Please don’t be Muslim!

Posted on by A. Rinum in Poetry

Another shooting …

‘Please don’t be Muslim’
the thought echoes in my mind
the man was white
but Muslims in a mosque have died.
For a moment there’s relief
at least people won’t blame hijabs and beards
at least when I walk down the street
I won’t be feared.

But as the thought sinks in
and I go through the news
the shooter wasn’t a terrorist
but an angelic soul who was lost
and didn’t know what to do.
He had a troubled past
and more excuses will be thrown
Muslims are an issue
let’s finish this problem
by using guns and drones.

I hate myself for thanking God
that the shooter wasn’t someone of my kind
but why should it matter who killed
because at the end innocent people have died.

As a Muslim, I’m not only a danger
but now I’m in danger as well
why fear the universe
when the world has become a living hell?

Because of a few
we all have to pay a price
if I could take off my skin and my ethnicity
I promise I wouldn’t think twice.

Maybe if I was a few shades lighter
or maybe if I altered the way I dress
the world would be accepting
and I wouldn’t be oppressed.

At first, I was scared of walking down the street
because I was afraid people would blame me for the bloodshed
now I’m terrified someone would come
and shoot me because of this thing I’m wearing on my head

We’ve closed our borders
our hearts and now our eyes
we’re offended by brand names
by celebrities
but not when someone dies.

Those people in that mosque
in that school
in that church
in that club
in that train
in that state
they all died because of someone else’s hate.

I’m not disappointed
none of us are
we’ve become immune to all this fuss
in a few days
we’ll forget everything that’s happening around us.

We’ll morn for a few days
and we’ll walk and crowd the streets
Then after a few months
we’ll watch this vicious cycle repeat.

But why should it matter if someone is
Hindu,
Sikh,
Christian,
Buddhist,
Muslim
or Jew
why can’t we just exist
without dividing the world
between me and you

‘We need stricter gun laws
regulations
marches
and prayers to solve this issue.
but maybe….
a little Humanity would do the job too.

Published by A. Rinum

I was born in Pakistan, and I moved to the US when I was four years old. From the rural villages of Pakistan to the buildings of New York. Come take a glimpse into my life.

89 thoughts on “Please don’t be Muslim!”

  2. As said at last only the innocent die.. I don’t know why people bring religion into this.
    Heard about the incident happened in New Zealand.. I just pray that those souls rest in peace.. hope almighty bring peace to all..

    Liked by 4 people

      4. Look, my poem just wasn’t about the Muslims who died. It was about every person who died because of Hate. It was about everyone; shooting in schools, in mosques, in clubs, in churches. The message was to spread love and not hate. It was to show that we’re all in this together. Put religion aside and focus on humanity.

        Liked by 2 people

      5. Your words were so beautiful. It saddens me to the soul how people are being divided by political powers, while they contain no hate n grudge for each other. We are all One ! No religion no culture can divide us.

        Liked by 2 people

    1. There’s no such : Radical Muslims! ? Such titles given to Muslims just to show a wrong Falsifying image of Islam to the world.. Because Islam is about Peace, Surrender, Obedience & Sincerity to The One and Only God! There’s no way that you can combine two Different words having the opposit meaning in one word!? Radical and Islam are totally opposites! This is a Terrorist Attack against innocent Muslims! The Islam is known to have enemies ( number one enemy are the Jews! It’s mentioned in the Holly Qur’an! So true!
      I pray for the Shaheeds who died to be in better place, Ameen!
      Rinum ! You said it all! Loved the post❤ May ALLAH protect you and all the Muslims and all the weak people😢

      Liked by 4 people

      2. Thanks For Your Well Wishing But Closing The Eyes Is Not a Solution. Islam Is Rigid & That’s Good To Some Extent But Not Always. It’s Maybe The First Attack On Muslims But Hundreds Of Attacks Were already Done On Innocent Peoples Of Other Faiths. How Can You Cure a Disease If You Don’t Even Accept That There Is a Disease. I Am not Questioning Your Faith But Your Silence.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Islam is not Rigid and you should try it one day..you’ll love it!
        Who said we are silent about what happened? One should look to the big image and not just that part where you see a knife in a hand! The media and politics have played major role and “used” those precious terms as “Jihad” for their own selfish desires! It’s like when you are in a war you will use anything anything at all to win it! So they (enemies of justice and peace) used every single source, starting from language, poor countries, religion beliefs etc , to satisfy their greediness, they want power! They want Money, they want Oil, they want food, they want it ALL. they think they can’t survive if they don’t colonized other countries other Minds and Nations! Anything that presented a risk for them should be Killed. I invite you to Search and read about the History of the powerful nations today !! Perhaps you will have answers to many questions of yours. But the real question that should be asked is: Why they fear Islam? By # they# I mean: Islam enemies (explained that in my previous comment)
        And about questioning our faith, I invite you to ask as many questions as you want about Islam ( Not just as a religion but as a way of life) and I, gladly, will answer them📚

        Liked by 3 people

      4. Well I Humbly Refuse Your Invitation Because I Have My Own Way Of Life. But Believe Me I Don’t Know How Much Faith You Have In Your Faith Because You Are Taking Enmity With Whole World For a Way Of Life Which Discriminate In Everything Like Men & Women, Believers & Non Believers, Everywhere. The Idea Of Playing Victimization Card Will Not Work Anymore. Islamic Radicalism Is Just Not Limited To Mosques It Had Invaded All the Lands Of Non Believers. It Conquer Almost Half Of The World Through Violence & Is Still Doing That. These Guys Are Not Victims ,They Are Fanatic Invaders. The Metaphysics of Your Religion Maybe The Best But It’s Implementation Is Wrost.

