Enlightened by Chiara Tocci
In the Sunna, the other major holy Muslim book together with the Quran, the pictures of living beings are condemned. “Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah. He (the picture maker) will be ordered to breathe life into the picture, but he will not be able to do so”. This is a piece that explores the relationship between photography and Islam.
This image perfectly suits the foreword; I would like to see the other images composing the piece but cannot find Chiara’s gallery online.
I like the shot: in particular the fact that the shadow on the dress make the gender of the subject quite ambiguous (skirt, trousers?) …
Beautiful photograph, heavy words…
i adore this – the moment i opened it i was smiling and somehow content due to the flow and colour of the skirt..
the ´second look´ which occurred for me is in the clenched hands which betray more discomfort.. and the frayed cuff which breaks the image of perfection..
great
david
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Nice photograph, Chiara; suits the foreword completely. Can you remind us which Sunna speaks about pictures?
Correct me if I’m wrong Chiara, but I believe that the Sunnas are the words and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad other than his recital of the Quran. This Sunna is sometimes used to stop photography in some Muslim societies. Others in the the same society will tell you, no, that’s not what it means; it means anyone making an image of any living thing, no-matter what medium is used (stone, bronze, wood, photograph etc.) for the purpose of worshiping the image. In Islam, your intention is very important. Obviously Muhammad did not specifically mention photography as it hadn’t been invented so the actual words used and their interpretation are important here: as is the photographer’s intention. I’m not attempting to stir up a debate here; just giving a little background information.
Thank you Chiara,
Mike.
“O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of GOD’s signs, that they may take heed. “-Quran.
a power photograph….and i am also reminded of Carlos Reygadas beautiful and glorious movie “Silent Light”
he is my favorite young/contemporary director….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHTkxYz2cMQ
thanks for sharing
bob
The picture in itself is a strong visual statement.
Words are complementary and they didn’t contribute to my apperception of the photograph.
They do touch though on an interesting matter especially for those photographing in muslim societies and provoke a further investigation.
I have photographed in Istanbul, mostly unformal street portraits and scenes always involving people, and I hardly met rejection or dissaproval from their part.
How this tolerant behavior keeps pace with the Holly Books dictums?
A powerfully simple, graphic picture. I was captured by it straight away – can’t quite yet describe what is happening for me here. I didn’t need the text to stimulate my interest but now I am even more curious.
… great, great, great photo…
i agree with Mike R, though………..
i wish there was no “artist statement” like that…
I live in a country that muslims suffered the most especially after the 9/11…
( Chiara, all my respect, but you dont even know how much they did suffer …)
please , not another stub in their back…
similar theories about photography and stealing the soul you will find all over african
tribes and communities…
this photo is strong enough to stand by itself..
im not saying that you are propagandizing against the muslim community…
All im saying is that statement like the above CAN totally be used against them..
And they dont deserve it… they’ve had “enough” if you know what i mean….
( … and to clarify my personal stand… I’m not a Muslim, and definitely not a christian either…
In fact im a “preacher” myself and all i preach is simple;” Death to all religions”
but then again someone said… People are WEAK… people are FOLLOWERS… people NEED them…
oh well, obviously there is nothing i can do about it…. but do i want to SAVE this world???
HELL no…laughing )
Beautiful light, wonderful image. Subtle and well considered. I’m very intrigued and would love to see more from this body of work. Is is part of a series?
This image captured me before I saw/read the text. Its subtle magisterial silence is what drew me first. What is said via light & shadow and not said in details or recognizable features. It positively glows.
Regarding the text, I found Chiara’s words to be respectful of this particular path trod by a segment of Muslim persons for centuries present and past. And I know whereof I speak. Though not religious myself, I am privileged to have become very close to a Muslim community here in the U.S. during our 19-month struggle to have an innocent iman/global humanitarian released from jail after the post-9/11 anti-Muslim hysteria. This iman and his family–“the family of my heart”–were kind enough to invite me into their home after he was secretly deported to Lebanon. During my weeks there, I saw from the inside how their religious beliefs and practices were integral to their day-to-day lives. Yet they never judged or questioned my nonreligious way of being in the world.
