Blessings unto you, Oh Stranger!

This feeling of loneliness,  
The kind that doesn’t go with the definition of feeling lonely,
The kind that is a breath of fresh air in the everlasting stale atmosphere.
The kind that only the strangers feel.

You are that stranger who
When the world walks in one direction,
You walk the other.
When people fall off the edges in the roller coaster that’s life,
You sit there, gripping your seat, in a sweaty attempt to hold on.
When, around you everyone is drowning in the sea of desire and insanity, 
You swim in the struggle to please your Maker.

Yes you,
You are the one 
Who holds your head high
Amidst the whispering,
The murmuring,
And the snickering.

You are the one,
Who curses the Devil,
Pushes down those sick desires
Everyday panting from the struggle
To hold you above all these people
Because Wallahi

Wallahi you will be alone on that Day
And on that Day
When the masses will be drowning in their sweat,
Boy will you be glad
To have been 
A stranger.

You will be glad
To have walked through those hallways
Known to be the only girl in hijab.

You will be glad 
To have resisted to taste
The “heaven” in their wine,
That seemed to have made it’s way
Into your hands.

You will be glad
To have taken the decision
Not to be taken in by the chants
Of “just this once”
When your peers began the saunter to the dance floor
And you walked out the door
Of the “Muslim” wedding.

And you would be so glad
To have slipped out of the finals
Of the match that seemed to have everyone’s eyes glued to the field,
To have prayed your last Salah.
Because who knew,
That your house would be receiving your body the same night.

For the relief that will wash over you
When you rise,
And your first question is about your Salah.
What a proud moment that would be!

So in the words of the beloved,
Glad tidings to you
O Stranger!
And persevere;
For this world is nothing
But a prison for the believers.

Written by: Noorain Assim
© The Islamic Reflections Blog