        Liked by 1 person

      6. I do agree Islam is quite rigid and doesn’t improvise or change over time. But that doesn’t mean Islam supports terrorism. The tone of your comment suggests so? What do you mean by payback time? Does that mean you want such inicidences to recur again?

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      7. Nassima, calling a whole race of Jews, enemy based on stone age beliefs is ridiculous, and shows your hatred towards humanity, and that’s what the other person trying to tell you.
        insightful.co.in

        Liked by 2 people

    2. Yeah! world war 1, world war 2, the civil war, the revolutionary war…. all started because of Muslims! Pay back for what… Go target the extremists not the innocent.

      Liked by 2 people

      1. See,I Will Not Answer You Because I Don’t Want To Question Your Faith But This Is Not The Solution. Not All Muslims Are Radical But at least fifteen Percent of Them are Radical Which Means One hundred & Eighty millions At least. The Peaceful Majority Is Irrelevant When There Is a Single Fanatic Is There. It’s Payback Time To Those Who Kill People & Shouting Allah O Akbar. Fifty Muslims Died Peace Be Upon Them But Thousand Or Even Hundred Thousands Are already Dead In The Name Of Jihad. What Was There Fault. Please Understand There is a Problem In Fundamentals of Your Faith. Try To Correct It & Please Don’t Give Pseudo Logics…

        Liked by 1 person

      2. If one hundred and eighty million Muslims were radical- I’m pretty sure none of us would be alive. Where did you get your stats from? Faith is never an issue, people are. Those who want to kill will use whatever excuse they can find. More Muslims have died through terrorism then any other religion. What ‘Fundamentals’ of my religion are an issue and don’t just pick and choose random quotes in different orders from the Quran to justify your answer. We have an issue. It has nothing to do with religion, or ethnicity or color. It has to do with people are their ideologies. History is filled with oppressors and oppressed. Instead of playing the blame game. Its about time we all take responsibility.

        Liked by 3 people

      3. Look, There’s Difference Between Being Radical & Extremist. A Radical Person Think That His Opinions are Best But an Extremist Person Think That All Others are Wrong. So When I Say Radical Then I Don’t Mean Terrorists. And When Attacks Like 9/11 , 26/11 Or The Partition Of India Transpired The Peaceful Majority Of Muslims Become Irrelevant. Wether, It’s Jews, Christians,Hindus, Communists,Sikhs, Atheists Or Even Buddhists Whenever There is A Problem ,The Other Side Is always Islamic. I Think as You Are From The Other Side Of The Border,You Guys Have Distorted Version Of Reality & Consider Others as Inferior To Islamic Way Of Life.

        Liked by 1 person

      4. That’s what I have an issue with- why is the other side always considered Muslim or Islamic. We’re humans too you know. We breathe, live, exist, cry, cherish. I honestly couldn’t care less what anyone’s faith is as long as its not harming anyone. Stop looking at people through the concept of ‘OTHER’. Look at them as your own. As your companions. In Islam everyone is equal under God- and if anyone thinks otherwise then they need to do some deep research. Look at the world through your soul, not your eyes. Radical, extremists are in every religion and they don’t define religion. The KKK in Christianity, for example or the Hindu extremist party. Just because you are shown a chapter that does not mean you know the entire story.

        Liked by 1 person

      5. And why do u think it’s Islam only which has a problem with other religions. Being a Hindu I bet u, you forgot the dark past of your religion. If u quote a phrase a quran to degrade Islam and try to contain whole Islam into it. Why have u forgotten how Hindu upper castes have ripped the lives of millions of lower caste Hindus. If u talk about a verse of quran, then don’t forget to mention how our holy script ‘Manusmriti’ refers to shudra, women and animals as one and hence be treated as shit. The root cause to this is your chauvinistic view towards the world. If a Hindu rapes a Muslim girl n for that avenge if a Muslim rapes me, who had nothing to do with it. How does it make sense ???? Also tell me while you’re considering Islam to be radical n unpeaceful have you had a look at the Hindu history ? Stop generalising !!

        Liked by 1 person

      9. I Can Answer You on Every Single Point With Facts From History But I Don’t Want To Argue With a Person Who Has So Much Hatred. So You are Entitled To Your Views & So am I. Enjoy Yourself.

        Liked by 1 person

      10. If your “entitlement to views” justifies bullets n guns on the name of religion, if it justifies rape culture or if it justifies terrorism on the name of payback, you have a deep dangerous mentality. While me being secular is my thing. At least it doesn’t exhaust n suffocate my co-existant planet mates. Don’t pollute the air with your hatred towards other religions. Eventually you’ll exhaust n vanish. Educate. Agitate. Organise.

