Female tourist may really convert to Islam after her topless photo shoot in Dagestan, Islamic experts believe

According to Islamic experts, the decision to convert to Islam by a female tourist who became an object of hatred and threats after her topless photo shoot in Dagestan may well be sincere and does not threaten the young woman with even greater condemnation from Muslims.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that a video with a young woman posing topless against the backdrop of mountains was posted on the social media. In their comments, social media users expressed their indignation by the tourist’s behaviour, after which the young woman deleted the pictures. Later, a video was posted in the Internet, in which the young woman apologized for her rash words about Muslims and announced her decision to convert to Islam. Telegram users considered that the young woman’s statements were made under pressure or in order to hush up the scandal.

There are no special requirements for the adoption of Islam by women, notes Akhmet Yarlykapov, Senior Researcher at the Centre for the Caucasus Studies at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (often abbreviated as MGIMO University). The expert has emphasized that the motives of the young woman are unknown. “It is likely that she really expressed her sincere desire to convert to Islam. There are many such cases,” Akhmet Yarlykapov says.

The Caucasian expert doubts that the young woman will become an object of hatred if she does not convert to Islam. Perhaps, on the contrary, she will be hated at home for converting to Islam, the expert believes. “Well, she doesn’t live in Dagestan ... Yes, from a religious point of view, a Muslim cannot renounce Islam. But we live in a secular state. Sharia law does not apply in this matter," Akhmet Yarlykapov argues.