The Duty of Scholars and Rulers Regarding Open Display in the Media

Question:
Open display and tabarruj (a woman's display of her adornment) have become widespread in the streets, and this is a great danger. You are, by Allah, the ones I love most for the sake of Allah, and I fear for you from Allah; for it is within your power to call these women who display themselves in the media to account, and they are cowards. And Allah calls for the authority to do what He does not call for by a lottery.

Answer:
This is the duty of scholars and rulers, and we ask Allah to help everyone. The duty of scholars is to write and speak, and the duty of rulers is to enforce. We ask Allah to guide everyone, and some of this has already been done. We ask Allah to help us achieve perfection, and we ask Allah to guide the scholars in presenting and clarifying the truth to people through the various means of the adhan (call to prayer) and the like, and through the minbars (pulpits) and the various means of the adhan and the like. For there is an urgent need for much speech analyzing [the issues] one by one, and prohibiting sins, not only in homes and gatherings, but in all visual, audio, and written media. Rather, it is obligatory for [them] to enforce the matters that Allah has obligated to be enforced, such as establishing the hudud (fixed Qur'anic punishments) and the legal expressions that discipline people. So we ask Allah to guide everyone to what is obligatory upon us.