[...] I simply had to add a link to this story, reported by Mustapha on Beirut Spring. The picture alone is priceless: [...]

Mustapha, this must be cut and pasted. I find it almost impossible to believe that a girl dressed like that, in a bikini top is wandering the streets of tripoli. In fact the only “town” where i see this would be Faqra. Maybe, downtown beirut, kasslik, places like that but this seems like a little too much skin, especially for tripoli…
Correct me if i am wrong

If it were US I wouldn’t even noticed. But knowing that it is ME it becomes priceless.

No it looks good to me. The sunlight is coming from the same angle for everyone in the photo. I doubt it is a fake.

Anyway I dont think she is wearing a beacb bikini. Its more of a nightclub type top.

welcome to the nation of paradoxes.This is why democracy must prevail.cheers.

HummmBumm,

Sorry for causing confusion, The picture is definitely taken in Lebanon, But I’m not sure it’s from tripoli. Although, Being a Tripoli native myself, I wouldn’t be too surprised if I saw that scene in Palma, North Marina, Manara, Las Salinas, Naji Beach, Marina Del Sol.. All Beach resorts at a stone throw from tripoli.

Leo,
You’d be surprised what you can see in Lebanon,

Ramzi,
Well, for sure I didn’t doctor this image myself, and I can say with a fair amount of confidence that it’s not a fake..

I don’t understand how people fall for photoshopping.

Even in London this wouldn’t happen. People are incredibly gullible though.

On the beaches in the north, definitely, esp the ones closer to Tripoli. But on the streets, I highly doubt it. Where did this picture come from?

“Leo,
You’d be surprised what you can see in Lebanon,”

I hope one day take you up on that.

Great picture, Mustapha. From the pavement and ritzy store window, I wouldn’t at all be surprised if this was Hamra or Verdun. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see this scene in either of these places — if I had a camera on me, I’d probably forget to take the photo. :)

this is in fact an old photo. i saw it about a year, maybe even two years ago. even if it were photoshopped doesn’t mean it’s not possible, especially in lebanon. i’ve been in restaurants with live music where girls (in barely there clothing) and guys are dancing and drinking and tables of muhajabeen are sitting and watching. this should be seen as a beautiful example of coexistence. if they can only let us live..

i don’t know what’s more dehumanising. women made to walk around in tents, like they’re parasites or almost naked to feel that they’re worth something.
and did you notice how tripoli’s secular, non-fundamentalist status is measured by how many bikini clad women occupy their beaches? stop using women as the moral code of society!

Mustapha,

Do you know that we did not have the word Shadoor or Niqab in our Lexicon until about 20 years ago? We had the Hijab, and it wasn’t that institutionalized. It was a scarf that covered the hair, and sometimes it had a nice design pattern.

It makes you wonder, whether you grandmother or great grandmother went to hell because of it. This imported fashion into Lebanon is changing the Lebanese Muslim women to something that they have never been. It is dehumanizing them in a way in my opinion. But I am a Christian, and I have to leave the challenge of this new custom in Lebanon to moderate Muslims like you Mustapha. You have an obligation to spread awareness on this matter and on the imported aspect of this tradition. From this side of the fence, it does not appear as a religious statement, but rather as an entity of suppression.

I hope no one takes this comment as an insult in any way.

it’s photoshop .. the light on her right side of the jeans is too much … it’s just like extracted from a beach photo where the sun can be so strong even on the lower parts of the body .. a bit possible in streets between buildings

I am not sure if the picture is fake or true… I wouldn’t be surprised if it were true though… I have seen the same scenes in Beirut, and I see them daily still.

Like zara said, this is a very old picture (I used it in my thesis in 2005 - so it must be older). It was sent to me by a friend claiming that he clipped and saved it from a newspaper (an-nahar if I recall right).

oh and yes, it was supposed to be in downtown beirut…

some of you are caring way too much about wether this is a photochop or not. its the irony that should be discussed here. here is my take on things from an american follower of christ point of view. we (christians and muslims) are on opposite sides of the same coin. where women in the muslim world are to be covered to not have men lust or objectify them, christians are to look at women without lust no matter what is worn. muslims are required to pray 5 times a day, christians are to be prayerful throughout the day. i hope these few examples are easy to understand. where muslims “must” do this, christians “should” do this. i know that there are muslims who just “go through the motions”of following their religious “requirements”, just as i fail at being prayful throughout the day, as well as many other areas of my faith. i pray that i wrote what god wanted me to write and i hope i didnt insult anyone on either side. we all serve god, just in different ways. in the end, the judgement is god’s on who was wrong or who was a sinner/unbeliever. there will be many christians that will be told “i never knew you.” and there will be many muslims that will be told the equvilent.

fed up @ 12

“stop using women as the moral code of society!”

