RIYADH – A leading authority of Saudi Arabia’s hardline school of Islam has condemned beauty contests as evil, saying those involved should seek repentance in God.Pageants have become major events in the desert kingdom in recent years as tribes hold ever larger competitions, with bigger prizes and wider publicity.

Delicate females or strapping males which attract the right attention during a show can sell for more than a million riyals (about $347,380).

Sponsors spent 10 million riyals on prizes for one competition this year.

“Everyone must repent of these acts from which no good can come because of its evils, and they should beg forgiveness from God,” said a fatwa, or religious ruling, issued this week by Sheikh Abdul-Rahman al-Barrak and a lesser-known sheikh.

Oh, did I forget to mention the Islami cleric was talking about camels? Sorry.