Interview with Founder of World Muslimah : Eka Shanty

Muslimah World has been running for three years, and Brunei Darussalam will host the event in 2014 and followed by Bangladesh in 2015.  The event this received great support from many corners of the world but there are criticism even from Muslims .  This event is considered to mock Islam, is exploiting women and is actually not much different from the Miss World pageant ,  What is your opinion?

I do not want to comment others’ opinions, their praise have not made us complacent and their critism has not deterred us to continue and to improve.  What is more important is the ridho from Allah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala. If there is still a way and His blessings, my desire to wakaf my life for the sake of Islam that Rahmatan Lil Alamin I will live with it willingly.

Through this I understand, how struggle the Prophet who were willing to be hungry for the sake of Islam. Because if on the stage and media I showed the picture of simplicity, we’re actually degrading our own religion. For Allah, do not show mediocrity, show Islam is a rich religion, civilized religion, and religion that have knowledge. Insha Allah.

Obabiyi Aisha got scholarship from Imelda Sparks Fashion Academy to make her dream comes true
Obabiyi Aisha got scholarship from Imelda Sparks Fashion Academy to make her dream comes true

No one knows behind the glittering stage of Muslimah World, we live only with 100 thousand rupiah (US$ 10 dollars) today. Our entire property was sent to clear the name of Islam. And the struggle is now paid off, as happy to see an African girl, who was nobody suddenly got a scholarship fashion design from Imelda Sparks Fashion Academy Indonesia which is based in Greece, has savings of 25 million rupiah (US$ 2500) for working capital, setting off to meet her Lord for Umrah and tour to 40 countries next year to promote the Muslimah World 2014 in Brunei.

Was not happy to give it when we’re not haves? If I am rich, festive Muslimah World could be because I want to prove my wealth. But if I am poor, with so great popularity and luxury of the stage, there is no word that can say besides: this Allah, this Allah, this Allah.

The 9 committee of World Muslimah without funds may not set up this event. It seems this is only deposited to hit the world to see another side of Islam as well as raising the Word of Allah that: NO NEED TO OPEN AURAT TO BECOME A FIGURE or DIGNIFIED NATION!

All the World Muslimah (WM) philosophy symbols taken from the story of Al-Qur’an and Hadith in order to facilitate young people to imagine, not too much thinking about the hereafter. Their logic have not to believe that the end is beautiful and real.

The prize is a reward of world, because of hijab and Quran in the world you can get reward moreover in the afterlife.

So if today there who say WM is a capitalist product, I think they’re trying to increase the gap and the doubtful of Muslim women who decide to wear hijab soon, because to get award and recognition of supremacy of the world they are not condoned. So wait, Muslimah will delay in wearing hijab to get an achievement in arena for anyone who dared to open the genitalia.

That’s when the world experts approach them, because the afterlife experts busy to judge them and say they do not deserve to be called sholehah (pious).

World Muslimah inclusion in special media coverage in Indonesia (Kompas) which is known as the Christian media, so there are doubts whether World Muslimah has become part of their mission. What do you think?

Kompas.com is a media partner of the World Muslim Foundation (WMF) which provides microsite for the registration. All content management system is managed by WMF, and aMuslima.com also knows it. Not many people know about Islamic activities are implemented and supported by Kompas in Indonesia. So if there is a negative perception of the WMF or kompas.com I choose to be silent. Because the one who talk was never interview, never tabayyun, just look at the outside. So what is currently circulating in the community, I assume is just gossip. We try to hold fast “Allahussamad” where the movement of WMF is not based on possessions, even the capital is only done by a few people. So if today is so large, we believe that no one can serve besides Allah. Is it possible for the Grand Final event on September 18th could be implemented only with 3  weeks of preparation by a founder who even live very simple?. Never cross my dream .. it’s obviously Allah. As if to compete with the hegemony of Miss World, all of it came suddenly, out of the plan of committee.

Eka Shanty Founder of World Muslimah Foundation
Eka Shanty Founder of World Muslimah Foundation

Muslimah World including successful event, but in the show why there are no hijab singer and dancer men women dancing together on one stage?

