Hijab and Beauty Contest, Like Water and Oil, Doesn't Mix

 I am telling you my opinion, not with any tinge of bias or prejudice against those wearing hijab.  But it has to be said, and let it all out.

Hijab is an Islamic concept of modesty and privacy, most notably expressed in women's clothing that covers most of the body. Although firmly rooted in Islamic tradition, the hijab is not strictly defined in the Muslim holy book, the Quran. It is often a  personal and cultural concept, not a religious one.

Simply put, the "rules" of wearing the hijab are:

1. To not display your appearance (beauty) except what is already apparent (i.e., your face and hands, and possibly your feet).

2. To avoid showing hair on your head.

3. To refrain from wearing tight clothing, so your figure isn't exposed.

The hijab, once worn as a scarf covering one's hair and covering the body, can only be taken off in front of family members or women. A Muslim woman wearing the hijab will therefore usually refrain from showing her hair to any man not related to her by blood.

Whether it is hijab or burqas for Muslims or a habit for Christian nuns, its use doesn't have religious undertones,  it is more for modesty.

 A Christian or a Catholic nun using her habit shows her reverence, fidelity, repudiation, and surrender to mundane and carnal desires like clothing, makeup, and jewelry.  A Muslim woman wearing a hijab does so because culture dictates it, and for as long as wearing hijab is not forced then I don't have a problem with it.

Having said that, it looked like hijab and beauty contests contradict each other, just like oil and water, they can't be mixed together.

We know what is happening in a beauty contest - and everybody knows the drill. The "de rigueur" is one has to flaunt her face, her body, her figure, and especially the hair where a lot of candidates have to use gimmicks and tricks to catch attention.  For isn't it the hair is the woman's crowning glory? The candidates twirl, pirouette and they gyrate to show their bodies and figure. I just can't fathom what will the judge use as the basis for his judgment when the girl is fully covered versus others who are almost baring their soul?

Do you see now where this point of view going?  If the hijab is covering the hair, and the body, it is downright foolish to render judgment and be fair to everybody if you ignore what the beauty contest requires, letting everybody see what you got.  Granting the woman with the hijab won,  what happens when all of the sudden you found out she has unkempt hair, or she is bald-headed ( not that I frown at seeing baldies), or her hair is not even?

Look, guys, I am not mean or a condescending person, and I am not racist or biased to our Muslim sisters.  All I am doing is just stating the obvious that hijab and beauty contests contradict and oppose each other. If Miss Somalia advances and wins Miss World, well and good and the ball now is on Julia Morley's side.  I am just stating my reservations.