I have a question to ask. It’s about modern females working in movies and catwalks etc. which I think are prohibited in Islam but Dr. Rifat Hassan, a female lecturer and scholar in Harvard university of USA, PhD on Allama Iqbal, presents a soft image of Islam for the world. She is a big name when it comes to translate Islam and she is highly renowned as well. Similarly, her daughter has been modeling and working in movies and participating in classical dance. She says it’s not harmful for the modesty of a female. Now, I’m confused because I follow your lectures and debates in which you always stress upon that a Muslim female should know her limits i.e. she should be dressed properly, she should lower her gaze, she should hide herself by wearing loose clothes so that others won’t be able to see her beauty etc. What will you say about the approach of Dr. Rifat Hassan and her daughter? They both are in favour of participating in catwalks and even Indian or Hollywood movies where a female has to expose herself. Do you agree with their logic? Why Dr. Rifat Hassan thinks so liberally? I’m surprised because she is a fan of Iqbal, done PhD on him and still she thinks like that.
Answer
Do not be disturbed by what others understand and believe. Others may have good reasons for what they understand. We should try to understand Islam sincerely and follow it as best as we can. If Dr. Riffat has a view different from ours, it is not a matter of serious concern.
Women should be modestly dressed and should not do anything obscene. Whether working in films requires a lady to cross those limits or not depends upon the role she plays in the film. Personally, I have not been able to feel comfortable with the idea of a woman playing the role in a film of a wife of a man who otherwise is not her husband.