- Haasanspeaks
Aisha's Story
She wraps the scarf around her hair with the pin
Then fixes the hijab so it covers her neck
She puts on a little make up, something simple
Just to cover a little blemish and two-two pimples
Then she’s out the yard, tapped her oyster card
Hustle and bustle of the tube; it's hot but she don’t care
She got somewhere to be, and she’s caught couple a stares
She looks at her phone, puts spotify on
And she zones out
She wonders what they’ll say
Only been a week since she’s gone down this way
And put on this scarf, she’s scared they’ll laugh
Maybe even have the nerve to remind her of her past
Weren’t you the sister boasting your DMs
And having boys move to you from AM to PM
Screenshotting texts, exposing these men
Now you’re saying you’ve changed, please don’t pretend
How does she explain that those days are done?
Long nights in sujood regretting what she’d become
And saying she’d change
Yeah well, today is the day that they only get to see her face
She gets off the tube, now she’s out the station
About 5 minutes from uni by her estimation
Gets out her snap so she can fix it again
Her phone buzzes, it's a facetime from her friend
Hey darling, have you got to the lecture yet
And then a pause, is that a scarf on your head?
Aisha is this real-no-don’t pretend
I swear it suits you, you look hella peng
Zara, nah, maybe I should take it off
Aisha, chill, just tell me where you are
So, the girls link and they’re hugging hard
Zara can’t stop smiling
They can't help but laugh
They walk in the class and there's brothers there
And they really can’t help but stop and stare
Aisha hears whispering as she sits down
She puts on her hood wishing she had hid now
Zara hears this and gives the brothers a look
So they all get back to reading their books
Then a brother walks in and says, Aisha, wow
Finally pious, who would’ve thought it?
He’s only joking but he can tell he’s struck a nerve
Because Zara shouts that he’s out of line
You could’ve said nothing and just sat down
You tried to mock her, you should apologise
He says sorry, but Aisha doesn’t want to hear it
She’s tryna change her life, not just change her appearance
She wants to be better, why can't they understand?
How much it took her to put on this hijab
Zahra says, babe, do you wanna get lunch?
Nah, I'm not hungry, I just wanna go home
Zara tells her at least pray first, you’ll feel better
I know how you feel but trust me, God knows
On the way to the room, they pass a sister
She smiles, asks Aisha where she got her hijab
She tells her and they chat a bit and say their salaams
Aisha's touched, she’s smiling as she prays her salah
She walks out the room and sees a friend
He’s stuck on a question and needs a clue
As she stops and helps, these sisters pass her
And give her this look, yeah, they disapprove
She never had to deal with this sorta
Pressure
She wears this scarf and now she’s getting judged
She wants to take if off and just live her life
Maybe she won’t wear it tomorrow and so
She’s on her way home, flicking through her phone
A woman sits next to her and they exchange looks
Both are sisters, so they smile and get to chat
The other sister is carrying a passport and books
Aisha asks the sister where she’s going to
She's flying to Paris for her daughter
She’s been fined wearing a hijab to school
She has to pay it and her flight's in the morning
Aisha's touched, she says she’ll make dua as she leaves
She says Alhamdulillah, I have the choice at least
Many out there being oppressed for their Islam
Men and women persecuted for the deen
She can’t say much, she makes a quick dua
She thinks to herself as she enters her yard
Perhaps I’ll wear it tomorrow
In fact, perhaps I’ll wear it for the rest of the week
By Haasanspeaks