards, congratulations; Muslims now do it as part of pleasure and displayed on Facebook for free!) Convince MSA members that we (Muslims) are part of the good things, our behavior must reflect such thinking. As far as sanctioning MSA or any other groups behavior as described by you, I did not attend this event (due to other commitments).

A woman displaying herself, even to other woman as described by you in writing as well as the unsolicited pictures that were sent to us is surely not the sign of any Islamic organization–Muslim brothers and sisters: delete these pictures and stop sending them around; please have respect for our sisters in Islam!!! In addition, I as the Imam have no jurisdiction over the activities or ideologies of the MSA. Contrary to what you seem to believe, I am not their adviser in even a limited capacity, so for anybody who is a member of the MSA to expect me to have control of what fellow MSA members post on their own personal Facebook pages…well, that is a request that is a bit beyond my comprehension. Since you all must be “friends” with each other on Facebook, contact the people who have violated your privacy and ask them to remove your pictures. That is your right, regardless of the wrong decisions you made, and if they don’t comply, then they should remember to fear Allah. The saying “be careful who your friends are” is something you should surely now see the wisdom of.

Regarding the second question: I had no idea that Muslim women in Utah don’t drive or go to school. Which begs the question: how did you find out about the event? How did you find out about the fashion show? How did you volunteer for the fashion show? How did you get to the event? Well, actually that’s quite a few questions. And here’s one more: does being “locked up” mean that your capacity for thinking with your deen as a priority is locked up too? There is the concept of personal responsibility that each player in this unfortunate mess needs to address: the MSA for their wrong-hardheadedness in planning such a superficial and disastrous component; the girls who posed in ways they regret; the girls who took pictures–and then compounded it by posting them in public. Each of you played a part–and each of you had time to think your actions through before you did them. So, what were you thinking?! These were not mistakes in the true sense of the word–they were premeditated actions that are having immediate consequences.

I pray for you all to make the correct decisions in resolving this sorry situation. May Allah guide you, and may He allow you all to heal the wounds you’ve inflicted upon each other, and may you all learn from these ‘mistakes.’ Ameen.

Allah Certainly Knows Best.