A Reuters report on the first Afghan woman to participate in a beauty pageant in 30 years splashed the following title: “Afghan Beauty Trades Burqa for Bikini.”

Catchy title? Yes. But I can think of a few other appropriate adjectives: Offensive, superficial and downright repulsive.

What does this young women hope to achieve by her participation? Well, the report quotes the 25-year-old as saying: “I would like to make people aware that as Afghan women, we are talented, intelligent and beautiful.” Now, how parading half-naked on a stage can achieve that, I have no idea. Whatever happened to common sense and good old-fashioned hard work?

Wouldn’t the world know more about the intelligence, talent and even beauty of Afghan women if she made their plight known to the world by campaigning for their cause? By trying to unite the voices of Afghan refugees all over the world to stand in the face of their enemy? By fighting to represent Afghan people in the United Nations and Afghan children in UNICEF? I can think of a million ways other than a red bikini that would accomplish the recognition she is seeking plus some more.

Vida Samadzai never wore a burqa, not in the real sense anyway. I am not here to sound the call for wearing burqas or for not wearing them. What concerns me instead are the general principles underlying the idea of the Islamic hijab. A Muslim woman who wears her hijab out of free will and true belief would never turn her back on it or even consider “trading it for a bikini.” It is when a person is forced to do something that they flee it as soon as they have a chance. Let me say it more bluntly as it relates to us Saudis: That is why when Saudi women leave the country, the first thing they do is discard their burqas/hijabs — some are discarded along with half their clothes as well. That is also why our system of upholding morals is constantly being criticized for being too forceful. Belief comes from within: You cannot force someone to believe, you can only guide and try to convince them. Any other form of “forceful persuasion” is useless. Yelling at women to cover up will only work on streets within your borders. Punishing women who do not conform by dragging them to jail and fingerprinting them will only work in a country where you have the authority to do that. More important is the question of what we are trying to achieve. Is it geographically-based piety or authentic piety?

Conviction, not coercion, is the only path to true faith. One must convince people’s minds and win their hearts in order to achieve any kind of authentic religious effect on people. The verses from the Holy Qur’an verifying this are many:

“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error.” (2:256)

“Invite all to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious.” (16:125)

Moreover, one must believe that, in the end, only God can choose whom to guide: “It is true thou will not be able to guide everyone whom thou lovest; but God guides those whom He will. And he knows best those who receive guidance.” (28:56)

Yes, we have a hijab rate of almost 100 percent, but we all know those figures are not as impressive as they sound. How many of the statistics would be the same if hijab were not compulsory here? Who knows? One thing is sure though — whatever statistic we end up with will be worth a lot more than the 100 percent we have today.

Quality not quantity is the essence of the issue. I guess what it all boils down to in the end is this: Who do you want to represent Islamic hijab and all the sanctity that comes with it? Women like Vida Samadzai or women who understand its true meaning and who will treat it with the respect it deserves?