Creativity, artist selection and concept of the Grand Final is managed by ANTV and approved by WMF as the content owner. All have been presented and we understand as there is a need for a universal audience that respect for women not wearing hijab is represented by the presence of Raisa (the singer). WMF consider it positively as part of the propaganda/da’wah. However, we regret for not communicated about the dancers. Until general rehearsal a few hours before the show the whole WMF team and I did not know there were dance. I even knew there was a comment about the dance after the event. Because every pause a song, we were busy counting the number of candidates voting. So the presence of dancers was pure negligence of ANTV that was not communicated directly. The lesson of course we would be cautious about the presence and activity of supporting talent. I am sure this was not intentional, but due to the tightness of communication 3 weeks of on air and off air event preparation.

No leaves that fall in the middle of the night without permission of Allah, to this day I cannot believe how much Allah given beauty in this communication jihad. Amid the economic downturn that I have experienced, broke with no income, even not capable for just fulfilling personal life, I was given the opportunity to do a lot for others, especially women.

Why do you choose orphans as final jury?

100 orphans as the last jury
100 orphans as final jury

Because we consider,

1. Uplift orphans, not just a charitable object, but object who determine the future

2. Transparency and objectivity of selection process, because pious cannot be measured by outward eye. So I ask help of “conscience” orphan to choose the best among the good. Age without sin, the children are the most honest thing in the world. Allah chose the winner through the hands of 100 orphans aged 9-12 years who memorize Qur’an.

3. Visualization “intercession” at the end of the day. When we need help to incriminate our scales, then no one can help except syafaat (intercession) Rasulullah and intercession of people who we’ve helped in the world. Muslimah World have met and made happy of 100 orphans during fun game in Ciater, West Java.

Until the moments of triumph, top two WM need “help” to raise their status in the eyes of public.

What benefit you and the winners feel of the World Muslimah event?

Since 2011 there were so much happiness achieved by winners and those who supported it. While I cannot even pay my apartment’s electricity, alhamdulillah with permission of Allah WMF have done:

Sent Dika Restiyani, the 2011 winner, and 12 Indonesian Muslim fashion designers to follow Int’l Fair of the Muslim World at Le Bourget Paris that has given huge implications for the development of Muslim fashion and was first located in the fashion centres worldwide to shooting. Comments that we got from those of non-Muslims was: “I never know that Islam as elegance as Indonesian Muslims, this is the first time I see Islam not in black.”

In 2012, we sent 13 people to perform pilgrimage including one child orphaned by World Muslimah victory. At the same time the winner for the first time ever made passports and to travel outside the country such as Turkey, Europe, Brunei and Malaysia have made them new treasures and learn Islam through kauniyah verses that exist in the universe. There are many interesting stories behind the lives of Muslim women. They did not have a chance because they wear hijab. Through this event, I even cried as apparently many winners for decades have never felt the plane, even have not been out of the country due to economic limitations. Is it wrong to glorify teen who wants to uphold Islam at a young age?

In 2013, for the first time WM was on television at a cost of nearly two billion rupiah amid the current I said this I did not even have money to eat. Is this my greatness? Impossible. Where the fund can be obtained in a short time? Definitely from Allah! And more encouraging, if in 2012 we were only able to bring 1 orphan for Umrah, this year Obabiyi Aisha will depart Umrah with 2 orphans (displayed on the show only 1 person). Insha Allah even there is who deign to send 98 other orphans umrah every month. Aisha departure to India also is to support the displaced Muslim children in India who was raised by a Buddhist monk in Rajakstan. On behalf of the Muslim Ummah worldwide, we would like to thanks to a non-Muslim who has sacrificed his life for the sake of the education of Muslim children. Perhaps because we are negligent or too busy to comment on the pious of others we forgot to do much to uplift our own people.

What other programs you are doing with the team after the World Muslimah 2013?

In Jakarta we currently find funds for poverty alleviation and decent living in Kampong Muka Ancol, the most densely populated areas in the largest recreational area in Jakarta (1 Pillars of Citizens = 3500 households). Aisha and the winners together are trying to do fundraising. This work is not only for Indonesia but also for other Islamic countries. One of them is African region.

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