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Fashion show in Medina sparks Saudi anger on Twitter

March 7, 2018 at 4:12 am

Muslims gather to perform the Eid al-Fitr prayer at Masjid al-Nabawi (The Prophet’s Mosque), in Medina, Saudi Arabia on 25 June, 2017 [Faisal Khan/Anadolu Agency]

A fashion show in Medina has sparked anger among Saudi Twitter users.

Twitter users launched a sharp attack on the organisers of the fashion show, saying that such events are not suitable in the holy city of Medina.

Twitter user, Ahmed criticised the organisers of the show: “These people aim to distort the image of the Two Holy Sites and their sanctity … even the city of the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him has not been exempt from their harm.”

Mishary posted to say: “Wine has become a mere drink, gambling became a game of luck and singing became an art, bribery became drinking a coffee and promiscuity became civilisation, make up became elegance, nudity became freedom and adultery became a transient relationship?. All while the promotion of virtue has become fanaticism and the prohibition of vice has become backwardness. Satan has been frank with us, he has given us a fashion show in the city of the Prophet.”

https://twitter.com/1o00i/status/971041621805617152

Omar Al-Tnaya also said: “Development and progress should never be measured by promiscuity, songs and fashion shows… Oh people! Please bear in mind that we are a conservative state that implements the law of Sharia. It is the State of the two Holy Mosques, a country where the Prophet lived and died. He concluded, “Oh Allah, if your people are caught into the trap of seduction and tribulation, take my soul not seduced.”

Ibrahim bin Atallah said,  “In short, this sense of futility which is happening in the city of Al-Mustapha and in neighbouring cities and in all the cities of Hejaz can be rendered to the emergence of a few groups in the scene, whose roots are from other non-conservative societies. They do not want to integrate with the local community, and try to impose the culture of their non-conservative original communities and introduce it as the culture of Hejaz.”

Read: Saudi Arabia to host Arab Fashion Week for the first time

Twitter user, Mshmoosha23, denounced the event saying, “Medina is a sanctified place and anyone who engenders vice and those who protect him/her are cursed by God, the angels and all the people. This is a holy land that witnessed the gathering of al-Muhajireen and al-Ansar (immigrants and supporters) and is where the most honoured prophet lies. You do not have the right to commit acts of desecration in this land under the name of a misleading show, which is overtly a philanthropic event but is covertly a practice of corruption. Do not provoke people in their religion and sanctities.”

https://twitter.com/mshmoosha23/status/970877131747217409

Last December, Saudi King Salman Bin Abdulaziz dismissed advisor to the Ministry of Trade and Investment, Ghassan Alsulaiman, because of a fashion show and claims of promiscuity in Riyadh.

In the last week of February, Jeddah witnessed the first public women’s fashion show, as part of the 19th session of the Saudi International Wedding exhibition. The exhibition lasted for three days, with the participation of 160 local and international companies that provided the latest innovations and equipment in the world of fashion, beauty, decoration and jewellery and all related to brides’ accessories.

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