In the midst of Ramadan celebrations, actor and producer Anwar Hadid shared a glimpse into his journey to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, for the revered Muslim pilgrimage of Umrah. Widely recognized as the younger brother of supermodels Gigi and Bella Hadid, Anwar’s Instagram post documenting his experience has since gone viral. Among the series of images, notable appearances include Sudanese-Canadian artist and musician Mustafa Ahmed, known as Mustafa, and content creator Sharky, alongside other prominent young figures within Muslim cultural circles.
The viral post has garnered worldwide support, with thousands of comments celebrating seeing a prominent figure in pop culture openly embracing and celebrating their Muslim faith.
Perhaps the overwhelmingly positive reception to Hadid’s post signifies a cultural shift in the way Islam is perceived by young people in the Western world. Gen Z has an undeniable appetite for understanding minority experiences. Prominent figures in mainstream pop culture have also readily been vocal about Muslim culture, particularly about recent global conflicts. Celebrities like Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Ramy Youssef and Anwar’s sisters, Bella and Gigi Hadid have also been influential figures in the pro-Palestine movement.
Yasamin, an Iranian Gen Z Muslim woman, relays the profound significance of Islam representations in mainstream pop culture on her own identity,
“As someone who grew up with a lot of Western influence in my life, it’s so refreshing to see this new wave of support among Gen Z where it’s no longer shameful to be ‘different’ to your peers, but something to celebrate together”.
Anwar’s post could also be indicative of a broader trend amongst young Muslims who are striving to embrace broader interpretations of their religion. Traditionalists, who adhere to conservative or literal interpretations of the Quran, might argue that tattoos are forbidden (haram). Hadid, however, seemingly challenges this notion by sharing images of himself shirtless in Mecca, proudly displaying tattoos on his chest, with visible hand tattoos in other photos.
For many young Muslims, images such as Hadid’s are an important infiltration of faith into the Western pop culture narrative. In ushering norms of Islam into the mainstream, young Muslims around the world can feel confident and represented in reclaiming their religious identities on their own terms. As a young Muslim woman, Yasamin believes that “celebrities in the public eye like the Hadid siblings, who are so open and loving about their faith and beliefs have really paved the way for the rest of us. They make us proud to be vocal about what we believe in, and to be who we are without fear of judgment”.
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