I’ve just shared much more than I needed to, but, Chiara, it is this remembering that your image triggers in me. I hope we here on Burn will have an opportunity to see your essay whenever you feel ready to share it.
Patricia
interesting stuff patricia.. likewise i have yet to meet faiths other than christian who condemn me for my beliefs.
x
I really like the mood of this. Sqaure format sits really well with the composition[or is it the other way round :_ ) ] The colours are slightly muted and bang on the money for me.
I am not sure how a single piece can relate to what is specified in the intro so i can only assume that this is from a larger body(sic). Would like to see a whole series of these to see if it can actually convey whats written there, visually.
Nice work.
PEACE
John
…….and speaking about muslims & photos:
http://inmotion.magnumphotos.com/essay/taliban
.. please notice the “make up” and eyeliner under those Taliban eyes….:)))))
thats hot…
loves it..:((((
Talibans do better make up than most Hollywood & Bollywood actors…!
but, really, why ????? ( if not to be photographed…???? )
“When a crow flies over Kandahar, he one flaps one wing.
With the other wing HE cover his TAIL.”
i have a hard time to accept all the flak that Thomas Dworzak had to catch
from the idiotic “left wing” Europe, when he exposed the FEMINISM and severe
gayness of the Taliban movement…
Yep, “real” men “do” crows….
laughing…..
Yep, “real” men “do” crows…
Although the TALIBAN are closer to BESTIALITY than gay…
( All my respect to “Gay movement”, but i cant say the same for Bestiality lovers…
sorry, i might be liberal but NOT THAT much…)
btw, Obama is moving “our troops” to Afghanistan… the place that they were supposed to be in the
first place… but freaking Bush had different motives… He was never after the Taliban beasts or
freaking osama, no, no, no… he was after Saddam and his oil… just a guess……)
wonderful thanks for sharing. amazing work!
I currently work on one of my first long term photo projects and I found this picture really disturbing. Why?
The picture its self is really powerful. But the quote is something that really makes me to thing. Currently I’m in Istanbul and yesterday I wanted to take a picture of one man in a shop in the religious neighborhood of Fatih. I was rejected with the words that it is against his religious beliefs…
But only few days before in region of Trakya, hodza gave me permission and a bless to photograph during praying ceremony.
So I would say that things are never black and white. but most important you succeeded to provoke with your work. bravo!
looking forward to a burn print shop.. imagine how many of these singles would be flying out?
last night I watched briefly on the nat geo channel a show about life within devout muslim families, did anybody see it?
the mother kept on her shawl, kept her face and hair covered up, because there was a camera crew in their house, then they interviewed her asking questions about why she kept herself covered etc, something about being the property of God and her husband. she looked really uncomfortable talking about it, or her eyes did anyway. and I am thinking that if she says one thing out of line, she will be persecuted or beaten or some wierd shit will happen to her.
now I am thinking about how the zooms launched grenades at ancient stone Buddha’s in Afghanistan and destroyed it, real nice… wtf
btw did you know that in 08 Iran executed six minors, yes they do that there, google Atefeh Rajabi, she was 16 when executed, some unreal shit. I read that the judge who sentenced her to death did so to keep silent that he had molested her.
thats some really fucking wierd shit in my book, fucking mental cases.
punished for being in a picture? by God? thats a joke. I cant stand that nutty shit man!
as for this photo, it does nothing for me. at first I thought it was someone from one of those mormon polygamist sects, they wear long skirts too, I think.
as for religeous intolerance, they can all go to hell in a handbasket for all I care.
Davor,I agree..
this photo provokes & makes us think…
Thanks Chiara & DAH for posting this one…
Wrobertangell…said
“… I cant stand that nutty shit man!”
Man, you nailed it. thanks.
:)
wrobertangell –
We do that shit here, too. Although generally we just sentence minors as adults and let them languish in jail for 10 years or so, then execute them.
