The Miss Muslimah USA pageant is a distinctive celebration that aims to honor the values of modesty, inner beauty, and the remarkable accomplishments of Muslim women throughout the United States. Established to provide a platform where Muslim women can showcase their strengths while adhering to the principles of their faith, the pageant engages participants in […]
For a century, the beauty pageant has embedded itself in the cultural identity of America. Miss Muslimah USA, a pageant for young Muslim women, offers a fresh take on the well-worn event format — one that lies at the intersection of American cultural identity and religious freedom at a time when both seem to be in flux. The pageant has given Muslim women – particularly those who wear the hijab – the chance to participate in an American rite on their own terms, without having to compromise their faith. Unlike traditional American beauty pageants, Miss Muslimah is focused on modesty. It was created by Maghrib Shahid, in the last photo, a 39-year-old Black Muslim mother and modest clothing designer from Columbus, Ohio. “I wanted to give Muslim women the opportunity to change misconceptions about themselves,” she said. As a hijabi, a Muslim woman who wears a head scarf, Maghrib felt that she and other women like her bore the brunt of discrimination against Muslims, a diverse population estimated to number more than three million in the United States.