21 interesting snapshots of how a beauty pageant is held among Muslim women

What is a beauty contest in your mind? Of course, this is a lot of beautiful girls who defile before the jury in bikinis and luxurious evening dresses. Beauties shine with impeccable styling, sports bodies, snow-white smiles, conquer spectators and judges with their talents and witty answers. In short and in essence - this is the triumph of beauty and sexuality.

But today we want to show you what the Muslim beauty contest "Miss Muslim of the World" looks like and what is based on in 2011 and destroys the stereotype that this event is an event from the life of liberated, half-naked young women and lonely (and not even very) moneybags wanting to find a stunning companion. Here, instead of walking in bathing suits, reciting passages from the Qur'an by heart, instead of parties and social receptions, hours-long prayers and visits of mercy to nursing homes and hospitals, and tales of ambitions and far-reaching plans replace chaste reasoning about what a woman in Islam should be like. Needless to say, the girls participating in the competition, not a centimeter more than what is permitted, bare their bodies and appear before the jury and guests only with their heads covered?

Finalists have dinner before preparing for the final of the competition. (© Monique Jaques)

Fatma Ben Guefrake from Tunisia received the title of “Miss Muslim 2014”. (© Monique Jaques)

The crown and ribbon are waiting for their winner. (© Monique Jaques)

Finalists of the contest during a visit to Borobudur - 9th-century Mahayana Buddhism Temple in Indonesia. (© Monique Jaques)

Finalist of the competition Alice Cholia entertains her rivals with a song in between events. (© Monique Jaques)

In a nursing home, girls demonstrate the ability to have compassion. (© Monique Jaques)

(© Monique Jaques)

Finalists in the mosque before the prayer. (© Monique Jaques)

Fatma Ben Guefrake rests after prayer in the mosque. (© Monique Jaques)

Rivals are just a name, everyone is friends here. (© Monique Jaques)

The last lesson in reading the Qur'an. (© Monique Jaques)

Nur Khairunnis from Malaysia takes the elevator before the ceremony. (© Monique Jaques)

Shoes are handed out to the girls before the rehearsal. (© Monique Jaques)

Trying on dresses. (© Monique Jaques)

Rehearsal for the finale. In 2014, the final of the Miss Muslim contest was held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. In the photo - contestant Nazrin Ali. (© Monique Jaques)