Beyond the Veil

 

When I first saw that video published by Aljazeera on Facebook one year ago, I was very proud and happy to see a Moroccan girl piercing her way to one of the most ingenious, and valuable agencies on the planet. I was amazed that these days’ young generation is not only distracted by the massif influence of celebrities and trifles. Some of them are actually keen to explore a field that every atom of our culture goes against it: Space.

It is believed that space is utterly unreachable; a fact that is proven by our holly truth. I personally thought that it was a complete waste of time to wonder on what’s beyond the atmosphere. We detain the absolute knowledge and it tells us that we belong here on this dear planet and there is nothing out there for us to explore or discover! Fortunately not all people locked themselves in a box that had been forged millennia ago. While we are still stuck in the past and constantly looking behind us to seek guidance in a world that slipped through our grasp, people out there are actually moving forward, hustling to invent and improve.

Heading towards the space reflects and means way more than what it sounds. Daring to cross the barriers and make the impossible happen proves how human’s curiosity and hard work incredibly pay off. Most of the trips, studies and researches that have been conducted, so far, to solve the enigma of the universe have unveiled some breathtaking findings. They fueled sense and logic, and even expanded the capacity of our brain to consider some mesmerizing possibilities. Most importantly though, is that the endeavor invested into this science echoes the awesomeness of a mindset that is built upon selflessness, ambition, and courage.

Back to that teenage Girl who won the prize of a national space competition, I could easily distinguish through her eyes the reflection of this wonderful mindset; free like a bird, ready to leave the worn nest and join a marvelous team beyond the frontiers. I thought about how hard she must’ve studied and worked, and how big she must’ve dreamed. I wondered at the times when she felt fear and doubt, others when she experienced thrill and joy, and the moments when she believed wholeheartedly in her work and took that brave first step.

I paused to reflect on how amazing this news is. A girl who won a ‘Race to space’ Moroccan contest among eleven other stars - and outpaced thousands of young ambitious competitors, who too fantasized about winning that journey to the impeccable NASA headquarters - would undoubtedly inspire thousands of people, and hopefully summon some light into this dim abyss.

I somehow then took an extra moment to scroll down on the comments bellow, eagerly looking for that burst of positivity and cheers which this piece of news would surely generate. And there was the shock!

One comment reads: “With your brilliant mind you made it to NASA, but with your veil, you’ll make it to paradise, and that’s way better”

Another one reads: “There is no point of her success; she lost what’s more important”

And many others read: “…with your veil you were better…”, “Why did you take off the veil? What a shame!”, “You should keep your veil, it’s your secret to success”, “Who made you accomplish this has ordered you to wear the veil, and instead of thanking him you took it of?”, “What a sad view without the veil”, “What a disappointment!”, “Her success is worthless without her veil”…

What was even more frustrating is that those comments had unbelievably the highest likes. And the debate on why she took off the veil exceedingly overshadowed any interest on what she has achieved or what it meant. The positive comments of people who congratulated her were actually there, but almost all of them couldn’t help but to mention how sorry they felt for her, and how they heartily pray she would put that veil on again.  

I skimmed those comments in disgust. 

Outrage and resentment took hold of me. But what hurts the most was that I, five years ago, would’ve said and judged that brilliant girl the same! I would have seen her success and considered it meaningless and useless if she had decided to go on without that sacred piece of tissue on her head. I would’ve sneered, scorned and shook my head with disdain. I would’ve felt superior and finer, and would’ve found an extreme comfort and pleasure knowing that I was best in what really matters in this life. I was greater to the eyes of our creator; I was worthier and would therefore deserve a higher place with my veil. It would've been a trivial accomplishment for her in this mundane life VS a triumphant achievement for me in the everlasting AFTERLIFE!!

I thence realized the atrocity and arrogance of that mindset. I wanted to apologize to that girl in the name of all these insensible people who claim the right to judge, harass, and even hurt in the name of their holly truth, and implore her to ignore them and keep moving forward with confidence and high spirit. But would it be that easy for her to disregard the pressure of this horrible patriarchy she is surrounded with and flee to make the world a bearable place? After all, the community creates and breeds the beliefs for its individuals. What are the hidden messages those people were diffusing? And to what extent they might be the reason why so many things are wrong with us?

The beliefs that have been thrust to us from a tender age; the ones we consider as an undeniable truth, are not only the lenses through which we see and assess this world, but also the criteria based on which we list our priorities. Our minds tend to direct us towards what we acknowledge to be critical and relevant. Whether we are conscious of it or not, our actions and achievements are fueled or hindered by our convictions as to what it is important in this life. The religious beliefs in this regard, mainly revolve around afterlife and the reward or punishment that awaits people depending on their obedience to a set of rules. In other words, a society that adopts religion as a priority would evidently see all its focus and effort deployed to that ultimate purpose: Afterlife.

Why would anyone think of inventing light, telephone, vaccine, vehicles, airplanes, space shuttles, generators, computers, or anything useful to humanity and LIFE if they genuinely believe that our journey on earth has no other purpose than to test our devotion and submission to some divine laws? Why would that flourishing girl go through hardship and deep studies to learn and maybe invent something if, at the end of the day, what seriously matters is how well she hides her body and submit?

“Her veil does not go against her worldly success” One comment reads.

I agree that if a person is thoroughly comfortable with their attire, and that the people around them are relaxed about it as well, it certainly won’t be a handicap or whatsoever. However, insisting, harassing, and reproaching, even if indirectly or intentionally, are assuredly problematic. The debate on the veil can grow intensely violent as if it was a matter of life and death. Its power doesn’t emerge from the piece of tissue and what it covers per se, but rather the cultural ideology and meaning behind it. A girl must conform to a set of instructions made by the patriarchy to suit the patriarchy’s fancies, which somehow throughout history, altered to become divine orders.

This girl has been thus compelled to distract herself from what had been utterly important and valuable, and focus instead on some trivial whims considered now sacred and crucial. Rather than devote her time, energy, and concentration on what to study next, what opportunity to seize next, and what project to work on in the future, she would be drowned in guilt, anger, sadness, and doubt. She might give up the whole thing, or might as well ignore the hell out of these comments and keep moving forward. Either way, let us be clear on one thing:

Our priorities are terribly twisted and we are paying for it!

A woman was walking down the street near a construction site until abruptly a heavy wooden brick fell off on her head, and instantly dropped her dead. People were commenting: “It God’s will, she had to die in such a tragic way! God grant us a happy ending!” And “You never know when you’ll die, God we are repenting please accept our prayers…” Those were real comments. Not a single soul discussed why this incident had occurred in the first place, or protested the lack of security measurements, and even less suggested a practical solution to minimize these kinds of accidents in the future.

 Our perception to every aspect of life is only established through a couple of millennia old lenses. We are locking ourselves inside that sacred veil and compelling generations after generations to focus on what's behind and invest all endeavors into it in the hope of a better afterlife. Unaware that in the process, we are neglecting the light beyond the veil: the progress that has been accomplished by the “others” who, according to geniuses, are wasting their time and energy on useless earthly problem while missing out on the meaningful and righteous goal.

So let me ask you this: 

To where our priorities have leaded us so far? How are we serving humanity now? What are our achievements besides being passive and judgmental spectators witnessing unreachable growth and development? Until when we will be sheer consumers enjoying inventions and technologies while contradictory believing in their senselessness? Isn’t it time to esteem ourselves lucky to have people who don’t share the same convictions as we do but are still willing to share their discoveries and knowledge? Can we dare to shift our priorities and rather than objecting the absence of the veil, embracing and prompting what’s beyond it?