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