I personally see not two women but rather two contradicting philosophies capable of coexisting.

Architect,

NO, it’s not Photoshop.

Check her hair and you’ll know that the masking is way too clean..

(if you doubt my authority on the topic, i invite you to check my “political posters” section)

Fake or not, the idea is still excellent.
I would be personally interested in the woman with the chador.
Who knows! Maybe under that black tent she is a copy of Catherine Zeta Jones.

Ibrahim.

I cant wait to see Beiruts first Gay parade - should be interesting ;-)

I say it’s fake.

Look at the guy across the street, on the right side of the picture (the one whose face is just a bit cropped).

He’s looking off to the right.

Now you tell me, with a girl like that across the street, what are the chances he wasn’t looking at her?

:)

[...] The Bikini Versus The Niqab | The Beirut Spring, a Lebanese Blog (tags: gegensatz libanon tripoli) [...]

Jonathan @ 22

“Now you tell me, with a girl like that across the street, what are the chances he wasn’t looking at her?”

None what so ever. Except …

a) Hadn’t noticed her yet.
b) Danger! Wife is near by. Have to fake indifference.
c) Impotent.
d) Blind.
e) Gay.
…..

[...] Found here thanks to Mike. [...]

[...] Encontrado aquí h/t Mike. [...]

Hello

Great book. I just want to say what a fantastic thing you are doing! Good luck!

Bye

[...] The plan didn’t work out, not only because Alquaeda didn’t understand the nuances in Tripoli, but because the people of Tripoli and Akkar rejected to be part of an Islamic state and stuck to their Lebanese Identity. They have instinctively sided with the Lebanese Army and wholeheartedly welcomed their victory. (Just ask Absi’s wife who said she was “disappointed” by the backstabbing from alleged Tripoli accomplices) [...]

This comment is about both the picture and a comment made by anthemboy. The picture speaks for its self. I however am a bit saddened at the thought of arabs loosing a sense of thier culture i come from both an american and saudi background raised a southern baptist i might add. but now i am a fully practicing muslim. I found through being bi racial many people misunderstood islam. and christianity i might say. my constant confusion was as to wether jesus was god or the son of god or a messenger or what exactly was it. it was never clear in the bible “to me” and i noticed many of my american uncles were never able to answer by question and giving the fact they were preachers in a church and on the bible belt of america. i needed know further convincing. see muslim women are actually treated much better in islam than u might think. but you have to first understand the difference between islam and arab culture. which is often times confused. muslim women who practice there religion do not have to shroud their bodies in a long black cloat or cover their faces and hide themselves in a dark room of their home. but rather they should simply cover their hair and not show the shape of their body. now as per the comment made by anthem boy should not gave with a lustfull eye. it is a common fact all men i do not care who chooses to argue this fact but all men at some point in time will look to a women with a lustful intention or thought. so as islam does everything it stops it from even starting. if there is nothing to see how could u get aroused. now tell me how the 2 women in the picture differ which caught your eye first ?? my point exactly. and in a world were some men are aroused by a womans feet i think the idea of hijab is quite practical. dont you ? further more in terms of prayer 5 times a day or through out the day. please tell me muslims pray 5 times a day mantatory for god only. but how many chrostians do you know pray at least 5 ? i will say an extremly small few. islam is more a way of life than a religion. i in know way intend to offend anyone with this comment and if i have i appologize this is simply my point of view that i wanted to share among you. and i thank you all for this chance . Peace and LOve and good health to you all..

Sallam

Came across this later a little late mind, lol.

Inevitably Israeli blogs and their evangelical friends are using this quite heavily. I’m just a bit perturbed that so many christians are using this as an example of a so called “superiority”….

This is as far from the virgin Mary’s image as possible (I’m assuming she is loved and viewed as a role model..) honestly I cannot understand why christian would be proud of this. (what do they imagine the nice old christian men are going to be doingwhen they get home I wonder???)

Btw I am not a fan of woman sized tents in any way but I support the hijab absolutely!.

a little late*