Zeinab Ali, 27, is from the holy city of Najaf, the most important religious center for Shiites in Iraq. For her, a hijab is not enough to show her religious commitment. As a "muhannaka," she wears a veil wrapped around her head that goes under her chin and covers her entire body, showing only her face, while her hands disappear inside a pair of black gloves.

Many other Iraqi women have taken to wearing the muhannaka, and their number is rising, a reflection of the growing tide of religious conservatism in both Shiite and Sunni cities of Iraq.

Since 2003, when the secular-inclined Saddam Hussein regime fell, unveiled women have declined while the number of veiled women has risen. For the first time, the hijab has become common in media circles, governmental institutions and high-ranking government posts, as the previous regime had strict laws against Islamization and the role of religion in society.

The most prominent aspect of this change in religious visibility is seen among women, who have become more conservative in the way they dress. Indeed, the niqab, which covers the entire face, has become common in Sunni communities and to a lesser degree in Shiite communities. Muhannaka has become common among Shiite women.