The story of the young Syrian woman who was asked by the leader of the rebellion to cover her hair

It’s a story that’s creating a buzz among young people in the Arab world on social media. Young Léa Kheirallah is a young Syrian girl who is one of the hundreds of young people – including many girls – who came to meet the leader of the Syrian rebellion during his visit to a neighborhood in the suburbs of Damascus.

At the request of her friends, Léa asked the leader of the rebellion, Ahmed Al Charaa (Abou Mohammed Al Joulani) to take a selfie with him. He then asked her to cover her hair, which she did with her hood.

The video quickly went around the web as it relates to the sensitive issue of individual freedoms in the new Syria, a multi-faith country as we know.

Knowing in advance how this story can be used for political purposes, young Léa posted a message on her Instagram account in which she puts things in their place.

She said in summary that Ahmed Al Charaa did not ask all the girls present to cover their hair but only asked her when she asked him to take a selfie with him. “It’s his right to appear in a selfie as he wishes,” she said most honestly.

Below is the full translation of young Léa’s message:

“I am a Syrian girl, like all girls who consider family, testimony and the future as the most important things in their life. I thought the moment I graduated from college was the most important day of my life, until December 10th. 2024. The day the rebels were walking with their leader in… liberated Damascus, and they arrived in our neighborhood of Mezzeh.

An event that history will remember with titles that will remain engraved in our memories for a lifetime and that we will pass on to our children, with many selfies and video clips. We will tell them that we were there on the greatest day in Syria’s history, and we will tell them stories about a tyrant, a people and a victory.

I never thought I would be in the presence of the most honorable people, the Syrian Mujahideen who liberated us with their leader, meeting us and talking to us… I have no interest in politics, fame or appearance . It was one of the most humbling experiences for me. Also, my friends asked me to take photos with him.

Like any father who fears for his country and the daughters of his country, he kindly and fatherly advised me to cover my hair if I wanted to take a photo with him, and it is his right to appear in a manner which suits him. He didn’t ask the other girls gathered around him to cover their hair, only if they wanted to take photos with him, like the American TV journalist who interviewed him.

Tens of thousands of Damascenes felt safe that day, and for the first time in their lives, in the presence of a good leader who protected them, and I was one of them, but me in particular, God honored me to be close to him.

After this fleeting experience, I felt that all goodness is interconnected; The absence of tyrants, commitment to religion and love of the people were all factors in victory. We owe them everything because they freed us, but I owe them even more… I owe them for making my faith in God grow more and more. »