I would want a reader who browses through my book to read pages 4 and 5 because they show in vivid terms the perils of thinking that veiling is faith in action. In reality, veiling can harm a woman in a situation of crisis.I would also like a reader to leaf though pages 78-87, which recount the story of a young woman who took up the hijab out of conviction. However, in the end it is superstition that played a determining role in her choice. This illustrates the contingent character of “agency,” usually invoked by writers when they argue that women who decide to wear a hijab are exercising their “agency.” Although no one forced this woman to don the hijab, her agency was shaped by family, community and education. She read books that reinforced her faith, gravitated towards like-minded youth, and finally joined her female relatives in donning the hijab.Browsing through pages 112-123 provides insight into the role played by the “west” in the organized network of advocates of veiling. Male advocates flaunt the veil as an alternative to the manner of dressing of some Western women. At the same time, they obviate a discussion of how the “west” has affected the manner of dressing of Muslim men. These pages also reveal the role played by a new generation of imams in Europe in redefining the hijab as an essential aspect of the identity of young second generation immigrant women.On page 128, I make the case for the non-reducibility of Islam to the veil.It is my hope that this book will open up a space for discussing the issue of veiling without reticence or fear in spite of the very difficult times that a number of Muslim countries are facing.Some women may feel that this is not the right time to question veiling, that there are “more important” things to grapple with, such as counterinsurgency wars in Afghanistan and recently in Iraq, looming war in Pakistan, the Palestinian issue, displaced people, increasing poverty etc.The reality and importance of these issues is beyond doubt. However, the resurgence of veiling among women of all age groups across the Muslim world also needs to be addressed now. This is so because veiling is linked to other forms of gender inequality that become aggravated in periods of crisis.Furthermore, there are organized networks of advocates of veiling who, oblivious to the grave issues facing their societies, choose to invest time and energy in redefining women’s identity. I wish that one of the outcomes of this book would be for women to demystify the various veil justifications, and realize that as long as governments mandate or prohibit veiling, as long as imams preach about the virtues of veiling, as long as the veil is endowed with multiple meanings, a woman may never know whether the decision she has taken to veil herself is truly free.