The Days of Ignorance (Jahiliyya) By Lillian Maaita

"Jahiliyya" refers to Pre-Islamic Arabia, also known as
"Days of Ignorance," before the Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ
divine revelation.

We live in Jahiliyya.
Although we still can't see.
The sand sweeps over our vision
and nothing is as is seems.

We live in Jahiliyya,
where some girls are still denied
a right to education,
we're still burying them alive.

We live in Jahiliyya.
We worship ourselves as gods,
following every desire
as if we can beat the odds.

We live in Jahiliyya.
We feed our devils by the day.
We nourish them and praise them
and obey every word they say.

We live in Jahiliyya
and one day may reside in Hell,
where we'll point at the devil
and he'll say "You can only blame yourselves."

We live in Jahiliyya.
I'm sorry to say it's true,
And soon will come a time
We'll regret everything we do.

We live in Jahiliyya.
Everything's the same.
We live in Jahiliyya,
yet we tell ourselves "We've changed."

We tell ourselves we're better
that we obey and we believe
but when it comes to the word of God,
not one word do we heed.

We live in Jahiliyya,
for ignorance still prevails
If only we had followed the path
of our Prophet's perfectly laid out trail.

We live in Jahiliyya.
But because we've advanced with time,
we think we are superior,
but our hearts are just as blind.

We live in Jahiliyya
And the reckoning comes soon
so repent and turn to Allah now,
lest you meet your doom.

"Closer and closer to mankind comes their Reckoning: yet they heed not and they turn away." (Quran. 21:1)
اقْتَرَبَ لِلنَّاسِ حِسَابُهُمْ وَهُمْ فِي غَفْلَةٍ مَّعْرِضُونَ

For those who "Don't believe in hijab"

Something that is widespread in our Ummah today is the statement "I don't believe in hijab."  A view like this coming from a non-Muslim would be understandable, since they often lack sufficient knowledge of Islam that would make them believe in hijab.  The bigger problem is that many of our Muslim brothers and sisters don't believe in hijab.  This isn't referring to sisters who don't observe hijab, but more aimed towards those who try to justify not wearing it by disparaging its purpose.
Maybe you don't believe in hijab because you don't understand what its true purpose is.  When applying any Islamic principle in our daily lives we have to first consider this: Do I, or the people around me, have more knowledge than the knowledge of Allah (سبحانه و تعالى)? Would my creator and sustainer ever decree something that wouldn't ultimately benefit me and the society around me?  What's sorely lacking here is an understanding of the first principle of Islam, which is evident in its very name. Islam means Submission. Not submission to society and fashion trends, not submission to beauty, but submission to Allah.  Everything in Islam was ordained with a purpose, even if, with our limited knowledge, that purpose isn't clear to us.  But before you ask for evidence, ask yourself this: "Who am I to question an order from my creator?"  Acceptance of Allah's orders should always come first. Shouldn't Allah's superior knowledge of all things be enough for me to accept His ordinance?  But Islam doesn't ask us to follow religion blindly, every part of our religion is backed with reasoning. 
There are abundant practical purposes for hijab, but many forget the MAIN purpose.  To identify ourselves as Muslims. "And tell the believing women to draw their outer garments around them...in order that they may be known (to be Muslims)." (33:59) 

What we wear may seem like something frivolous, something that doesn't stand for anything, but in truth it stands for much more than we may realize.  What I wear is a way of expressing who I am to the world, without saying anything.  I can convey my social status, my interests, and my personality all through my clothing.  In a way, it is our identity.  A business man always wear a tailored suit to work.  A doctor can't walk around the hospital in sweat pants, he has to wear scrubs.  Teenagers identify themselves by wearing a picture of their favorite band on their t-shirt.  Not wearing hijab is akin to stating that you don't wish to identify yourself as being Muslim.  

With hijab I cover my beauty and my looks, because those things are irrelevant.  The way I look doesn't say anything about who I am as a person, it doesn't represent my character, my piety, my morals or my intellect.  So by covering up the external beauty I highlight what really matters: my internal beauty.  And I demand to be judged by only those things, not by society's beauty standards. 
I wear hijab because my relationship with God is the most important thing to me, and I want it to be the FIRST thing you know about me when you look at me.  It is the only thing I wish to be defined by. 

And for those who still say they "Hate hijab," I can only say this:
وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ
"But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you: and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you.  And Allah knows, while you know not." (2:216)

"Remember me and I will remember you" by Lillian Maaita

Tasbih: The simplest way of remembering Allah. Doesn't
it symbolize the greatness of Allah, that He provides us
with such a simple way to worship Him and gain reward
at any place or time? Allahu Akbar

It is only by the guidance of God

that the veil has lifted from my eyes

HE guided me through darkness

a gift without which I'd be blind.

It is only by the word of God

that I live my life

even through the darkest times

it still provides me light.

It is only in the religion of God

that I find my refuge

and every time I turn away

I find its still there to turn back to.

It is only the medicine of God

that allows me to heal

the simplest cure for anything

is to bow your head and kneel.

It is only with the mercy of God

that I repent my sins

the cover of HIS mercy is complete

no matter what state I am in.

It is only in the truth of God

that I feel secure

there's nothing else in the 

whole world of which I can be sure.

It is only with the help of God

that I struggle and I strive

for everything He's written for me

He'll bring me through alive.

It is only with the blessing of God

that I reach success

without HIM I'd achieve nothing

even if I did my very best.

It is only in the remembrance

of Allah

that I can find peace

and the more I remember Him

the more my struggles ease.

"So remember me (Allah) and I will remember you." (2:152)

 "فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ"

What is a Miracle?

What is a miracle?

A miracle is life.

A miracle is a loving glance

between a husband and a wife.

A miracle is a book so great

it could only be the work of ONE

and if they attempted to make similar

the whole world could produce none.

A miracle is a book 

which is the turner of hearts

a book with unmatched beauty 

from the ending to the start.

A miracle is a book that can

bring grown men to tears

A book which, if followed properly

will wipe away all your fears.

Nowadays the words of the Quran

serve only to decorate our walls

But if we look inside our hearts

We find no lines at all.

I think we fail to appreciate 

the blessing of these times

because all we seem to hear

is me, myself, and I.

Have we forgotten how the Prophet strived?

How much he fought and suffered?

He, who had much less than us

who grew up without a mother.

We have freedom that is still denied

In Burma and in France,

Where discrimination is LEGAL

but the niqab is BANNED.

A miracle is a man

who cannot read or write

but when the message came to him

he told the world "RECITE".

Miracles are not fairy-tales

they are completely real

and everyone would believe

if they opened their hearts to feel.

So if you don't believe in miracles

I say that's your choice

but I will not be denied my right to speak

I won't be denied my voice.