[EXCLUSIVE] Watch Out Kim K: These Yale Muslim Girls Broke the Internet

We all remember the incredible photos from Solange Knowles’s wedding – from the way the squad posed to how bold and beautiful each woman looked, we were all in awe. Well, something incredible happened at Yale University’s annual Eid Banquet this year: the fierce group of women in the Muslim Student Association came together and channeled their inner Knowles:

Keep staring at it. We know you want to, because we did too. It’s pretty mesmerizing. It mesmerized us so much, in fact, that we hit up some of the ladies in these photos to talk to them about it:

MuslimGirl: Tell us about these incredible photos – what is the story behind them?

Daad Sharfi: I was sitting in my dorm room the week before Eid-al-Adha, avoiding homework by scrolling down my Tumblr dashboard (which is pretty much dominated by Muslimah bloggers, Hijab tutorials and the occasional funny vine). I was giddy with excitement thinking about Eid and the upcoming banquet. Then it hit me — there are so many incredibly beautiful Muslim women around me on this campus and all of them will undoubtedly look flawless on Eid. Why not share their beauty with the rest of campus? I have always been a huge fan of the Knowles family and Solange’s impeccable wedding photoshoot just popped into mind. Black, bold and beautiful. I immediately texted our GroupMe, and everyone was pretty much on board.

And what inspired you ladies to channel your inner Knowles and start this movement?

Daad Sharfi: There is something very powerful about sisterhood — standing side by side with other women of color, expressing ourselves in vibrant colors and claiming space. To me, channeling my inner Knowles means believing that I have a right to occupy space in places that historically were never made for me.

What are your plans with this moving forward?

Sana Mojarradi: The Yale Muslim Student Association was actually planning to launch a Muslimah Campaign to showcase Muslimah empowerment and the diversity of our community, so it’s really interesting to see this come together so organically! Moving forward, we would like to see women who identify as Muslim feel empowered and impassioned to pursue their goals, regardless of the pressures society puts on them. To Muslim Women and minorities everywhere- you’re being heard; your voices matter.

What do you have to say to people challenging you for getting an education while practicing your religion?

Sana Mojarradi: During the “freshman reflection” at the Eid Banquet this year, Susan Aboeid talked about the challenges of pursuing an education in an environment where human rationale and logic is commonly revered as the ultimate form of knowledge. Being a member of a faith community does not make us incapable of digesting logical arguments; we are not a product of blind faith. To those who doubt the ability of Muslim women to pursue an education; stop painting us with a single brush stroke, and listen to our voices instead of speaking for/over us.

What message do you have for the #muslimgirlarmy?

Aaminah B’hat: Our most valuable asset is our voice. Speak up and stand up for your sisters.

Please teach us your #flawless ways and keep slayin’ the game, ladies!

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Written by Safaa Khan

Photo By Yale MSA Facebook