Author: W

Wissam, Wesley, or simply W, is an educator, writer, entrepreneur, engineer, activist, ex-Imam, humanist, liberal thinker with interest and mediocre attempt at many takes of life. A modern confused Renaissance man, who uses doubt as a path for emancipation and science as a road towards enlightenment.

Between Visual Paradox and the Crisis of Identity

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This photograph arrests the eye at first glance with something bordering on the absurd ā€” a reaction that quickly dissolves into a quieter, more unsettling emotion once the mind begins to reckon with what lies beneath the surface of the image.

Photography, in its very essence, is a visual covenant with memory. It is humanityā€™s instinct to freeze a moment in time, to preserve the face of a companion, to bear witness to a chapter of life shared with those who walked alongside us. Yet that fundamental purpose collapses entirely when there are no faces to preserve ā€” when every trace of individual identity is subsumed beneath a uniform veil of black, leaving nothing that distinguishes one soul from another. What memory, then, is being kept? What record is being made, when the record itself cannot tell its subjects apart?

And yet ā€” herein lies the deeper poignancy of this image ā€” these young women are reaching, unmistakably, for one of the most ancient and universal of human impulses: the desire to celebrate the self, to mark a milestone, to say we were here, together, and this moment mattered and please see us, look at us, and bear witness that we are here. The human spirit, it seems, will always find a way to assert itself, even when the social order has stripped away the very instruments through which that assertion is most naturally made.

This photograph, I would argue, is far more than a candid snapshot. It is a sociological document ā€” a vivid portrait of the enduring collision between a calcified reading of religion and the irreducible nature of the human being. It illustrates, with striking clarity, how a person can become a willing captive of collective consciousness, imprisoned not by force, but by the dogma of a society that has ceased to examine itself.

It is worth noting, with some precision, that the niqab ā€” and I would add the hijab in general ā€” has never constituted a doctrinal pillar of Islamic theology, nor a defining feature of Islamic civilization at its height. It emerged as a social and historical practice, born of particular contexts, and was largely left by classical Islamic jurisprudence within the domain of custom and individual discretion. That such a practice should not only persist but intensify in an era that calls for the emancipation of the individual, for the celebration of human dignity in its full and visible form, and for the transcendence of both repressive and objectifying views of the human body ā€” this is what can only be described as social regression.

It has become, regrettably, one of the more telling markers of stagnation in certain Muslim societies: the stubborn insistence on resurrecting what ought to have been allowed to fade gracefully, as all social customs eventually must when they fall out of step with the forward march of human consciousness and the evolving moral imagination of civilization.ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹

I hope that these girls are the last generation who would think that in the appearance of their face, which is the face of God, any shame or wrong.

ŲØŁŠŁ† Ų§Ł„Ł…ŁŲ§Ų±Ł‚Ų© Ų§Ł„ŲØŲµŲ±ŁŠŲ© ŁˆŲ£Ų²Ł…Ų© Ų§Ł„Ł‡ŁˆŁŠŲ©

ŲŖŲ³ŲŖŁˆŁ‚ŁŁƒ Ł‡Ų°Ł‡ Ų§Ł„ŲµŁˆŲ±Ų© Ł„Ł„ŁˆŁ‡Ł„Ų© Ų§Ł„Ų£ŁˆŁ„Ł‰ ŲØŁ…Ų§ ŲŖŲ«ŁŠŲ±Ł‡ Ł…Ł† ŲÆŁ‡Ų“Ų© ŲŖŁƒŲ§ŲÆ ŲŖŲØŁ„Ųŗ Ų­ŲÆŁ‘ Ų§Ł„Ų„Ų¶Ų­Ų§ŁƒŲŒ Ų«Ł… Ų³Ų±Ų¹Ų§Ł† Ł…Ų§ ŲŖŁ†Ł‚Ł„ŲØ ŲŖŁ„Łƒ Ų§Ł„ŲÆŁ‡Ų“Ų© Ų„Ł„Ł‰ Ų“ŁŠŲ” Ų£Ł‚Ų±ŲØ Ų„Ł„Ł‰ Ų§Ł„Ų­Ų²Ł† Ų§Ł„ŲµŲ§Ł…ŲŖŲŒ Ų­ŁŠŁ† ŁŠŲŖŲ£Ł…Ł„ Ų§Ł„Ų¹Ł‚Ł„ Ł…Ų§ ŁˆŲ±Ų§Ų” Ų§Ł„Ł…Ų“Ł‡ŲÆ Ł…Ł† ŲŖŁ†Ų§Ł‚Ų¶ ŲµŲ§Ų±Ų®.