Jared,
you just reminded me of the “Kaiser Permanente” ( LA hospital )
and our mighty health care system…
When those hospitals in LA, “treat” homeless & poor people in general,
after a few quick stitches and a tylenol, they ( hospital ), call a taxi,
and drive them to skidrow… then they literally ,OPEN THE DOOR & PUSHED THEM OUT OF THE CAB…
in the street… !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
there many ways to kill here too…
… and Jared,
yes, we are meeting Sunday in the candle bar…
Pitchers on me ( i owe you…;)))))))))))))))
but me…??? & Haik… “leica gang”???
lovely photo.
see you soonest…( i hope i wont stuck in the snow up here…)
:))))))))))))))
My mind is racing because I have so much to say here.
If there is anything I hate in this world, it is people laying out information as though it is fact without having the sense to accurately research it.
I am a Muslim and a very proud one. I am also a photographer, and also a very proud one. I grew up between Egypt and Saudi Arabia and I was never taught that Islam forbids photography.
What people often fail to understand about religion, particularly Islam, is it employs common sense. Islam’s teachings are broken into two main parts: Sunnah, which is based on Prophet Mohamed’s teachings and they are things Muslims DO NOT have to do. They are simply seen as teachings by the Prophet who is seen as a role model for Muslims, but he is not God. The other segment is teachings of the Qur’an and those are the teachings that Muslims have to follow.
There are also Fatwas, which are modern day interpretations by Muslim scholars and Sheikhs that people come to with religious dilemmas. If anyone does a simple search on Google to see what Islam thinks about photography, you will instantly find that Islam’s teachings do not forbid photography, it wasn’t even invented back then. What the scholars say is “Photography as a medium of communication or for the simple, innocent retention of memories without the taint of reverence does not fall under the category of forbidden,” said Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Simply put, Islam doesn’t teach that people should live the way they did when Prophet Mohamed was alive. It is a progressive religion and should always be thought of in that perspective. If some Muslims choose to interpret the religion otherwise, that is their choice, but please do not take the actions of a few Muslims in this world to mean this is how all of them are! I am personally tired of this old rhetoric of Islam says this and Islam says that without people knowing what their talking about.
As for wrobertangell’s comments:
“btw did you know that in 08 Iran executed six minors, yes they do that there, google Atefeh Rajabi, she was 16 when executed, some unreal shit. I read that the judge who sentenced her to death did so to keep silent that he had molested her. thats some really fucking wierd shit in my book, fucking mental cases. Punished for being in a picture? by God? thats a joke. I cant stand that nutty shit man! as for this photo, it does nothing for me. at first I thought it was someone from one of those mormon polygamist sects, they wear long skirts too, I think. as for religeous intolerance, they can all go to hell in a handbasket for all I care.”
I find what you say simply intolerable and ignorant.
Let me remind you that there are at least 1.2 billion Muslims on this planet. The Muslim world does not stop at Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia. These are extremist regimes that have hijacked the name of Islam to forward their own agenda. This is not just my view, it is the view of a lot of Muslims and even the view of people who are forced to live under such regimes. You don’t see us all packing and moving to Iran!!
To the photographer of this picture. I initially liked the picture but you lost all credibility with your lack of accurate research. Photography is not just about taking pretty pictures. There is an ethical responsibility, which is huge, even more important than taking the picture itself. If you intend to continue working on this series, I urge you, for your own good, to please make sure you research the facts and do not group all Muslims under one umbrella.
Finally, I must apologize if I have offended anyone with this post. I am a very passionate person by nature and I just couldn’t help speaking out. I stand corrected if I misunderstood anyone’s comments, including the photographer’s intentions.
Laura.
Very nice photo, but I too am confused by the captioning. Who/where is this person? Is it meant to be conceptual or literal? Would be nice to hear from the photographer or have a website to go see more work.
