Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa sparked online controversy last week after a video showed him gesturing for her to cover her hair while posing with a young woman. He ignored it.

The incident sparked criticism from liberal and conservative commentators and intense speculation about the future direction of the county now that the insurgents have taken power.

Liberals saw the request from the leader of the Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as a sign that he may seek to impose an Islamic system in Syria after leading the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, while hardline conservatives Criticized him for agreeing to take a photo with the woman in the first place.

“I didn’t force her. But it’s my personal freedom. I want my photos taken in a way that suits me,” Sarah told BBC’s Jeremy Bowen.

The woman, Lea Kheirallah, also said she was not bothered by the request.

She said he made the request in a “gentle and fatherly way” and she believed “a leader has the right to present himself as he sees fit”.

However, the incident illustrates the difficulties that Syria’s future leaders may encounter in attracting and uniting such a religiously diverse country.

Sunni Muslims make up the majority of the population, with Christians, Alawites, Druze and Ismailis making up the remainder.

There is also a wide range of views among the various political and armed groups opposing Assad, with some wanting secular democracy and others wanting to be governed according to Islamic law.

HTS, a former al-Qaida affiliate, initially imposed strict behavioral and dress codes when it took control of the former rebel stronghold of Idlib province in 2017. But in recent years, the organization has rolled back those rules in response to public criticism.

Islam’s holy book, the Quran, tells Muslims – both men and women – to dress appropriately.

Modesty for men is interpreted as covering the area from the navel to the knees, while for women it is generally seen as covering all parts except the face, hands and feet when in the presence of a man who is not related to them by blood or is not married to them .

On December 10, Lea Kheirallah asked to take a photo with Shara’a while he was visiting the Mezzeh area of ​​Damascus under the alias Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.

Before agreeing, Sarah motioned to her to cover her hair, which she agreed topulled up the hood of his sweater, and stood next to him to take the photo.

Many video clips and images of the incident were shared on social media, sparking widespread outrage from ordinary users and media commentators.

Those with liberal or non-conservative views saw it as a disturbing glimpse into Syria’s possible future under HTS, and worried about increasingly conservative policies such as requiring all women to wear headscarves or headscarves.

France’s 24-hour Arabic channel discussed the incident, with a headline asking whether Syria was “moving towards Islamic rule”.

Others were more strident in their condemnation. “We replaced a dictator with a reactionary dictator,” said one Syrian journalist.

On social media, other commentators warned of “extremists” taking power, while others condemned “forcing liberal women” to adopt conservative attitudes.

Islamist hardliners on Telegram criticized Sala for agreeing to be filmed and photographed next to a young woman in the first place.

Some called Ms. Kelala a “mutabarijah” – a derogatory term for a woman who is considered immodest in her clothing or make-up.

These hardline figures include clerics and influential commentators, and their views are often shared and read online by Syria-focused conservative communities and are likely to be communicated to HTS supporters and possible officials.

Most of them appear to be based in Syria, mainly in the former HTS-controlled rebel stronghold of Idlib, and some of them have served in HTS ranks.

They believe that religion does not allow close interaction between men and women who are not related by blood, and accuse Shala of seeking “vain publicity” and showing “indulgence” in matters that violate strict religious teachings.

A post on a Telegram channel called Min Idlib (from Idlib) stated that HTS leaders were “too busy taking selfies with young ladies” to comply with demands for the release of prisoners from HTS prisons in Idlib.

Many conservatives who have spoken out against the photo have criticized Salad for political and religious reasons in the past, including clergy who left HTS.