Why Us?
I wrote this piece during the French government’s hoopla about banning Muslim girls from wearing head scarves in schools. Why Us? A poem to all condemned Hijabees.
Why do people think twice before hiring me?
Why am I being gazed at pitifully?
Why the political drama in the French community?
Why the rejection, discrimination n mockery?
My crime: convicted of concealing my hair
A felony: refusing to expose, disclose & be bare
Labeled cloaked terrorists; Blacklisted fundamentalists
An impediment to society’s modern development
Rhetorically, the world speaks of democracy
In reality, extreme deception n hypocrisy
Why don’t u stay away; let us live; let us be?
We ain’t imposing; encroaching on your territory
We only striving; implementing the Lord’s decree
Trying to be the best Muslims we can possibly be
Why you denying us our God-given rights?
A safe place; free from prejudice and dislike
Why you blaming; judging us by what we wear?
They are only pieces of cloth; won’t bite; won’t flare
Why are we being persecuted, treated as inferiors?
Did you take the time to get to know our interior?
Ruminate; cogitate; let your logic dominate
We equal, historically, created by the same superior
Put yourselves in our shoes; let oppression be infused
I’m telling ya, you won’t survive; Islamic faith uncompromised
Stop tripping on what you don’t know; harassing innocent souls
It’s time you see past our veils; it’s time you let who we are prevail
Join the Conversation
You either need to start singing these or you need to find a hip hop artist to write for because your lyrics are very moving and inspirational.
Esra’a, I’m flattered.
LOL, how about you becoming my producer?:P
Haha, I’ll leave that job for Drima, but I can definitely be your publisher even though that term doesn’t really apply to music. How about your uh, PR representative?
Cool,lol-My PR & Advertising Mgr.
Dear Hiba,
great poetry! Still – I’m lost, sorry. I’m not sure whether you are the right person to ask, or whether you aren’t tired of being asked, or… anyway, the thing is this: I’m a teacher from Germany, one of my friends is a Muslim who recently had to put down her head scarf to remain a teacher, as Germany now outlawed wearing scarves if you are a public servant (as teachers are in Germany) – just as credentials, this is why I’m involved. And confused. The stupid thing is that the more I’m trying to learn about head scarf to defend my friend, the more stupid the whole thing seems to be – and I really do not mean to offend you, I really want to know (if nothing else, because I want her to keep her scarf). To her, it means a sign of identity and that should be enough for me… but to me, it seems to signify something rather different and paradox.
A case in point: The first poem (the one before yours) tells me a tragic story of people separated by what comes down to the rule of parents who can tell their kids whom to love and whom to marry because they buy into/ are bound to the whole “My family is my honor, their will before mine.” thing. I admire the poetry, am sad for the young lovers, and wish that these structures were different. Now, the next poem complains that about having to take off what seems to me to be the symbol of family control – the scarf, which in social terms seems to say that women have to hide their beauty (because they cannot be trusted and need to be controlled/ “protected” by their family and their husbands). I know that things can change meanings, that your scarf should be what you want it to be – but this seems like a slave wanting to keep her neck iron as a sign of identity. What does this have to do with your relationship to God? As far as I know, the scarf isn’t even a command within the Koran.
You know a lot more about this than I do, and have probably answered these questions before – tell me to go away if you don’t feel like explaining, but maybe you can point me to a website which can. Thanks!
EV