Damn Laura…
I so agree with all the above…
One of my best friends, Karim Sharif is also a proud muslim and a proud photographer…
He probably feels just like you…
As i said in my first post the photographers statement could be DANGEROUS…
the muslim community in the US… got severely discriminated after 9/11…
Ignorance and fear… people were afraid to visit Mosques for a long time…
They were locked in their houses… Thousands of FBI agents attacking ( visiting ) their homes in daily basis…
people were “vanished”, disappeared, not just in jail… but really disappeared, deported….and not only…
IGNORANCE… thats what the photogs statement represent…
Taliban are an extreme regime… no different than the Evangellicals here..same thing..MORE DANGEROUS if you ask me… LOOK AT THE POPE… A FUCKING NAZI….
Rash Limbau, american facsism… FUCKING CHRISTIANITY… catholicism…
I’m so offended too, although not a muslim, just an agnostic…
but Laura, “god” bless you… TELL IT LIKE IT IS…
… and our propaganda here tries SO HARD to connect EVERY single Muslim with terrorism and …
and also tries to connect every Regime or osama with Mohamed and the scriptures…
Nazis did the same with the Jewish community, the blacks and the gays…
EXACTLY THE SAME… now its the Muslims that are going straight to the “ovens” of AUSCHWITZ…
and nobody talks about it… you know why?????????????????
because the illegal jails in Quantanamo Bay are still open and “waiting”..
If Quantanamo is not the NEW AUSCHWITZ…THEN WHAT IS IT??????????????
open your eyes people…. god damn it…. now im pissed…
Laura thanks again…
( & DAH you are a smart guy… it took me a while but now i see the connection of the double posting today…a photo of Auschwitz and the creepy comment… )
laughing…
DAH you remind of Alfred Hitschcock … you keep us breathless , stuck on our laptop screens … at least me !!!!!!!!!!!! )
What a great picture! A joy to look!
However the text made me think. In the last couple of years I have been out exploring different parts of Lebanon: the Maronites (Christians), the Sunni and the Shiites but so far I never came across any restrictions about images or photographs. Still I know far too little about the islam to make a proper statement, so I am glad Laura explained this a bit further.
What came to my mind are some christian religious groups who ban images from their churches. Please correct me if I am wrong, but I guess the Amish and the Mennonites don’t want pictures taken of them and I think they don’t have images in church. Does anyone know more about that?
Personally I think everyone should have the freedom to have his or her own religion which is in many cases strange to me, but I guess I would be strange to them as well. I respect these differences.
Yesterday someone put a link to a speech and presentation given by Reza at the frontline club in London. It is about an hour long. Reza is an incredible guy to watch. He gives a good insight into cultures and believes that we are not familiar with. Here again is the link: http://frontlineclub.com/blogs/adamblenford/2009/03/reza-at-the-frontline-club.html
Chiara, thank you so much for this photograph and I am looking forward to see more of your work!
Peace!
Reimar
… and the horror continues….
in the Abu Graihb jails … our “ADVANCED” WESTERN culture fueled by christianity…
was starving prisoners to death, giving them PORK as the ONLY OPTION to feed themselves, keeping them naked for hours … and
then throwing them to the dogs … the old fashioned ROMAN WAY…. ( too bad they couldnt afford LIONS..)
ok… ok… i need to stop… i got really pissed and excited… typical me…
i need to relax and take it easy… i hear you, i hear you..
im not saying anything new… at least not for me…
wow…..
charia – do you have a website as i´d love to see more work..
david
chiara – apologies for schpelin
LAURA: :)))
you, passionate, no way! ;))))….great contextualizing…and i tried to offer something by beginning with the statement about clothing from the Qu’ran (i’ve had the opportunity to learn alot in the last 6 years as a good deal of my students (from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt) are Muslim including some practicing sheikhs-in-trainging (i dont kknow what this would be called, forgive me)….that above all, it’s about righteous behavior (and that interpretation) and not ‘oppression’ (which is often how this particular idea (the cloaking of women) is portrayed in the West)…anyway, i’m so happy you’ve chimed in :)))…
and by the way Sheikh Ahmad Kutty is incredibly respected and wise person…and well known here in Toronto…i mean, i know little, but I know his name and have watched him often on TV documentaries and programs when issues related to Islam come up (vis-a-vis Canada, the US, etc)….
no, where have you disappeared to from Burn?…
sending you passionate smiles!
cheers
bob
p.s. Laura, have you read Azar Nafisi new book “things i’ve been silent about”??….just published here in n.america…no, havent read it…but thought of her (and her first book, reading lolita in tehran) when reading your comments….cheers, bob
Panos…
I laughed at that too.
iPhone, d300, leica, whatever.