ŁŲ§Ł„ŲµŁˆŲ±Ų© Ų§Ł„ŁŁˆŲŖŁˆŲŗŲ±Ų§ŁŁŠŲ© ŁŁŠ Ų¬ŁˆŁ‡Ų±Ł‡Ų§ ŁˆŲ«ŁŠŁ‚Ų©ŁŒ ŲØŲµŲ±ŁŠŲ© Ł„Ł„Ų°Ų§ŁƒŲ±Ų© Ų§Ł„Ų„Ł†Ų³Ų§Ł†ŁŠŲ©ŲŒ ŁˆŲ“Ų§Ł‡ŲÆŁŒ Ų¹Ł„Ł‰ Ł„Ų­ŲøŲ© Ų¹Ų§Ų“Ł‡Ų§ Ų§Ł„Ų„Ł†Ų³Ų§Ł† ŁˆŲ£Ų±Ų§ŲÆ Ų£Ł† ŁŠŁŲ®Ł„Ł‘ŲÆŁ‡Ų§. ŲØŁŠŲÆ Ų£Ł† Ł‡Ų°Ł‡ Ų§Ł„ŁˆŲøŁŠŁŲ© Ų§Ł„Ų¬ŁˆŁ‡Ų±ŁŠŲ© ŲŖŲŖŁ‡Ų§ŁˆŁ‰ ŁˆŲŖŁ†ŲŖŁŁŠ Ų­ŁŠŁ† ŲŖŁ†Ų¹ŲÆŁ… Ų§Ł„Ł…Ł„Ų§Ł…Ų­ ŁƒŁ„ŁŠŲ§Ł‹ Ų®Ł„Ł Ų­Ų¬Ų§ŲØ Ų£Ų³ŁˆŲÆ Ł„Ų§ ŁŠŁŲØŁ‚ŁŠ Ł„Ł„Ł‡ŁˆŁŠŲ© Ų§Ł„ŲØŲµŲ±ŁŠŲ© Ų£Ų«Ų±Ų§Ł‹. ŁŲ£ŁŠŁ‘ Ų°ŁƒŲ±Ł‰ ŲŖŁ„Łƒ Ų§Ł„ŲŖŁŠ Ł„Ų§ ŲŖŲ­Ł…Ł„ ŁˆŲ¬Ł‡Ų§Ł‹ŲŸ ŁˆŲ£ŁŠŁ‘ ŲŖŁˆŲ«ŁŠŁ‚ Ų°Ł„Łƒ Ų§Ł„Ų°ŁŠ Ł„Ų§ ŁŠŁŁ…ŁŠŁ‘Ų² ŲØŁŠŁ† ŲµŲ§Ų­ŲØŁ‡ ŁˆŲ³ŁˆŲ§Ł‡ŲŸ

