A simple piece of cloth can be a form of Ibadah
It's my prayer
My sacrifice
My life and my death
As I reach for it
Every time I hear
And answer the call
Hayya al las Salah
Hayya al lal Falah
Simply by donning the cloth `ihram'
I answer the prayers of my ancestors
and transcend
to another state
of being more than
a Virginian or American
But rather a Muslim –
Crying "Labbaak" at Baitullah
A simple piece of cloth is a mussalah
Or a hijab tied on my head
in Africa
Draped around my shoulders
in Pakistan
Veiled across my face
in Arabia
or simply pinned under my chin – here
a simple piece of cloth
doesn't make me Sacrifice fashion
But rather
Creates a garment
That's fashionable long
Flowing, loose
And appropriately representing
Me, as one seeking to serve Allah
I don't surrender to the fear some have
That a piece of cloth solely defines us
Or for that matter `confines' us
But I say Muslimahs must embrace
Its' beauty
It's symbolism
As a positive
Thread in the fabric of Islam
Yes, my life is guided by these simple pieces of cloth
That tests me as a Muslimah
When it comes to
obedience
understanding
modesty
practice and
Even G-d consciousness
Allah taught Prophet Ibrahim
In the Quran
That the blood of sacrifice
Was not the important thing
But the piety
And intention
Of the one
Doing the deed
So too is the strength
Of a simple piece of cloth
That covers me
Embraces me
Dhikrs me
And one day wraps me
As the Maalikah
Greet me with …Salaam
