What was claimed
An image shows Shabana Mahmood wearing a green coat and a keffiyeh as a hijab.
Our verdict
This image has been edited with AI. In the original, Ms Mahmood is not wearing a headscarf or a green coat.
AI image of Shabana Mahmood wearing keffiyeh headscarf circulating online
We’ve seen several social media posts that include an image of the home secretary Shabana Mahmood MP wearing a keffiyeh as a hijab.
But this image is AI-generated.
The image contains a SynthID watermark that shows it was “generated with OpenAI tools” such as ChatGPT, the OpenAI API, or Codex.
It appears to have been created using a genuine photo of Ms Mahmood, taken by an Associated Press photographer as she left 10 Downing Street on 10 February.
Join 74,000 newsletter subscribers who trust us to check the facts
Sign up to get weekly updates on politics, immigration, health and more.
Subscribe to weekly email newsletters from Full Fact for updates on politics, immigration, health and more. Our fact checks are free to read but not to produce, so you will also get occasional emails about fundraising and other ways you can help. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how we use your data see our Privacy Policy.
In this original image, Ms Mahmood is not wearing a head covering of any kind. The headscarf that has been added in the edited image appears to be a black and white keffiyeh (which has become associated with Palestinian identity). Nor is she wearing the green jacket that also features in the images being shared on social media.
The image being shared on Facebook also features text that attributes the quote “I put Islam first in everything I do” to Ms Mahmood.
While she has spoken publicly several times about being Muslim and her relationship with Islam, we couldn’t find evidence she has said the exact words included in the post.
She said in a 2024 interview “Like a lot of practicing Muslims, my faith is the most important thing in my life, it is the absolute driver of everything that I do”. She told the Times the same year that “My faith is the core of who I am. It is the part of me that remains when all else is gone. I would see it as the central truth of who I am as a person.”
Before sharing content like this, it’s important to consider whether it comes from a trustworthy source. Our misinformation toolkit contains tips on how to do this, as does our guide to spotting AI fakes.