ŲŗŁŠŲ± Ų£Ł† Ł…Ų§ ŁŠŲ³ŲŖŲ­Ł‚ Ų§Ł„ŲŖŲ£Ł…Ł„ Ų§Ł„Ų¹Ł…ŁŠŁ‚ Ł‡Łˆ Ų£Ł† Ł‡Ų¤Ł„Ų§Ų” Ų§Ł„ŁŲŖŁŠŲ§ŲŖ ŁŠŲ­Ų§ŁˆŁ„Ł† ā€”Ų±ŲŗŁ… ŁƒŁ„ Ų§Ł„Ł‚ŁŠŁˆŲÆā€” Ų£Ł† ŁŠŁŁ…Ų§Ų±Ų³Ł† ŁˆŲ§Ų­ŲÆŲ§Ł‹ Ł…Ł† Ų£Ų¹Ł…Ł‚ Ų§Ł„ŁŲ·Ų± Ų§Ł„Ų„Ł†Ų³Ų§Ł†ŁŠŲ©: Ų§Ł„Ų§Ų­ŲŖŁŲ§Ų” ŲØŲ§Ł„Ų°Ų§ŲŖŲŒ ŁˆŲ§Ł„ŲŖŁˆŲ«ŁŠŁ‚ Ł„Ł„Ų±ŁŁ‚Ų©ŲŒ ŁˆŲ§Ł„Ų“Ł‡Ų§ŲÆŲ© Ų¹Ł„Ł‰ Ł…Ų±Ų­Ł„Ų© Ł…Ł† Ł…Ų±Ų§Ų­Ł„ Ų§Ł„Ų­ŁŠŲ§Ų© Ł…Ų¹ Ł…Ł† Ų“Ų§Ų±ŁƒŁˆŁ‡Ł† Ł…Ų³ŁŠŲ±ŲŖŁ‡Ų§. ŁˆŁ‡Łˆ Ł…Ų§ ŁŠŁƒŲ“Ł Ų£Ł† Ų§Ł„Ų±ŁˆŲ­ Ų§Ł„Ų„Ł†Ų³Ų§Ł†ŁŠŲ© ŲŖŲøŁ„ ŲŖŁ†Ų§Ų¶Ł„ ŁˆŲŖŲ“Ł‚ Ų·Ų±ŁŠŁ‚Ł‡Ų§ Ł†Ų­Łˆ Ų§Ł„ŲŖŲ¹ŲØŁŠŲ± Ų¹Ł† Ł†ŁŲ³Ł‡Ų§ŲŒ Ų­ŲŖŁ‰ Ų­ŁŠŁ† ŲŖŁŲµŲ§ŲÆŲ± Ų§Ł„Ų£Ų¹Ų±Ų§Ł Ų§Ł„Ų§Ų¬ŲŖŁ…Ų§Ų¹ŁŠŲ© Ų£ŲÆŁˆŲ§ŲŖŁ‡Ų§ Ų§Ł„Ų£ŲµŁŠŁ„Ų©. Ł†Ų­Ł† Ł‡Ł†Ų§! Ų§Ł†ŲøŲ±ŁˆŲ§ Ų§Ł„ŁŠŁ†Ų§! Ų£Ł†Ų§ Ł‡Ł†Ų§! Ų“Ų§Ł‡ŲÆŁ†ŁŠ!

Ų„Ł† Ł‡Ų°Ł‡ Ų§Ł„ŲµŁˆŲ±Ų©ŲŒ ŁŁŠ ŲŖŁ‚ŲÆŁŠŲ±ŁŠŲŒ Ł„ŁŠŲ³ŲŖ Ł…Ų¬Ų±ŲÆ Ł…Ų“Ł‡ŲÆ Ų¹Ų§ŲØŲ±ŲŒ ŲØŁ„ Ł‡ŁŠ ŁˆŲ«ŁŠŁ‚Ų© Ų³ŁˆŲ³ŁŠŁˆŁ„ŁˆŲ¬ŁŠŲ© ŲŖŲ¬Ų³Ł‘ŲÆ Ų§Ł„ŲµŲ±Ų§Ų¹ Ų§Ł„Ų£Ų²Ł„ŁŠ ŲØŁŠŁ† Ų§Ł„ŁŁ‡Ł… Ų§Ł„Ł…ŲŖŲ­Ų¬Ų± Ł„Ł„ŲÆŁŠŁ† ŁˆŲØŁŠŁ† Ų§Ł„Ų·ŲØŁŠŲ¹Ų© Ų§Ł„Ų„Ł†Ų³Ų§Ł†ŁŠŲ© Ų§Ł„Ų±Ų§Ų³Ų®Ų©. Ų„Ł†Ł‡Ų§ ŲŖŁŁ…Ų«Ł‘Ł„ Ł†Ł…ŁˆŲ°Ų¬Ų§Ł‹ ŲµŲ§Ų±Ų®Ų§Ł‹ Ł„ŁƒŁŠŁŁŠŲ© ŲŖŲ­ŁˆŁ‘Ł„ Ų§Ł„Ų„Ł†Ų³Ų§Ł† Ų„Ł„Ł‰ Ų¶Ų­ŁŠŲ© Ł„Ų¹Ł‚Ł„Ł‡ Ų§Ł„Ų¬Ł…Ų¹ŁŠŲŒ ŁˆŲ£Ų³ŁŠŲ± Ł„ŲÆŁˆŲŗŁ…Ų§Ų¦ŁŠŲ© Ų§Ł„Ł…Ų¬ŲŖŁ…Ų¹ Ų­ŁŠŁ† ŁŠŲŖŁˆŁ‚Ł Ų¹Ł† Ų§Ł„Ł…Ų±Ų§Ų¬Ų¹Ų© Ų§Ł„Ł†Ł‚ŲÆŁŠŲ© Ł„Ł…ŁˆŲ±ŁˆŲ«Ų§ŲŖŁ‡.

