It begins with a girl on the keyboard, then goes to show the rest of the all-female ensemble, each with her instrument of choice. As a woman, it is extremely empowering to watch.
A group of young women brought together for the first time in Pakistan’s history onto Nescafe Basement — a platform specialising in covers of popular music, to simply do what they love most: make music.
There have been so many heart-warming reactions celebrating the talent these ladies have.
Still, people will talk, and talked they have. In the age of social media, it is not very difficult to gauge the reactions of the masses on virtually any topic. Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have provided quite the feedback on this particular cover.
People have criticised the choice of song.
They’ve downplayed its imminent success.
They’ve even objectified the women performing.
When you watch the clip, the frame focuses briefly on the profile of a girl in what seems to be a blue hijab, before moving towards her hands playing the tabla. When it pans out, suspicions are confirmed, you clearly see a blue dupatta on the back of her head.
A serious face, hijab tightly wound around her head, hands making music. A surprise for most. Women who wear the hijab don’t usually turn up on YouTube playing musical instruments, let alone on a nationwide platform for music such as Nescafe Basement.
Also read: Where are the women tabla players?
Reactions have varied, from approvals to blunt condemnations.
More than a piece of cloth
This young woman isn’t letting her religious decision to wear the hijab come in the way of her passion for music. That she is more than just the piece of cloth she wears on her head.
A confused hijabi
She must be really confused. Why is she wearing a hijab and playing the tabla?
The fact that she wears a hijab means there is a certain set of rules that she is obliged to follow, whether or not she wants to. She needs to sort out her priorities.
These were statements issued by people I have personally spoken to, and known for a number of years. Their reactions were the most surprising, as I myself wear a hijab.
Destined for damnation
Astaghfirullah, Astaghfirullah, this is wrong! These people will inevitably condemn everyone to hell so they don’t really count.
Those who support her decision are lauding her: She is following her passion and not letting her decision to cover her hair get in the way of her decision to perform.
Those who judge are saying: Despite wearing the hijab, she is disregarding the social and religious responsibilities that have automatically been thrust upon her by her decision to wear the hijab.
The point here is: the fact that because she wears a hijab, our society instantly reduces her to a set of rules and constraints; it makes her an example. This concept applies to every single woman who has chosen to, or has been pressured into wearing a hijab.
In our society, any woman who wears a hijab is put in a position where she is constantly under a large microscope, with people hustling to get a closer look, to find yet another flaw to claw into, another error to discuss.
If her kameez is too tight, if her sleeves don’t cover her wrists, if her trousers don’t cover her ankles.
If she stands too close to a boy, or dances at a mehndi. There is really no end to it.
On the other hand, if she prays and fasts and reads the Holy Quran, she isn’t praised or encouraged; these are things that are simply expected from her.
Take a look: 'It is not their faces they're hiding, it is their fears'
There seems to be quite a clear discrepancy in both judgement and praise when it comes to women who wear the hijab. As the reactions above depict, people have singled out Sumaira Waris as the hijabi tabla player. Some have praised her, others have judged her negatively.
This is a point to be noted. While the other girls in the video are simply commended on their talent, this particular musician is commended on displaying her talent while covered.
For some reason, society has wired people’s brains to automatically point out all that is different — in this case the hijab.
It is essential that we, as a nation, start seeing women who wear the hijab as regular people and not versions of someone else's expectations. Like everyone else, hijabis too, should be permitted to follow their dreams.