Fortified Faith

** It has been a long time since I have attempted writing short stories, but somehow, I was inspired. This was written some time ago, but only published here now. Might be a little convoluted, but I hope you all enjoy it! Bismillahirrahmanirrahim!!!**


5 candles. 1 mirror. 1 window. 1 hijab....

1 woman...

Remove it, or never leave home! 

Obey, or leave and never come home!

What has become of my religion? Practiced only in the privacy of a home, and forgotten outside? 

What has become of me? Made to choose one or the other?

What has become of my soul? Weeping, faltering, and lost...

What do you see? Myself. Beautiful, educated, youthful... but weak. 

What else do you see? I am oppressed. I am limited. I am judged. I am no one. 

What do you want? I want freedom... I want to breathe... I want to be me!

Why don't you? I can't... I have no choice in the matter...

What do you see? Myself...

A woman stands in a darkened room; 5 candles, 1 window, 1 mirror, 1 hijab... and her. Her life is at a crossroad; defy her religion, or defy society. Her tears stained her cheeks as they fall onto her Quran. Each drop weighing more than the world itself; each trickle holding all the pain her soul is silently screaming; each tear identical to those shed by the oppressed seeking freedom...

With trembling hands, she flipped the pages of her Quran... 6:93 (And who is more unjust than one who invents a lie about Allah or says, "It has been inspired to me," while nothing has been inspired to him, and one who says, "I will reveal [something] like what Allah revealed." And if you could but see when the wrongdoers are in the overwhelming pangs of death while the angels extend their hands, [saying], "Discharge your souls! Today you will be awarded the punishment of [extreme] humiliation for what you used to say against Allah other than the truth and [that] you were, toward His verses, being arrogant.")

Who is your Lord? Who is my Lord? Who do I rely on? For whom have I lived for?

Ashadu an la ilaha illa'llah... my soul was of purest white that day. Where has my innocence gone?

Who is your Prophet? Who do I follow? Whose ummah do I belong to?

wa ashadu anna Muhammadan Rasululu'llah... his teachings filled my life ever since. Where has my knowledge gone? 

What is your religion? Oh, what has happened to the religion I chose? 

Islam... is this the reality of my religion? 

Do you know who you are? Who am I? Sumayyah... 

Can I not live in this world and be who I must be? Can I not live in this world and live in Islam? 

Why should I let myself be chained by men? Why should I let myself be a puppet for society? 

Sumayyah... she was the first to die for Islam... and I have her name...

How shameful that a coward like me carry her name... is this all I am? 

NO! 

To live and to die in Islam would be better than living by the acceptance of society!

Freedom? Why am I seeking for freedom when I have already found it? 

I am oppressed, yes, but not by my religion but by myself and by society! 

I refuse to be only an object of beauty! I am much more than that!

I refuse to be judged by anyone except Allah! 

I refuse to be confined in a man-made box which will bring no benefit to me!

Mine is the freedom Allah gave!

Mine is the beauty Allah bestowed!

Mine is the Heaven Allah promised!

The wind blew strong, as the woman rose. With each answer, a candle is lit. With each conviction, she has found herself. With each step, her jihad is fortified. 

Who is your Lord? No more will I be weak, for I have the greatest of all behind me. No more will I change myself except for the Al-Azim! Ashadu anna ila ha illa'llah!!

Who is your Prophet? No more will I forget the teachings of my prophet. No more will I be ashamed to live as my ummah! wa shadu anna muhammadar rasullullah!!

What is your religion? No more will I ignore my duties of da'wah! No more will I hide my religion! My religion is Islam!!

What do you want? Jannah!!

Who do you see? Myself. Sumayyah!! 

5 candles burn brightly, refusing to be blown out by the wind. The mirror now shattered as chains no longer bind her. The window now wide open for her to fly free. The hijab worn proudly by the woman; a testament to her Lord; a verification of her prophet; a symbol of her religion.