Hirjah

a poem about a short experience in UAE

HIRJAH

Skin so pale
Why the veil?
A choice that I make
Not to break
Ties with my ancestors
Forebears of these shores.
Go back to your country!
What kind of effrontery
Is this attack on ethnicity
What kind of duplicity
A mere headscarf?
Worn around the neck
Like Alek Wek
On a catwalk?
So different from my walk?

So I make hirjah
No more ninja "hi ya!"
"Is it halloween yet?"
Or "nigger", I'll never forget
But what for?
To stand on foreign shore
Men, hunting, predator---
The jahililiya before---
Almost more pure.
I watch you drink in Shaytaan
On your desert lawn
As if your demons were sweeter than melon.
And Virtue is a disrespectful felon.
I recklessly laugh: Go learn Islam?!
Hypocrite, am I dressed for ayaat or pslam?

Where is Shariah?
My people taunt, make "Hirjah"
But they are more my people
Minuret or steeple
For at least there Muslim men are men
Mohammed, Chad and Ben.
They don't hide behind their flags
From the Will of God. Who nags
Come to prayer
You "Muslim" "player"
While you bother young girls.
Mustang twirls.
Music bleats vainly.
Thobe and ghutra I have witnessed plainly.
Here is a Muslim land, they play the adhan.

But when is the echo answered?
I have made my hirjah.
Toured your Masjids and your malls.

I have yet to see a Muslim man.

Comments

Anonymous said…
ok u lost me..what is hirja....?
masha'allah.. I like sis :)
Sarah said…
very nice! isn't it spelled 'hijrah' though?
Uhhh... I take it u didn't like Abu Dhabi LOL just kidding :-P

Nice poem!!

You already know how I feel...
Stacy K. said…
Ouch! Sounds like you've seen some pretty extreme hypocrisy. Be glad you already met and married a real Muslim man. It is truly sad though that you leave one type of ignorance in Canada and then experience something just as bad in the UAE.
Almallena said…
Asalaam walikum,

SubhanAllah,that was deep....mashAllah

but its soo true....a very common thing we see.
UmmRania said…
Salamu Alaikum

MashaAllah, Personally this was my favorite post I have ever read on your site, I love it! It was deep.

May Allah guide our Ummah
Nabeela said…
Assalamu-alaikum Pixie, beautiful poem! You'll probably enjoy the writing class I'm taking in school right now....I abosolutely hate creative writing. But you seem to be a natural :)
Nur said…
Is this true? Is it how it is in the UAE?
Anonymous said…
nice. except it was rather simple. try a Shakespearean sonnet next time.
Haifa said…
Yeah I actually think some of the Muslims are actually worse than the non-Muslims. I thought the West was bad but wait till you see the people in the Gulf, I'm like these people are Muslim?
Princess said…
Salam sis,
Do you mean hijrah?
Anonymous said…
hi, what is thobe and ghutra?

Henna
Umm Imaan said…
Assalaamu alaikum Pixie, I hope and pray you are well insha Allah I havn't seen any post in ages I think this is the longest you have stayed with out posting....ever!

I know you are travelling, just wanted to let you know I miss your posts and cant wait to hear more about your trip insha Allah

I actually wanted to say that I didnt know you had South African Heritage, I was reading Ange's post on white converts and what ethnicity they married and you said "you are "South-African Canadian of an irish-and Norman background" I found that so interesting being from Cape Town South Africa myself :)

Love you poem by the way :)

I truely hope you are having a wonderful and memorable time and return home safely insha Allah
Salam wa alaikum, I'm really wanting to wear niqab soon,insha'allah.I don't think its fard, but mustahab. I love the idea. I have worn the niqab once and didn't have a problem with it. Please, tell me about your everyday life while wearing the niqab. I feel that niqab is a beautiful item to wear.

Please, come to my blog because I'm discussing niqab.
muslimah mummy said…
wow masha Allah sister very good ! poem and very true too.
Altitude said…
Toured your Masjids and your malls.

I have yet to see a Muslim man.

true
Rubber
Christine said…
What happened to the blog? No more updates?
Stephanie said…
Mashallah- I love this poem!! Very perceptive and deep.
Anonymous said…
Salaamz Sis,
I hope you are well... I thought that since this is a muslim fashion blog, and that you are aware of Arabesque abayas... I thought I'd let you know that they have their winter collection out and if you could be so kind as to put the pictures up, I would be very much obliged...
Jazakallah
Sis Zainab
Pixie said…
Everyone forgive me, I spelt hijrah wrong, lol.
Pixie said…
Henna: thobe is the modest white robe Muslim men (usually Arab) wear, and ghutra is the cloth of a man's headcovering. It can also be called musayr (Oman), or hamandiya (Emirates).
bangrudy said…
Subhanallah...i like your blog and this articles. ( Rudy : Indonesia )