Ask Ali: A future Miss UAE would require new criteria

Dear Ali: Why I can’t find any pictures of Miss UAE? Does the UAE participate in the Miss Arab World beauty contest? LK, Venezuela

Dear LK: That’s an interesting question. You’re not able to find just one because every lady in the UAE is a Miss UAE and Miss World.

But seriously, although Miss Arab World is a well-known contest that chooses an Arab lady who best represents her country through its customs and traditions, the beauty contest is something that’s relatively new to our culture, especially for people in the Gulf region.

Our culture is conservative, values modesty and has much more to offer a woman to make her feel beautiful and appreciated than to expose her to the public to judge her beauty or talents. That would be considered disrespectful here.

At the same time, our women are taught to take care and have pride. Even with social media, you will see more and more Emirati ladies sharing their pictures, though it’s preferred that they do it in a certain modest way that’s accepted by our culture.

Do I believe that someday we will have a Miss UAE participating in these global competitions? I would say yes indeed, but only if the competition is about brains, heart, soul and beauty, and not mainly about women’s physical attributes.

You don’t have to walk exposed in front of the onlooking eyes of the world to prove you deserve the “Miss” title.

Dear Ali: What do you believe happens to a person when they die? SA, Canada

Dear SA: For most of us, understanding death is based on religious teachings.

Muslims believe that death has its own time for everyone, and no one can escape it, whatever they do. It’s considered to be the end of the “temporary life”, and the beginning of a new immortal afterlife that will be spent in paradise.

The life in paradise is believed to be granted to those who obey God, spread good deeds and avoid what is forbidden by Islam. If they commit sins, they have to seek forgiveness before they die. Though both final destinations, heaven or hell, will be entered only after what is called judgement day.

In terms of the soul, there are verses and sayings from the Quran and Prophet Mohammed’s teachings that tell us that when a man dies, his soul will be pulled away and taken to God, then returned to the body until judgement day. Our bodies are dead, but our souls continue to live somewhere, waiting in God’s responsibility.

It’s believed some of these souls do go through an immediate punishment, and others who did well to serve God and were good human beings will be in peace.

Those who were closer to God’s teachings, worshipped him, and shared in good deeds will sense it, and see the light of heaven, while those who didn’t obey God and his teachings will suffer, anticipating their punishment in hell.

I know that these are pretty strong words and images, and to many, it’s a scary subject to read about, but the truth is no one knows what really happens when we die, because until now, no dead person has ever come back to life and explained the process. Therefore, every person has to continue to do their best in life and spread good deeds.

Ali Al Saloom is a cultural adviser and public speaker from the UAE. Follow @AskAli on Twitter, and visit www.ask-ali.com to ask him a question.

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