When I first went to Europe in 2007, my conventionally religious father suggested that I cut my beard because of the situation after 9/11. I didn’t listen, and as a result, for the first time, my beard became a security issue. I was stopped by security at every possible immigration checkpoint, and even at museums. People looked at me strangely in the Paris Metro. I remember cautious voices asking me: “Is that your bag?”
From that moment, I was forced to start thinking about the relation of my appearance to my identity and religion. I decided to interrogate and to challenge Islam, and religion, and how it is represented through the medium I knew best: photography.
But there was another twist: upon returning from the Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca), my sister Munmun began wearing a hejab. Her decision was difficult for me to accept. During our childhood, religion was never an issue. Later, I realized that her hejab was an affirmation of her belief, rather than a sign of oppression. I realized that even in my family, and within my ever-changing self, Islam has many different interpretations.
Terrorism, fundamentalism, veil, bomb, Taliban, Jihadi, militant, fanatic — these are words tied to Islam by the mainstream media. But the reality of the Islam I grew up with is far more complex than these simple words. Islam in Bangladesh is like the multiple colors of a mirror under the sun: veil and lipsticks, verses and azans (call to prayer), jeans and beard, all together. This is a story about little fragments that don’t make it to the front pages of newspapers. This is a story about how we see Islam.
As a nation, we are proud of our cultural heritage as well as our religious one. On one hand, we have traditional ulemmas (scholars) who help run the mosque and teach us religious beliefs; on the other hand, we have all-night folk song festivals, with spiritual devotees challenging us to consider the traditional values of life and other philosophical questions. We celebrate Bangla New Year by singing Tagore songs. We light candles at our weddings, as well as at our protests. Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam were practiced in this land for thousands of years. Thus a complex Bengali culture has developed, interweaving different rites and practices from the religions. This is Islam in Bangladesh.
Munem Wasif is a Bangladeshi photographer represented by Agence VU. His new book, Belonging, was recently published by Clémentine de la Féronnière. In God We Trust was supported in part by Fabrica, Benetton’s research communication center.
The following photographs were made between 2009 and 2013.
A gathering of thousands of followers of Chormonai Pir in Paltan.Munem Wasif—Agence VUHena’s mother and sisters cry after her death. As punishment for being raped, Hena was whipped to death by local villagers and an Imam.Munem Wasif—Agence VUStudents of Dhaka University arrange a torch ceremony as a sign of protest, demanding capital punishment for Abdul Quader Mollah and all other accused war criminals of 1971's Liberation War in Bangladesh.Munem Wasif—Agence VUThe ‘Imam’ of a mosque prepares a cow for slaughter in the name of Allah on the eve of Qurbani Eid.Munem Wasif—Agence VUReetu, a newlywed, visits her grandmother-in-law for the first time.Munem Wasif—Agence VUA cow was slaughtered to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to Allah.Munem Wasif—Agence VUTopu prepares himself for Friday ‘Jumah' prayer. Every Friday, he puts on a traditional Arab robe which his father brought for him from Mecca.Munem Wasif—Agence VUShibly, with his wife Mili, son and daughter, spend their weekend together at Ramna Park.Munem Wasif—Agence VUTopu, a young photographer, naps on a ‘Jainamaz’ (prayer rug) after ‘Johor Namaz’ (midday prayer).Munem Wasif—Agence VUA student recites from the Quran, a task which has been assigned by his teacher in a Madrasah.Munem Wasif—Agence VUMunmun, a young doctor, gets ready to go to the hospital. She has started wearing a ‘hijab’ (headdress) after returning from 'Hajj' (the pilgrimage to Mecca). She considers the ‘hijab’ one of the most important things in her life.Munem Wasif—Agence VUJahanara blesses her son after Eid prayer.Munem Wasif—Agence VUReetu, Topu and other friends swim at Cox’sbazar sea beach.Munem Wasif—Agence VUWorshipers perform ‘ozu’ — ablution — before saying the afternoon ‘Asar’ prayer at a Madrasah.Munem Wasif—Agence VUAccording to Muslim marriage rules, both the bride and groom have to say ‘kabul’ or ‘yes’ three times in front of witnesses. Fatima Begum cries holding her mother before saying ‘kabul’. The groom sits separately until the marriage registration is completed.Munem Wasif—Agence VUThousand of followers of Chormonai Pir gather at Paltan for their annual meeting.Munem Wasif—Agence VUHimika and her friends at an Eid party.Munem Wasif—Agence VUSeveral thousand activists of different Islamist groups stage demonstrations in Paltan protest against the proposed National Women Development Policy.Munem Wasif—Agence VUA devotee loses consciousness while crying while crying in remembrance of Imam Husayn of the Battle of Karbala.Munem Wasif—Agence VUA customary Friday haircut at a salon in the Bihari Pakistani refugee camp.Munem Wasif—Agence VUActivists and bloggers meet in Suhrawardi Park during the 2013 Shahbag protest against the 1971 war crimes.Munem Wasif—Agence VUThousands of people join in on the 2013 Shahbag protest.Munem Wasif—Agence VUStudents of the Holy Cross Girls' College yell slogans at the mass demonstration at Shahbag.Munem Wasif—Agence VUGoni Pagla, a vagrant devotee stands in a 'mazar', a holy shrine for Muslims.Munem Wasif—Agence VUStudents start their studies at dawn.Munem Wasif—Agence VUDevotees mourn in the remembrance of the Battle of Karbala.Munem Wasif—Agence VU
