Alamolhoda: Mixing Between Men and Women Has Penetrated Even Religious Families

Ahmad Alamolhoda, the representative of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic in Khorasan Razavi province, criticized the "mixing" of men and women, stating that it has "even penetrated religious families." He added that fashion shows are organized by "enemies of God" and that some politicians have gathered "a bunch of libertines" around them. According to Tasnim News Agency, Alamolhoda said in his Friday prayer sermon on January 7 that "Islamic and religious principles regarding chastity and hijab must be observed." Speaking on the anniversary of the mandatory hijab law during the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi, he referred to women as "human-building forces" and warned that "the enemy wants to empty this field by promoting unveiled women." Discussions about hijab have intensified since the rise of Hassan Rouhani's government. Shahindokht Molaverdi, the Iranian Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, previously stated that they have not been successful in implementing the "Law for the Expansion of Chastity and Hijab." Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran, had remarked on June 3, 2014, that "we cannot send people to heaven with force and whip," which led to a strong reaction from some Friday prayer leaders, including Alamolhoda and Ahmad Khatami. Recently, Ayatollah Mohammad Ishaq Fayyaz, one of the four famous religious authorities in Najaf, stated in a meeting with the head of Iran's judiciary that "using force and coercion to promote hijab is ineffective." According to the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, "the patterns and symbols that enter the country from the gates of the West as new models, and the fashion shows organized by the enemies of God, and the acts of immorality carried out by Western affiliates are meant to deplete the country of its human resources." Alamolhoda expressed regret that the phenomenon of "mixing" between men and women has penetrated even religious families and called for it to be taken "seriously." He added that "the mixing of women and men is dangerous and family gatherings and such parties are dangerous and a source of corruption in a religious family. This affliction of mixing must be removed from life." This is not the first time criticisms have been raised regarding the state of hijab and chastity in families and religious cities in Iran. On November 9, 2015, Mohammad Saeed Montazeralmahdi, the social deputy of the police, reported receiving reports of non-compliance with "hijab and chastity" in Qom. The Qom News website also criticized the gradual disappearance of the chador as the "symbol and sign of the city of Qom," noting the prevalence of "seven-colored hair, heavy makeup, and the musical sound of high-heeled shoes" in this religious city. In his Friday sermon, the representative of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Khorasan Razavi criticized cultural officials in Iran who think that "hijab can be established through proper culturalization," telling them that "as long as you think you can establish hijab with a cultural program, ten fashion shows will be held that will render your hundreds of cultural programs for hijab ineffective." He had previously claimed that the "enemy" uses "the promotion of unveiled women" to undermine the fabric of religion and Islam in the Islamic society, stating that "today the issue of hijab has become a defensive issue." According to the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, "unveiling in the streets is a disorder and leads society to corruption and is an enemy tool in the soft war and the vanguard of cultural war." In another part of his statements during the Friday prayer in Mashhad, he advised "some politicians" in the country to fear "God" and know that "the Prophet will hold them accountable for their behavior." Alamolhoda addressed these unnamed individuals, saying that "all existence is not about gaining power by controlling a media outlet and gathering a bunch of libertines around you to gain power."