A British glamor model wants to join Mia Khalifa – and become one of the biggest Muslim porn stars in the world.
Aaliyah Yasin, not her real name, has built a career as an adult star but says she still gets hate for showing off her body while wearing a hijab.
Aaliyah Yasin is an adult worker who films content for OnlyFans and other sites[/caption]
She controversially wears a hijab in her work, citing a strict dress code for children as motivation[/caption]
She receives a lot of criticism for showing off her body veiled in lingerie[/caption]
Aaliyah says one of the reasons she can’t practice Islam is because she drinks[/caption]
Aaliyah, 27, who grew up as a devout Muslim in Birmingham, says her strict upbringing inspired her to pursue this career.
Speaking to The Sun, Aaliyah said her father forced her to wear a hijab – and she now sees it as a symbol of empowerment in her sex scenes.
Although her career has broken some relationships in her family, she says her choices are largely tolerated.
She told The Sun: “I was forced to wear a hijab growing up.
“I demand it back because I was forced to wear this and I was so oppressed.
“People criticize me for using it this way, but why are they even monitoring me? It’s pure hypocrisy.
“In that context, the hijab shocks people, but there is consent involved, but I am not breaking any law. I agree, but it makes people uncomfortable.”
She cites Mia Khalifa – the former porn star infamous for popularizing hijabi porn during her short stint in the industry – as an inspiration.
“Mia Khalifa has broken boundaries for women of color, even though she comes from a Catholic background,” Aaliyah said.
“I love making porn while wearing my hijab.
“It’s so empowering to wear it with your own consent. She did it. Why can’t I do that? Last year I gained 40,000 followers on Twitter in one month.”
Aaliyah describes a difficult childhood in which bullies “spit on me” and made racist comments.
Lonely, the adult actress resorted to downloading friendship apps to make new friends.
Even in her family, she claimed that her uncles and aunts told her that she would be more beautiful if she lost weight.
However, the struggles of her teenage years led her to pursue a career as an adult star.
Aaliyah started on OnlyFans – the British-founded website notorious for its adult content – while she was with her ex-husband.
She uploaded photos of her feet decorated with henna designs from her wedding night that took place the month before.
Aaliyah started filming sex with both men and women – while maintaining a relationship with her boyfriend, who sometimes does scenes with her.
I want to be the biggest Muslim porn star in the world because I grew up strict
Aaliyah Yasin
She told The Sun: “Me sleep with people for work, but my sex life with my boyfriend is completely separate from this.”
The sex worker incorporates aspects of her South Asian identity into her work – through role-playing in Urdu or wearing traditional clothing.
Unusually, in her scenes she wears the Islamic veil, traditionally used as a symbol of modesty, but strict limits apply.
It has an “outright ban” on carrying out requests involving the Quran.
She said: “Hats off to the Muslim porn stars who do that [it]I just don’t feel comfortable.”
Aaliyah revealed that many of her followers are Muslim South Asians and married men – the demographic she targets.
She has even noticed prominent Islamic scholars subscribing to her adult content – and prominent mosque leaders.
Last year, the holy month of Ramadan, saw the biggest spike in the number of followers from Muslim countries.
People criticize me for using the hijab in this way, but why are they even looking at me? It’s pure hypocrisy
Aaliyah Yasin
“Ramadan is the craziest time every year,” she said.
Aaliyah said she likes to play on cultural stereotypes.
She said: “I don’t mind being put in a box.
“While I get a lot of hate within the community, I also get a lot of messages from both men and women telling me that I am an inspiration for breaking barriers.
“Many messages come from women and people from the LGBTQ+ community. They all come up to me and say, I’m so glad you’re an ally, and I’m glad I am.
“I’m so proud of who I’ve become and I want to be the biggest Muslim porn star in the world because I grew up Muslim.
“I grew up strict. I grew up doing things I didn’t want to do. So now is my chance to win it all back.”
While she owes her success to her large fan base – With more than 50,000 Twitter followers, her family hasn’t always taken it so well.
But now they tolerate the porn star’s lifestyle choices.
Mia Khalifa pushed boundaries for women of color, even though she herself has a Catholic background
Aaliyah Yasin
“When my mother found out, my brother called me to warn me that he was told to forcibly take me, along with my other brother, out of my partner’s house to be sent to Pakistan,” Aailyah said.
“She found out right before my birthday and I didn’t even have a happy birthday or anything.
“To celebrate, my partner had booked a beautiful retreat, and I wanted to cry my eyes out the whole time. Even my siblings who I was still talking to forgot.
“One of my brothers is very religious. He told me he morally disagreed, but told me to do whatever I wanted as long as I was happy.
“And one of my siblings is queer and trans – and currently going through gender transition, and that relationship has helped me so much.”
As her online fame has grown, Aaliyah has even been threatened with vicious acid attacks.
“They’re all villagers in Pakistan claiming they’re just coming to Britain to attack me, so I’m taking it very lightly – but it still hurts,” she said.
“They’re the ones watching, and they’re the ones watching. Do they seriously want to throw acid on a girl’s face?’
Who is Mia Khalifa?
MIA KHALIFA, was born as Sarah Joe Chamoun in the Lebanese capital Beirut.
She grew up in what she called a “very conservative” Catholic family and moved to the U.S. in 2001 because of the conflict in southern Lebanon.
The 31-year-old rose to fame in 2014 with the infamous pornographic video recording in which she wore the hijab while having a threesome.
The video proved so controversial that she received death threats from ISIS and was publicly disowned by her religious parents.
Despite a short stint of only three months in the porn industry, she became the most viewed and most searched for adult actress on Pornhub.
Now she is trying to distance herself from her former work and has started a jewelry line called Sheytan.
She urges young women not to get involved with porn.
Safety is Aaliyah’s top priority, and she has even hired a private driver to escort her to and from her home and regularly has NDAs signed.
She said: “My friends even use my fake name when we are in public to protect me.”
But being a practicing Muslim with her lifestyle is a challenge.
“I don’t exercise because my job doesn’t allow me to fast because I have to have sex, I have to drink, I have to go to the gym,” she said.
“I have to make sure I’m fit and healthy in front of the camera.
“I’m still spiritual – I believe in clear and wrong and I don’t feel like a man in a book needs to tell me what’s right and wrong.
“Just because I make pornography doesn’t mean I don’t follow a basic moral code. I don’t think it’s wrong.”
Just because I make pornography doesn’t mean I don’t follow a basic moral code. I don’t think it’s wrong
Aaliyah Yasin
Aaliyah visited her family for Eid – and maintained a more reserved image for her family’s sake.
“Even though suppressing myself depresses me, it’s always about image, and how your family perceives you in South Asian culture,” she said.
“[My mum] keeps me very private and doesn’t tell anyone about my work, but in my personal relationship with her, my sex work is definitely the elephant in the room.
“Every time I come back to Birmingham I suffer from anxiety, especially at family gatherings – what if a relative sees me?
“I was even walking outside during Eid when random people showed up that I didn’t expect to see. Who’s to say they won’t convince some thugs to kill me?’
