We're Different... Accept It...

The Messenger of Allah (sallalahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said “Islam began as something strange, and will revert to being strange as it began. So give glad tidings to the strangers.”  (narrated by Muslim (145) from Abu Hurayrah) 

Are you a stranger? Or are you just an average?

Are you DIFFERENT? Or do you fit in with the crowd just fine?

Below is a poem from spoken word poet Silent-K (Raa’id Khan) on the identity of muslim youth.

Different

You see I am different

No matter which way you

Swing it, write it, or say it

Say it, write it, or swing it

Different I am

I am not like the ordinary

I bow my head to the floor

Times five

I stand by towering pillars

Times five

And I utter words in a language

So sweet, calm and beautiful

Al Loogatil arabiya

Hathihi jameelah

I wear a kuffee and recite poetry

I speak and teach Islam

I represent for the Muslim Youth

I strive to do good deeds

I help others in need

Even though I am in need of help myself

I stay silent when anger punches me

I swallow my pride and suppress my ego

I am nothing

A piece of clay

Skin toned differently

I walk down a path traveled by few

And because of this

I get in fights

Every single day

In fact I am fighting my naffs right now

You see I am different

No matter which way you

Swing it, write it, or say it

Say it, write it, or swing it

Different I am

And being different stands out

How

I pray to the unseen in public

I show the world that Muslims are real

I walk on campus with my head held high

Proud to be different

And it doesn’t matter to me what people say

Because people will always talk

Talk slander, slander gossip, gossip comment, comment questions, question backbite

Their mouths will never be full

All I can be is myself

And no one can take that away from me

Not even myself

It is a gift from Allah

To be Muslim

And while others see us as being different

I see us being different together

Because when we are together then we can grow

When we are together then we can show

And what seemed like one individual

Is now many

Times five

And the dawah that we give will be spread

To many times five

Because we are different

Our mentality is different

Our demeanor is different

But a different that is good

Because different is not bad

It is unique

And because of that we will change the world

So I say be different

Be outstanding

Be like our example

Prophet Muhamad

Peace be upon him

And because he was different

Till this day we say peace be upon him

So accept who you are

And be who you are

Keep your head high and struggle to accomplish

Because no matter which way they swing it, write it, or say it

Being different is different

And that continues to make the difference