PETALING JAYA – A student-based Islamist group has called on Muslim youth and women in general to protect their dignity in light of recent trends emerging during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebration.
Malaysian Muslim Students Association vice president Amal Hadaya Mohammad Sharifuddin lamented how Muslim youth have participated in “inappropriate” trends during Aidilfitri, which was intended to celebrate goodness and virtue following the holy month of Ramadan.
She added that the viral trends, which apparently include “Raya partner rental” services, had tarnished the sanctity of Aidilfitri and the month of Syawal.
“Taking off the hijab seems to be a trend among the youth. The reasons given are as if it is a choice for us, as Muslims, to adhere to God’s instructions,” she said in a statement.
“In actuality, matters which are obligatory and haram (forbidden) must be obeyed willingly and forcibly.
“We are also shocked by the trend of renting partners with certain prices and conditions as though women’s dignity can simply be bought when Islam had elevated the position of women,” she added.
Amal Hadaya said that Muslims should instead set goals that adhered to shariah teachings during the festive month, as well as refrain from acts that are “valueless” and contradictory to God’s instructions.
She also urged students and women to cover their “aurat” (intimate body parts), as “a woman with self-respect means a dignified woman who always protects herself from doing things forbidden by God”. – The Vibes, April 30, 2023
