We were walking, a friend and I, through Town Center, when I heard the voice of a woman yelling angry words. I turned around and found she was looking dead at us. Only then did I register what she was saying.
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO WEAR THAT YOU KNOW, YOU’RE IN TEXAS!”
Funny, did she think I was under the impression that I was walking the streets of Saudie Arabia? She caught me a bit off guard, but I replied to her none the less.
“I know! But in Texas we have freedom and so I CAN choose to wear this!”
The conversation, after this, just disintegrated and it was quite clear that she had no idea what she was talking about, but these words (although she wasn’t muslim) made something click in my brain…So many times when wearing Hijab/Abaya/Jilabab/ Niqab Muslims are the ones who attack me. DON’T YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN AMERICA…or…IF YOU WANT TO DRESS THAT WAY YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER COME HERE…and variations of this. SubhanAllah, what I don’t think they understand is that I am the one who is actually living the ‘true American spirit’. I am the one being ‘truly American’. America is the land of the free, home of the brave. If you don’t want to be brave, if you don’t want to be free, then why come here in the first place?
In general we have no excuse to obey a CREATION over the CREATOR, much less in America! Why then will we conform to their way of dress, their way of work, their way of socializing (!!) when we don’t even “have” to?! Living in America is not about fitting in, nor is it about hiding what you believe, its about being you.
All throughout elementary school we are taught about how the “forefathers” of this country fought for freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and unalienable rights. This is not something we should be proud of, at least not in this day and age. No longer does anyone care about what these people fought for unless they are giving it some simple lip service. If what an American looks like can be defined, then you should know that the original American figure has been destroyed.
Its about time that Muslims all around America WAKE UP and realize what they are doing. They should realize what they have and what exactly they are losing. Muslims all around America should try to be American. What is being American? It isn’t dressing up like Halle Berry trying to hide your accent. It isn’t only praying Dhuhr when no one will see you, so they don’t end up asking you what you are doing. It isn’t being apologetic about what Islam says and what Muslims should do. It isn’t being “typical” by day and Muslim by night.
Being American, is being YOU.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:20 am
oooooO REallllllly nice!!!!
JZK!!!!!! nvr thought of it that way….
:))))))
November 7th, 2008 at 2:23 am
for shizzle, I love to hear this kind of stuff!
November 7th, 2008 at 9:22 am
Silly girl Americas real free and brave should walk around in their birthday suit, you are in Saudi (being extremely sarcastic right now) lol I just loved the Saudi part lol but mashallah its very inspiring……I think you should be the next Martin Luther King……”I have a dream…that hijabies, gilbabies and even Nekabees can walk downtown to get a tapioca without having crazy, ignorant ladies babbling behind them”…………..seriously take it in consideration.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:30 am
MashaAllah, nicely written
November 7th, 2008 at 11:25 am
you go sistah! There are always going to be ignorant people. I’m proud of you for being who you are and standing up for your rights! may Allah grant us all perseverance and strength in our Deen.
Some people say ignore them. But thats just ignoring the problem…I think its important that we address the problems through whatever means we have. Articles, blogs, speeches at school, talking to people, retaliating ignorant people, no matter how small we may thing it is… small steps can lead you to big things.so I can commend you on NOT ignoring the problem! shabash! and keep doing whatchya doin!
LOL at farida youre awesome.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:26 am
so much grammar mistakes in my last post…and this is why i get B’s on my papers instead of A’s/
November 7th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
omgggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!! mashaalllllah!!!!!!!!!!!!! if i was there that day, oh man. OH MAN! ok im trying to calm myself down now while typing bc im so angry at what happened!
if you noticed, farida gave us one her stories again! hahah
November 7th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
I have 3 words: SHABAB UL-HAQ
Red, White, and Blue Muslim
https://crescentyouth.com/shabab/070408/
November 7th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
mashalalh verrrrry well written. may allah swt guide all of us,strengthen our eman, and make it easy for us. ameen
November 8th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
WWWWWWOOOOOOOWWWW(:
mashallllaahhhhhhhh.
now im actually *proud to be an american*, where at least i know im free.
LOL at Deena and Farida.
November 9th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
mash Allah, very nice. That’s EXACTLY what I tell all my friends at school. SubhanAllah
Great job, again!
November 10th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
YOUR A MUSLIM! SAY IT LOUD AND SAY IT PROUD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 18th, 2009 at 11:56 pm
subhanAllah
that gave me chills to the max!! AMAZINGLY WRITTEN!! ALHAMDULLILAH ALLAH GAVE YOU A BEAUTIFUL GIFT WITH WORDS!! YOU ARE AMAZING!!