Skip to main content

Ex-Miss USA and now ex-Shia: Rima Fakih converts to Christianity




The woman who was believed to be the first Muslim to win the title when she was crowned Miss USA in 2010 has converted to Christianity. 
Rima Fakih gave her life to Christ last month in the run-up to her marriage in Lebanon next week to Wassim Salibi, a wealthy music producer who is a Maronite Christian. Canadian singer The Weeknd, who is managed by Salibi, will perform at the wedding.
Fakih recently tweeted a verse from Philippians:



Fakih's faith was Shia Muslim but she attended a Catholic school.

In a Huffington Post interview in 2010 she said: "We're more of a spiritual family. Religion really doesn't define me or my family. My family's been very liberal, and we appreciate all different kinds of religions."

She added: "My brother-in-law is Christian, and he (and my sister) baptised their two sons. I have an uncle who converted to Christianity, and he's a priest now."

She said: "We'd go to church on Easter. We always had a Christmas tree and every year we go the Radio City Christmas Show, and watch Miracle on 34th Street. But we celebrate some of the Islamic holidays as well."
According to Albawaba, It was only when she went to university in the US that Fakih connected with her Muslim roots: "When I went to the University of Michigan, because there's more of a Muslim community, my dad wanted me to learn more about Islam," she said. "I didn't know much about Ramadan and other holidays, and my dad wanted me to take that opportunity and learn."
On social media, most responses have been supportive of her conversion.
After she won the top beauty pageant, Fakih was quoted as saying: "I'd like to say I'm American first, and I am an Arab-American, I am Lebanese-American, and I am Muslim-American." Some Muslim scholars at the time criticised her for entering the competition in the first place.

Source: Christianity Today, 5/4/2016


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Trans-Identified Male Crowned “Miss Greater Derry 2023,” Takes Home Women’s Scholarship

A local beauty pageant is attracting ample mockery on social media after a trans-identified male was crowned the winner of the competition and awarded a scholarship intended for young women. Brían Nguyen , 19, was awarded the crown in the Miss Greater Derry pageant, held on November 8 in the Greater Derry area of New Hampshire. The competition is a locally-run event under the national Miss America series of pageants. In addition to winning the crown, Nguyen will receive the  Miss Greater Derry Scholarship , a financial award established to support young women. Nguyen, who is male, is a freshman at Nashua Community College majoring in Business Management. After his win, Nguyen wrote on  Facebook : “ I am ecstatic to be the FIRST transgender woman to be a Miss America local titleholder, and I hope to make everyone proud and become the first to walk the Miss America stage. I am Brían Nguyen, your Miss Greater Derry 2023 .” Nguyen had previously announced on Instagram that he has intention

Miss America CEO & Others Resign Amid Scandal Over Offensive Emails – Update

2nd UPDATE, 12:03 PM:  Miss America Organization  CEO  Sam Haskell  resigned his post today amid an investigation into offensive emails he sent about a pageant winner. In a statement He has resigned along with president and COO Josh Randle and Lynn Weidner, the board chair who sent emails involved in the controversy. Related Two More Ex-Fox News Employees Join Defamation Suit Against Bill O'Reilly - Update According to a Twitter post from Dan Meyers, who is taking over as interim chairman, Weidner will remain on the board during a transition period: View image on Twitter Miss America Org ✔ @MissAmericaOrg Update from the Board of Directors... 3:01 PM - Dec 23, 2017   35 35 Replies     144 144 Retweets     291 291 likes Twitter Ads info and privacy UPDATED, 5:30 PM:  The Miss America Organization suspended its chief executive today, less than 24 hours after emails surfaced in which he disparaged the

Lindsay Becker Crowned Miss Global USA 2024

Lindsay Becker , 32, of Florida was crowned Miss Global USA 2024 at the national pageant in Orlando, Florida on Sunday, July 30. Lindsay competed alongside other women from across the country for the chance to represent the USA on the world’s stage at the Miss Global 2024 pageant. In addition to winning the national title, she won the Swimwear, Photogenic and Amazing in Black competitions. Lindsay graduated from the University of Southern California in 2013 as a university and departmental honors scholar with a degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Digital Media as well as Cinematic Arts and Television. She is professionally trained in cinematic makeup design with her work featured in professional look books in the epicenter of film production, Hollywood, California. Her education and passion for cinematic makeup design inspired her to start her own business venture, Lindsay B Pageantry and Artistry, where she works as a hair and makeup artist for pageantry and special events as well as