The glamour British model is hoping to join the ranks of Mia Khalifa as one of the biggest Muslim porn stars in the world.
Aaliyah Yassine (not her real name) has built a career as an adult star, but she says she still faces harassment for wearing the hijab and flaunting her body.
Aaliyah, 27, who grew up as a devout Muslim in Birmingham, says her rigorous upbringing inspired her to pursue the profession.
In an interview with The Sun, Aaliyah said her father forced her to wear the hijab, and that she now sees it as a symbol of empowerment in sex scenes.
Although her career has caused rifts in her relationship with her family, she said they have largely accepted her choices.
She told The Sun: “I was forced to wear the hijab as a child.
“I was forced to wear it and it made me feel so oppressed, so I’m trying to reclaim that.
“People criticize me for using it this way, but why are they policing me in the first place? It’s total hypocrisy.”
“The hijab shocks people in those situations, but there’s consent involved. But I’m not breaking the law. I consent, but it makes people feel uncomfortable.”
She credits former porn star Mia Khalifa, who is infamous for popularizing hijab porn during her brief stint in the industry, as an inspiration.
“Mia Khalifa broke boundaries for women of color, even though she comes from a Catholic background,” Aaliyah said.
“I love making porn while wearing the hijab.
“Wearing it with your own consent is so empowering. She did it, why can’t I? Last year I got 40,000 followers on Twitter in one month.”
Aaliyah recalled a tough childhood where bullies would “spit on me” and yell racial slurs.
Feeling lonely, the adult actress decided to download a friendship app to make new friends.
She claimed that her family, including her aunts and uncles, told her she would be prettier if she lost weight.
But the hardships of her teenage years pushed her to pursue a career as an adult star.
While she was with her ex-husband, Aaliyah began appearing on OnlyFans, the notorious British website for adult content.
She uploaded a photo of her feet, which had been painted with henna on her wedding night last month.
Aaliyah began filming herself having sex with both men and women, all the while maintaining a relationship with her boyfriend, with whom she would occasionally perform scenes.
I grew up in a strict household and I want to be the biggest Muslim porn star in the world
Aliyah Yasin
She told The Sun: “I sleep I do interact with people at work, but my sex life with my boyfriend is a completely different story.”
Sex workers incorporate aspects of their South Asian identity into their work, such as role-playing in Urdu and wearing traditional dress.
She is unusually seen wearing the Islamic veil in the scene, which is traditionally used as a symbol of modesty but with strict boundaries.
She is “total banned” from responding to requests related to the Quran.
She said: “Islamic porn stars [it]I just feel uncomfortable.”
Aaliyah revealed that many of her followers are South Asian Muslim and married men, which is her target demographic.
She also noticed that prominent Islamic scholars and prominent mosque leaders subscribed to her adult content.
Last year, the holy month of Ramadan saw the largest increase in followers from Islamic countries.
Some people criticize me for using the hijab in this way, but why are they even looking at me in the first place? Utter hypocrisy.
Aliyah Yasin
“Ramadan “It’s our busiest time of the year,” she said.
Aaliyah said she enjoyed playing cultural stereotypes.
She said: “I don’t mind being typecast.”
“While I face a lot of harassment within my community, I also receive a lot of messages from men and women saying I am an inspiration to break barriers.
“A lot of the messages are from women and people in the LGBTQ+ community. They all come up to me and say, ‘I’m so glad you’re an ally and I’m so glad I am too.’
“I’m very proud of who I am. I was raised Muslim, so I want to be the biggest Muslim porn star in the world.”
“I had a strict upbringing. I was made to do things I didn’t want to do. So now is my chance to take it all back.”
She attributes her success to her many fans. She has over 50,000 followers on Twitter, but her family isn’t necessarily happy about it.
However, they now tolerate the lifestyle choices of porn stars.
Mia Khalifa has broken boundaries for women of color, even though she is Catholic herself.
Aliyah Yasin
“When my mother found out, my brother called me and warned me that he had orders to forcibly take me and my other brother from my partner’s house and send them to Pakistan,” Iliya said.
“She found out close to my birthday and I wasn’t even wished a happy birthday.
“My partner booked us a lovely resort hotel to celebrate, but I felt like crying the whole time. I even forgot about my siblings, who I still kept in contact with.
“One of my brothers is very religious and although he doesn’t agree with it morally, he said that as long as it makes me happy, I can do whatever I want.
“One of my brothers is queer and transgender and is currently transitioning, and that relationship has been very helpful to me.”
As her online fame grows, Aaliyah has even received vicious acid attack threats.
“They claim they are all Pakistani villagers and they are only coming to the UK to attack me, so I take it really lightly but it still hurts,” she said.
“They’re the ones watching, they’re the ones watching. Do they really want to throw acid in a girl’s face?”
Who is Mia Khalifa?
Mia Khalifa was born Sarah Jo Chamoun in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon.
She grew up in a “very conservative” Catholic family and moved to the United States in 2001 because of the conflict in southern Lebanon.
The 31-year-old shot to fame in 2014 with her infamous porn video in which she was seen wearing a hijab and engaging in a threesome.
The video caused controversy, leading to her receiving death threats from ISIS and being publicly disowned by her religious parents.
Despite only being in the adult industry for three short months, she has become Pornhub’s most viewed and most searched adult actress.
Now, she has distanced herself from her past work and is launching her own jewelry line called “Shaytan.”
She urges young women to stay away from pornography.
Safety is a top priority for Aaliyah, so she hires a personal driver to get to and from her home and regularly has them sign non-disclosure agreements.
She said: “My friends even use fake names in public to protect me.”
But her lifestyle makes it difficult to live as a Muslim.
“My job means I have sex, I drink, I go to the gym and so fasting isn’t an option, so I don’t practice it,” she says.
“When I go in front of the camera, I have to make sure I’m fit and healthy.
“I’m still a spiritual person, I believe in good and evil, and I don’t need any characters in a book to tell me what’s right or wrong.
“Just because I make porn doesn’t mean I don’t follow basic moral standards. I don’t think it’s wrong.”
Just because I make porn doesn’t mean I don’t follow basic moral standards. I don’t see it as wrong.
Aliyah Yasin
Aaliya visited her family for Eid and kept a low-key image for them.
“Even if holding yourself back makes you feel down, it’s always about image and how your family sees you in South Asian culture,” she said.
“[My mum] She is very private and doesn’t tell anyone about my work, but my sex work is definitely a big issue in my personal relationship with her.
“Every time I come back to Birmingham I get nervous, especially at family gatherings. What if they see me?
“Even during Eid, I went out because strangers I never expected to meet showed up. Who’s to say they won’t call their thugs and try to kill me?”