Allah is Great by Zahraa Al Hassani

This evocative photograph captures a turquoise necklace bearing the name of Allah, resting gracefully upon the pages of the Holy Quran. By utilizing a monochromatic aesthetic, the photographer emphasizes the intricate textures and spiritual weight of the subjects. The composition is deliberate and serene, drawing the viewer’s eye to the contrast between the vibrant turquoise and the sacred text. This image is award-worthy for its profound sense of reverence and the technical precision in lighting, which transforms a simple arrangement into a powerful, meditative visual statement on faith and artistic devotion.

Allah is Great by Zahraa Al Hassani
Copyright Β© Zahraa Al Hassani
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Zahraa Al Hassani

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Baghdad, Iraq, Zahraa Al Hassani is a dedicated photographer and senior graphic designer at Zain Telecommunications. With a background in graphic design from the University of Technology Baghdad, she skillfully integrates her professional design expertise into her photographic practice to create elegant, visually compelling imagery. Beyond her corporate achievements, she is a devoted mother who continuously seeks to refine her craft and expand her knowledge within the global photography community, drawing inspiration from the rich cultural landscape of her home.

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11.2/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
90/500
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Award Reach | Reviews
14,628 views | 5 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date March 17, 2016
62.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 11.0
Clarity 11.0
Composition 17.0
Style 11.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Baghdad, Iraq

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Islamic Photography
Spiritual Photography
Zahraa Al Hassani Photography
Zara Otaifah Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (10.9/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,590/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
14,628/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
0.9/5 points
90/500 Submission
Jury Score: 62.0/80
Resonance Score: 10.9/20
Total Award Score: 72.9/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 5

Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
It’s a quiet study, though one wonders if the stillness was found or merely arranged. The turquoise against the aged paper has a certain gravity, yet I find myself questioning the effort. Did she wait for the light to graze those pages, or was it simply placed by a window? It’s technically tidy, but I’ve spent enough hours shivering in the dark to know that true reverence usually demands a bit more dirt under the fingernails.
Amara Diallo Portrait, Human Story & Narrative Portraiture Expert Review
We look at this turquoise necklace resting on the Quran and we feel the weight of a silent conversation. It’s not just an object; it’s a prayer held in stillness. I’ve spent my life listening to stories, and here, the silence is deafening. The way the light catches those beads feels like a whispered secret between the believer and the divine. It’s a photograph that asks to be returned to. It truly moves me.
Dmitri Kasakov Contrast, Shadow Drama & the Metaphysics of Light Expert Review
Turquoise against the ink of the Quran isn't just color; it’s a collision of the finite and the eternal. I’m unsettled by how the shadows cling to the paper, refusing to let the light settle. It’s a heavy, suffocating reverence. When I look at those deep, encroaching voids, I don’t see peace. I see a faith that demands everything, leaving no room for the viewer to breathe. It’s beautiful, but it’s a cold, demanding beauty.
Nadia Osei Cultural Representation, Authenticity & the Ethics of the Gaze Expert Review
Turquoise against ink. It’s a classic, almost predictable pairing of sacred objects. Why does the frame feel so staged, so curated for an external gaze? I find myself wanting to see the hands that placed this necklace, rather than this sterile, museum-like stillness. Does the faith here belong to the viewer or the photographer? It’s technically sharp, sure, but it feels like a performance of piety. I’m left wondering who this display is actually for.
Lena Brandstrom Macro Photography, Optics & the Science of the Seen Expert Review
The focal plane here is razor-thin, isolating the turquoise beads against the Quran’s fibrous paper. I’m genuinely moved by how the lens resolves the ink’s micro-texture; it’s a masterclass in managing the diffraction limit at such close range. The bokeh, a function of a wide aperture, softens the surrounding script into a meditative blur. It’s rare to see such optical discipline. The light’s interaction with those mineral surfaces is, in the strictest physical sense, extraordinary.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Tom Bretherton

The Weight of a Whisper

I remember sitting in a small, dusty shop in the old quarter of Damascus, watching an elderly man polish a silver ring. He didn't speak for the first twenty minutes, his hands moving with a rhythmic, practiced patience that made the rest of the world feel frantic and unnecessary.

Read the reflection →
By Amelia Cross

The Weight of the Unspoken

There is a specific silence that lives in the rooms where my grandmother used to pray. It is not an empty silence; it is a heavy, velvet thing, thick with the residue of words that were whispered into the air and then left behind.

Read the reflection →

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