“Just don’t be an air stewardess if properly-covered ‘aurat’ is of utmost importance to you”

SUCH seemed to be the message conveyed by netizens who are flabbergasted with the claim of popular freelance preacher Asma’ Harun that two air stewardesses rushed towards her as she was alighting from her plane, hugging her while making an appeal.

Ustazah, pray for us that we shall be allowed to cover our aurat (private body parts which must be mandatorily covered according to Islam) for we’ve long been appealing or pray that we can find another job,” she penned in a recent social media post which was re-posted on the X platform by opposition-slant KroniRakyat (@KroniRakyat).

This was when few commenters reckoned that the way Asma’ related her story “as if the flight attendants just dashed out of the plane” was “over-dramatic” with social media influencer Wild Orchid (@Orkid_Hutan_) stating that the description painted by the preacher “can only happen in cartoons”.

Another social media influencer Sauffie (@Sauffie84) revealed that even in government offices, “there is no specific rule that female Muslim staff must don the tudung (headscarf)”.

“It’s entirely up to each individual,’ he explained. “Usually male superiors are not bothered; those who make a fuss are usually female heads with loose tudung.”

A few netizens sarcastically put it that Muslim women who prioritise covering their aurat should “from the beginning refrain from applying to be an air stewardess”.

Whatever the case is, tribute poured in for Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook who is now dubbed “Sheikh Anthony” for paving the way for Muslim air stewardess to don the tudung if such is their choice.

This is an irony given that during the so-called 33-month Perikatan Nasional (PN) rule, such flexibility had not materialised.

Nevertheless, the bottom line remains as one netizen cheekily asked, “what’s the use of covering the aurat yet the tight uniform still display the body curves”. = Nov 14, 2024

 

Main image credit: Deviant Art

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