ŁˆŲ§Ł„Ų¬ŲÆŁŠŲ± ŲØŲ§Ł„Ł…Ł„Ų§Ų­ŲøŲ© Ų£Ł† Ų§Ł„Ł†Ł‚Ų§ŲØ ā€”ŲØŁ„ ŁˆŲ§Ł„Ų­Ų¬Ų§ŲØ ŲØŲ“ŁƒŁ„ Ų¹Ų§Ł… – Ł„Ł… ŁŠŁƒŁ† ŁŠŁˆŁ…Ų§Ł‹ Ų±ŁƒŁ†Ų§Ł‹ Ł…Ł† Ų£Ų±ŁƒŲ§Ł† Ų§Ł„Ų¹Ł‚ŁŠŲÆŲ© Ų§Ł„Ų„Ų³Ł„Ų§Ł…ŁŠŲ© ŁˆŁ„Ų§ Ų³Ł…Ų©Ł‹ Ų¬ŁˆŁ‡Ų±ŁŠŲ© Ł…Ł† Ų³Ł…Ų§ŲŖ Ł‡ŁˆŁŠŲŖŁ‡Ų§ Ų§Ł„Ų­Ų¶Ų§Ų±ŁŠŲ©ŲŒ ŲØŁ‚ŲÆŲ± Ł…Ų§ ŁƒŲ§Ł† Ł…Ł…Ų§Ų±Ų³Ų©Ł‹ Ų§Ų¬ŲŖŁ…Ų§Ų¹ŁŠŲ© ŲŖŲ§Ų±ŁŠŲ®ŁŠŲ© Ł†Ų“Ų£ŲŖ ŁŁŠ Ų³ŁŠŲ§Ł‚Ų§ŲŖŁ‡Ų§ Ų§Ł„Ų®Ų§ŲµŲ©ŲŒ ŁˆŲŖŲ±ŁƒŁ‡Ų§ Ų§Ł„ŁŁ‚Ł‡ Ų§Ł„Ų„Ų³Ł„Ų§Ł…ŁŠ ŁŁŠ ŲÆŲ§Ų¦Ų±Ų© Ų§Ł„Ų§Ų¬ŲŖŁ‡Ų§ŲÆ ŁˆŲ§Ł„Ų¹Ų±Ł. Ų£Ł…Ų§ Ų£Ł† ŲŖŲ³ŲŖŁ…Ų± Ł‡Ų°Ł‡ Ų§Ł„Ł…Ł…Ų§Ų±Ų³Ų© ŁˆŲŖŲŖŲ±Ų³Ł‘Ų® ŁŁŠ Ų²Ł…Ł† ŁŠŲÆŲ¹Łˆ Ų„Ł„Ł‰ ŲŖŲ­Ų±ŁŠŲ± Ų§Ł„Ų„Ł†Ų³Ų§Ł† ŁˆŲøŁ‡ŁˆŲ±Ł‡ ŲØŁƒŲ§Ł…Ł„ ŁƒŁŠŁ†ŁˆŁ†ŲŖŁ‡ŲŒ ŁˆŲŖŲ¬Ų§ŁˆŲ² Ų§Ł„Ł†ŲøŲ±Ų© Ų§Ł„Ł‚Ł…Ų¹ŁŠŲ© ŁˆŲ§Ł„Ų“Ł‡ŁˆŁŠŲ© ŁŁŠ Ų¢Ł†Ł Ł…Ų¹Ų§Ł‹ŲŒ ŁŲ°Ł„Łƒ Ł…Ų§ Ł„Ų§ ŁŠŁŲ¹ŲØŁ‘Ų± Ų¹Ł†Ł‡ Ų„Ł„Ų§ ŲØŁ…ŲµŲ·Ł„Ų­ Ų§Ł„Ų±Ų¬Ų¹ŁŠŲ© Ų§Ł„Ų§Ų¬ŲŖŁ…Ų§Ų¹ŁŠŲ©Ų› ŲŖŁ„Łƒ Ų§Ł„ŲøŲ§Ł‡Ų±Ų© Ų§Ł„ŲŖŁŠ ŲØŲ§ŲŖŲŖ Ų¹Ł„Ų§Ł…Ų©Ł‹ ŁŲ§Ų±Ł‚Ų© ŁŁŠ ŲŖŲ®Ł„Ł ŲØŲ¹Ų¶ Ų§Ł„Ł…Ų¬ŲŖŁ…Ų¹Ų§ŲŖ Ų§Ł„Ł…Ų³Ł„Ł…Ų©ŲŒ Ų­ŁŠŁ† ŲŖŁŲµŲ±Ł‘ Ų¹Ł„Ł‰ Ų„Ų­ŁŠŲ§Ų” Ł…Ų§ ŁƒŲ§Ł† ŁŠŁ†ŲØŲŗŁŠ Ų£Ł† ŲŖŲŖŲ±ŁƒŁ‡ ŁŠŁ…ŁˆŲŖ Ł…ŁŠŲŖŲ©Ł‹ Ų·ŲØŁŠŲ¹ŁŠŲ©ŲŒ ŁƒŲ³Ų§Ų¦Ų± Ų§Ł„Ų¹Ų§ŲÆŲ§ŲŖ Ų§Ł„Ų§Ų¬ŲŖŁ…Ų§Ų¹ŁŠŲ© Ų§Ł„ŲŖŁŠ ŁŠŁŁ„ŲŗŁŠŁ‡Ų§ ŲŖŁ‚Ų§ŲÆŁ… Ų§Ł„Ų²Ł…Ł† ŁˆŲŖŲ·ŁˆŲ± Ų§Ł„ŁˆŲ¹ŁŠ Ų§Ł„Ų„Ł†Ų³Ų§Ł†ŁŠ.ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹

