What do you think of this poem written by an American Muslim woman?

Question

You look at me and call me oppressed,
Simply because of the way I'm dressed,
You know me not for what's inside,
You judge the clothing I wear with pride,
My body's not for your eyes to hold,
You must speak to my mind, not my feminine mold,

I'm an individual, I'm no mans slave,
It's God's pleasure that I only crave,
I have a voice so I will be heard,
For in my heart I carry His word,

"O ye women, wrap close your cloak,
So you won't be bothered by ignorant folk",
Man doesn't tell me to dress this way,
It's a Law from God that I obey,

Oppressed is something I'm truly NOT,
For liberation is what I've got,
It was given to me many years ago,
With the right to prosper, the right to grow,

I can climb mountains or cross the seas,
Expand my mind in all degrees,
For God Himself gave us LIB-ER-TY,
When He sent Islam,
To Me!

Answer 1

If she's happy, I actually think it's a good poem.

I don't like any religions, but I like the strong female angle of it.
It's empowering

Answer 2

Absolutely awesome Sister. You address the mis conceptions and preconceptions many have about us. Not all but many.

It is an uphill battle for the world to understand that some of us wear lovely colours and have FUN with our scarves as a fashion accent. They do not think one can be a Muslimah and a feminist. It is very very possible. To doubt this is to think feminism is based only on the freedom to expose ones flesh! Actually I have found I get more respect since I began modest dress. Several of my sisters have mentioned this as well, how much they liked being perceived as intelligent women not just pretty blondes.

I was asked to wear the scarf to see if I could do it as part of being a Muslim. The moment I put it on, it felt right. I did not take my Shahada for almost a year later! I still love wearing it even if some mornings it seems my scarf and I fight horribly as I dress for the day!

I have spent time with men of all religions during my life. To be very honest, the ones who treat me best always, have been the men of Islam. They were are respectful and there was no gender confusion. A man is a man, a woman is a woman, and I have never felt oppressed. Men of Islam have made my life much more bearable than the Christian men I have been involved with.

"What if's" are a great waste of time, but if the father of my children had been Muslim, rather than Catholic, I would not have been abandoned to raise our daughters alone in poverty! I know there are exceptions, but every Muslim man I know places his family above all.


I would like to think that having been western for so many years, I have a very open mind towards dress. Mine and that of others. Other than out and out sluttiness, I do not judge. Viva la difference between us all.

How come the nuns who taught me in school wore hijab and it is the dress of a holy woman? When did Mary last show her hair to the world? Covering the hair is a tradition in many faiths. I just like the colours we can wear better!

I hope you do something with your writing Sister. You have a talent. Salaam.

Answer 3

from that womens point of view , life its just fine!
and we dont see it that way becasue we have all this diferent ideas of what freedom is and a women should be.
i dont believ in any god or any form of religion , so i dont share her views. but maybe they aren´t so awful as many would feel they are. if a person has live this way all of his/her life and so has everyone arroud her she feels there is nothing wrong with this , cause is all a matter of points of views.

"You must speak to my mind, not my feminine mold"
heres a little phrase women can all relate, too.

Answer 4

Beautiful, my dear sister. Very beautiful. And true. We wear our hijab with pride. We force men to see us as people, not as sex objects that they're used to. We refuse them a glance at our clear skin. Our slim bodies. Our chests. They go crazy because they see us refusing, and they want to take it away. They make up such lies as this "oppressed" and "chained". We're not. I was not born into it. They say women are taught this way from birth. Ok, so what about the converts who hold on to their veils with even more passion than born muslim women? Ahh, no excuse have they.

Good job, my sister in this beautiful and great religion of Islam. May Allah bless you for doing a wonderful jihad.

Answer 5

Beautiful
And Oh! so true.
The hijab is beautiful and a woman who wears it is indeed better than a diamond or a pearl.
May Allah keep every Muslimah steadfast on her religion and help every Muslimah to don the hijab. Aameen!

To djmantx below, did Mary not cover her head with a headscarf?
Why do Christians find covering up so oppressive when the mother of Jesus (pbuh) used to cover her hair.

Answer 6

Its a good poem and dont listen to anyone whos telling you that it sucks and go back to your own contry its very good

Answer 7

Seems to me she needs to prove to others how free she feels. Lack of self-assurance. I don't need to openly state this for I have it anyway.
Men are not a threat to me and I don't see them as "lusting" after every woman. What many of my male friends see as an insult bthw.
I don't care if a woman covers herself up that's her own choice. I do hate with what kind of arrogance these woman look down on uncovered women making them look unmoral and easy to get.

Answer 8

I do not look at all Muslim women and call you oprresed.I know many Muslim women who have been beaten into submission by their husbands,and were forced to wear the hijab,but I know that most Muslims choose to wear it by themselves.I do not judge your clothing.I do not care for your body.I,too,want to be known for my mind.Your body does not come into it.
I am not ignorant of your dress.
I did not tell you that you couldn't expand your mind.
And I don't agree with Islam.
Most non-hijab wearing women care for the mind and intellect as much as hijab-wearing women do.We are not all men's playthings,and nor do we care about impressing them.
In short,thanks for making so many assumptions about non-hijab wearing women.

Answer 9

Masha' ALLAH it's wonderful. Very beautiful poem.

Answer 10

while I think that this is a beautiful poem it is not relevant to the problems at hand! - so whupdydoo