Ustazahs are now entertainment commodities. They host game shows. They appear on podcasts where hosts ask, "What’s your body count?" (meaning marriages). They react to horror movies or romantic dramas to show how "cool" Islam is.
But the rope is thin. When an Ustazah laughs at a dirty joke on a live stream to seem relatable, she "kena romen" with the entertainment industry’s soul.
Let’s be honest. Producers love an "Ustazah Kena Romen" story.
Streaming services like Viu, Netflix, and local platforms have produced endless content capitalizing on this:
The Ustazah is paid handsomely. She gets free makeup, free flights, and a glamorous lifestyle. But the price is her wara’ (piety). The more she engages with entertainment, the closer she gets to "kena romen" proper.
Why "Romen"? Because it sounds more dramatic than "cinta." In the entertainment industry, romance is a genre. But when an Ustazah "kena romen," it implies she has been struck by Cupid's arrow in a way that defies her strict upbringing.
Consider the viral cases:
The "Romen" element turns the Ustazah from a saint into a tragic heroine. The public consumes this content like popcorn at a movie theater.