Ų£Ų±Ų¬Łˆ Ų§Ł† ŲŖŁƒŁˆŁ† Ł‡Ų¤Ł„Ų§Ų” Ų§Ł„ŁŲŖŁŠŲ§ŲŖ Ų¢Ų®Ų± Ų¬ŁŠŁ„ ŁŠŲøŁ† Ų§Ł† ŁŁŠ ŲøŁ‡ŁˆŲ± ŁˆŲ¬Ł‡ Ų§Ł„Ų„Ł†Ų³Ų§Ł†ŲŒ ŁˆŁ‡Łˆ ŁˆŲ¬Ł‡ Ų§Ł„Ł„Ł‡ŲŒ Ų§ŁŠ Ų¹ŁŠŲØ Ų§Łˆ Ł…ŁƒŲ±ŁˆŁ‡.

Between Visual Paradox and the Crisis of Identity

This photograph arrests the eye at first glance with something bordering on the absurd ā€” a reaction that quickly dissolves into a quieter, more unsettling emotion once the mind begins to reckon with what lies beneath the surface of the image.

Photography, in its very essence, is a visual covenant with memory. It is humanityā€™s instinct to freeze a moment in time, to preserve the face of a companion, to bear witness to a chapter of life shared with those who walked alongside us. Yet that fundamental purpose collapses entirely when there are no faces to preserve ā€” when every trace of individual identity is subsumed beneath a uniform veil of black, leaving nothing that distinguishes one soul from another. What memory, then, is being kept? What record is being made, when the record itself cannot tell its subjects apart?

And yet ā€” herein lies the deeper poignancy of this image ā€” these young women are reaching, unmistakably, for one of the most ancient and universal of human impulses: the desire to celebrate the self, to mark a milestone, to say we were here, together, and this moment mattered and please see us, look at us, and bear witness that we are here. The human spirit, it seems, will always find a way to assert itself, even when the social order has stripped away the very instruments through which that assertion is most naturally made.

This photograph, I would argue, is far more than a candid snapshot. It is a sociological document ā€” a vivid portrait of the enduring collision between a calcified reading of religion and the irreducible nature of the human being. It illustrates, with striking clarity, how a person can become a willing captive of collective consciousness, imprisoned not by force, but by the dogma of a society that has ceased to examine itself.

It is worth noting, with some precision, that the niqab ā€” and I would add the hijab in general ā€” has never constituted a doctrinal pillar of Islamic theology, nor a defining feature of Islamic civilization at its height. It emerged as a social and historical practice, born of particular contexts, and was largely left by classical Islamic jurisprudence within the domain of custom and individual discretion. That such a practice should not only persist but intensify in an era that calls for the emancipation of the individual, for the celebration of human dignity in its full and visible form, and for the transcendence of both repressive and objectifying views of the human body ā€” this is what can only be described as social regression.

It has become, regrettably, one of the more telling markers of stagnation in certain Muslim societies: the stubborn insistence on resurrecting what ought to have been allowed to fade gracefully, as all social customs eventually must when they fall out of step with the forward march of human consciousness and the evolving moral imagination of civilization.ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹ā€‹

I hope that these girls are the last generation who would think that in the appearance of their face, which is the face of God, any shame or wrong.

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