'Halwa And Haya In Arabic Text': The Dress That Sparked Death Calls Against Pakistani Woman

 

In a disturbing turn of events, a woman in Lahore faced a terrifying ordeal as an angry mob called for her death. The reason? She wore a dress with Arabic calligraphy, mistakenly believed by many to be Quranic verses.

However, the attire, available for purchase on eBay, was not linked to the Quran. Semplicita, a Kuwaiti clothing brand, clarified on Instagram that the Arabic phrases "halwa" and "haya" on the dress translate to "beautiful" and "life," respectively.

The dress had been on sale for over a year, released exclusively for Ramadan 2023.

Religious scholars confirmed that the text was Arabic calligraphy, not Quranic verses. The woman, tearful and fearing for her life, was escorted from a restaurant by policewoman Syeda Shehrbano Naqvi.

"I didn’t have any such intention, it happened by mistake. Still, I apologise for all that happened, and I’ll make sure it never happens again," the woman expressed, asserting her adherence to Islam and denying blasphemy.

Tahir Mahmood Ashrafi, a former adviser on religious affairs, stated that it was the men in the crowd who owed an apology, not the woman.

The incident sparked outrage online, with many criticizing the misunderstanding that led to the woman's ordeal. It's a stark reminder of the dangers of misinformation and the need for understanding and tolerance in society.