• Rumy Alqahtani’s participation in Miss Universe, coupled with her revealing attire and the Saudi flag displaying the shahada, has raised Muslim social media concern.
• Orthodox Muslims see her involvement as contrary to Islamic modesty, reflecting wider worries about westernisation under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s reforms.
Rumy Alqahtani, a 27-year-old model and content creator, has announced her representation of Saudi Arabia at the upcoming Miss Universe beauty pageant in Mexico. The decision has sparked distress and concern among Muslims on social Media.
Alqahtani’s involvement in the beauty pageant has drawn criticism, particularly due to her choice of attire during publicity photoshoots. In one such photo, she is seen wearing a revealing dress while holding the Saudi Arabian flag, which prominently displays the shahada, the Islamic declaration of faith. This juxtaposition of faith and immodesty is stark and has emphasised the impermissibility of Muslim women entering such beauty pageants in Islam, as it contradicts the principles of Islamic modesty and piety.
Many Muslim social Media figures have highlighted the importance of upholding orthodox Islamic values and caution against the influence of westernisation on Saudi society.
Under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia has undergone a process of modernisation and westernisation, which many Muslims believe has led to the erosion of Islamic principles in various aspects of society.
Orthodox Muslims emphasise the need to preserve the Islamic identity of Saudi Arabia. As Saudi society grapples with the tension between westernisation and adherence to Islamic principles, the participation of individuals like Alqahtani in such international events raises important questions about the direction of the country’s religious identity.
