Muslims take pageant's top spots
September 5, 2005
London: An Uzbekistan-born teenager has become the first Muslim to be crowned Miss England and will compete in the Miss World pageant in China in December.
Hammasa Kohistani, 18, said she was delighted but surprised to learn she had won and hoped more Muslims would receive the honour.
"When they announced that I had won, I thought I had misheard. It took a second to sink in," she said.
Sarah Mendly, a 23-year-old Iraqi Muslim who had been the four-to-one favourite to win the pageant, came second.
Asked about being the first Muslim Miss England, Ms Kohistani said: "I'm making history and I'm very happy. Hopefully, I won't be the last."
She was born in the Uzbek capital Tashkent, after her parents fled from Afghanistan.
The brunette, who speaks six languages, including Russian, Persian and French, looked ecstatic as the crown was placed on her head before a cheering crowd in the Olympia Theatre in Liverpool on Saturday night.
The competition winner secures a place in the Miss World final in China in December, which offers a $US100,000 ($130,000) prize. Ms Kohistani and Ms Mendly, who had already been named Miss Nottingham, were among four Muslims among the 20 finalists, which has annoyed many senior Islamic clerics.
"There is no way a Muslim girl should be playing any part in this competition, because it is unlawful," Hashim Sulaiman, of the Liverpool Islamic Institute, was quoted as saying.
"The ladies in that contest are very scantily dressed and the only part of the body that should be on display are the face, the hands and the feet."
September 5, 2005
London: An Uzbekistan-born teenager has become the first Muslim to be crowned Miss England and will compete in the Miss World pageant in China in December.
Hammasa Kohistani, 18, said she was delighted but surprised to learn she had won and hoped more Muslims would receive the honour.
"When they announced that I had won, I thought I had misheard. It took a second to sink in," she said.
Sarah Mendly, a 23-year-old Iraqi Muslim who had been the four-to-one favourite to win the pageant, came second.
Asked about being the first Muslim Miss England, Ms Kohistani said: "I'm making history and I'm very happy. Hopefully, I won't be the last."
She was born in the Uzbek capital Tashkent, after her parents fled from Afghanistan.
The brunette, who speaks six languages, including Russian, Persian and French, looked ecstatic as the crown was placed on her head before a cheering crowd in the Olympia Theatre in Liverpool on Saturday night.
The competition winner secures a place in the Miss World final in China in December, which offers a $US100,000 ($130,000) prize. Ms Kohistani and Ms Mendly, who had already been named Miss Nottingham, were among four Muslims among the 20 finalists, which has annoyed many senior Islamic clerics.
"There is no way a Muslim girl should be playing any part in this competition, because it is unlawful," Hashim Sulaiman, of the Liverpool Islamic Institute, was quoted as saying.
"The ladies in that contest are very scantily dressed and the only part of the body that should be on display are the face, the hands and the feet."