Working Sunday night, so maybe the day time, if you’re back.
And. You don’t owe me
Peace.
not meaning to be reductive, but I opened the page and said aloud, “ohh..it’s beautiful”.
Thank you, Laura, for offering us your views from the inside, so to speak. I was so glad you posted your comment, especially after having read wroberangell’s rant which made me cringe.
I now realize that Chiara’s text implies that all Muslim people follow the ancient prohibition against allowing themselves or others to be pictured. Nothing could be further from the truth. For instance, I always photographed our protest demonstrations in front of Detroit’s Immigration Court whenever our brother Rabih Haddad had a hearing. I also photographed a community picnic and a press conference at the mosque. No one ever had a problem with that, in fact Rabih’s wife and friends expressed gratitude that I was documenting what was happening to him and then posting it all online (http://www.windchimewalker.net/-webpages/rabih-haddad.html).
The only times I’ve been asked not to take pictures is when I am in gatherings of women who are always scarved in public, but, in intimate women-only spaces, remove their head coverings. And that is not because of anyone telling them what to do or not do; it is because of their own personal choices which I respect.
There is so much misinformation about Muslim people and Islam as a religion. Anything we can do to bring the truth to such discussions as this is helpful. Thanks, Chiara, for sharing your photo and thanks, David, for publishing it here. Yet another opporunity to open our eyes, minds and hearts…
Patricia
Panos, thank you for thanking me.
Bob – I have not read the book but I will get my hands on it. I am stuck in the world of academia at the moment and need something to keep me balanced. Thanks for suggesting that.
Patricia – I think you said something critical in your last post: “personal choices”. This really is the issue here. As I said in my initial comment, there are at least 1.2 billion Muslims in the world and we are all different. The way people choose to interpret and adapt religion to their lifestyle is unique to every single individual, and I think this applies to people across all faiths. Although we were all fed from the same spoon, so to speak, our digestive system doesn’t take in the information all the same way. I have also encountered Muslims who very aggressively refused to be photographed and told me, “Don’t you know our religion forbids this. How are you a photographer?” Meanwhile, I have photographed extensively in the Middle East, but this was never an issue. There are so many levels of Muslims with different levels of practice and dedication. That’s really the crux of what I am trying to say.
Thanks, Laura.
I find it amazing~
the power of photography…
and the viewer,
and what they bring to the photo when they view it…
and now I can’t separate the image from the text or comments…
and I can only imagine the feeling Laura felt seeing and reading
what the photographer was trying to capture…
as a muslim woman… and a photographer..
WOW…
intense…
What I continually love with photography,
is its power…
The power to make people feel….
question…
and if nothing else,
this photo was a success in that…
Its of the same flavor as some Native Americans believing that if you take their photo
you take a part of their soul….
And I’ve seen beautiful images of Native Americans…
Its a big world out there,
isn’t it wonderful…..
**
ALL
please head over to the “dialogue” post titled “times and timing…” for further commenting… we’re bringing the discussion over to one place…
thank you
Hi everyone and thanks for all your responses to my work.
I feel I have to explain something more, as it seems that someone has misunderstood my intentions and go too far.
The photograph is part of a series and is the result of my intent to explore and understand how a culture different from mine relate to photography. It’s a project that I realized with a group of Muslim women in South Wales, speaking with them about photography and their levels of comfort in being subjects of my pictures. I did have a wide range of responses and my project together suggests how different Muslims interpret the holy readings. Hope this helps…
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