Rightful Dignity
15
 A most unique poem by one of our guest writers, Nida Bhatti.
my head,                   a cover
for on                         ly one
to dis                            cover.
It’s Fre                             edom
in a cl                               oth of
pure Sim                               plicity,
my hija                                b is my
Inte                                     grity.
I’m only                                  judged
by what                                I say and
what I do,                             rather than
the way IÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â look to you.
A symbol of                          my Identity,
it means such a                   great deal to me.
A form of worship it            truly can be. I wonder
why some people don’t understand, isn’t freedom of expression
a form of Liberty? Yet they chose to deny me, this common courtesy,
constantly telling me, that I’m oppressed, repressed, depressed. Telling me that I
need to be freed. Freed by commercial ideas of Beauty, a doll of desire, what they call womanly.
Outward appearances seem to rule their ideas of Civility and Popularity. Don’t they know that it is what’s inside that counts. That one day we’ll all be called to account, for all our deeds and Impropriety. Why can’t they see, that this pathway is the life I chose for me?
And though I know people still talk and glare, question my Sanity,
I will always stand by what I heartily believe.
Because this is my Hijab,
that I wear so
proudly.Â
_______________
Nida Bhatti describes herself as an unremarkable university student with an obsession: Books. “I read and read and then proceed to read some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks! One half my life is reading books” (Roald Dahl). But more importantly, her religion and her family take up a large space in her heart. And when she’s not reading, racing across the London underground, or sitting in lectures, sitting in libraries or being agonised by her brothers, she likes to write.  You can check out more of her writings at her blog: http://lifeasiknowit-nida.blogspot.com/