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      11. Hahahaha,How Much Idealistic You Guys are. None Of The People In Iraq, Syria, Germany, England, US Or In India Have Started It. It Was From The Islamic Side & It’s Just A Way Of Answering.

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      12. Lol !!! Someone killing your parents is justified because someone of your community has killed someone of their community. That’s how it works right 😂 hats off to your common sense

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      13. 😂😂 It’s Not Always Like That. If You Go In Front Of a Hungry Lion & Ask Him Not To Eat You Because You are Vegetarian Then He Will Not Listen To You. Things Are Always Like That.

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      16. Dear, What You Actually Want To Say, Give a Logical & Coherent Answer & Not On this Individual Post, Because It’s Not The Right Thing To Do. It’s a Mourning Post. You Can Comment On any Of My Posts,I Will answer You There.

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      17. Kudos to your hypocrisy brother. On a mourning post you wrote it’s payback time !! Just check the water below your feet before you utter a word. 😊

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      19. And What’s That Rape Cycle Means. What You Want To Say, Please Take It Easy. When I Say that Islam Is Radical,Then I Don’t Mean That We Should Kill All Muslims,We Mean a Discussion On The Rigidity In Islam. What You are Talking About. You Sound Like Literate But Behaving Like a Rant. You are a Woman, Please Take Care Of Your Words.

        Liked by 1 person

      21. Anjali, you are correct, and I understand your vexation about the treatment of lower cast (I hate using this word) at the hands of the upper cast. But that’s somewhat history. Pankanzy is talking about the radicalization of a few, and that’s present day and not history.

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    3. Dude you’re just arrogant and you know it, why are you even here? It seems like you’re faith is Hinduism, is this what your religion teaches? To blame innocent people who have nothing to do with hatred. The truth is, people like you spread more hatred than any Muslims I’ve seen. This world would be a better place without hypocrites like you.

      Liked by 3 people

  6. We are all the same, equal, and innocent until proven guilty. It’s a shame you have to feel concerned walking down the street. I feel nervious at first in another country but this is not that at all. Please remember there all lots of haters, not just Muslims but of all races but white. They blame everyone. I’ve prayed the violence would stop but it’s not just terrorist. I can usually tell when terrorist attack, or most of time and it’s rarely someone from America. Some people forget we worship the same God/Allah. Or choose not to know. 🙂

    Liked by 4 people

    1. Thank you for this. I agree, if you believe in God, you have to believe that everyone is created by God. How can you harm something created by your Lord.

      If you don’t believe in God, at least believe in Humanity. We’re all at fault. Instead of dividing ourselves, its about time we come together.

      Liked by 3 people

  7. Now the probability that I myself belong to the one hundred and eighty millions radical persons is just 50% yes and 50% No ! You already accused an innocent Muslim!

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    1. You Maybe Radical But Not Extremist, There is a Thin Difference But If There Are Guys Who Believe In Concepts Like Ummah & Ghazwa e Hind. It’s Your Duty To Correct There Faith, It’s Not Mine Dear. But The First Thing Is That You Must Accept That There is a Problem. I am Not Against Your Faith But I Think It’s Time To Speak.

      Liked by 1 person

  8. I just invited you to Ask me questions about Islam and you refused! I didn’t ask you to change your way of life!!! Or are you affraid to the point that you will become a Muslim just if I answered your questions and so on? Don’t worry, it’s not me, not you who chose to be a Muslim, But Allah God the Almight who chose!
    All your knowledge about Islam is wrong, first of all discrimination! !!!? I’m so surprised that you think Islam is like that! Add to your information that Islam came to STOP descrimination ( baby girls were burried once born, when God sent revelation to his Prophet Muhammad, He banned such horrible act) Quote from the Qur’an:
    (81:8) And when the girl-child buried alive Shall Be Asked,
    (81:9) for what offence was she killed? *9
    Islam doesn’t differ between black or white Chinese or Indian Pretty or ugly except in Takwa( righteousness and fearing God the Almighty)

    Liked by 2 people

  12. I totally agree with you 🙂 the foremost thing required is humanity, if we consider each other as human’s first, may be some hate crime will lessen.

    Liked by 3 people

  14. Sending hugs…
    I could actually relate to this a lot although I’m not muslim. Nope you don’t need to and shouldn’t change your garb. Although yes there are people who will automatically be weary of you because of how you dress.
    (((((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))))))))
    Love, light and glitter….

    Liked by 2 people

  15. Beautifully penned, I understand the emotions. God had never distinguished anyone of us. It’s us who decide religion, community, etc. I believe every person should become human first. Whatever happening in this world in the name of religion is not at all good. God is one and he only understand language of love.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. I teared up reading this. Although I’m not Muslim, my friendship group consists of mostly Muslim people are they’re my family. They’ve been there for me when things were rough and I’ve been there for them when things were rough.

    When we have sleepovers and it gets late at night, that’s when usually all the deep chats occur. Once it was maybe 2am and Amal (my best friend) blurted out that she hated being Muslim. That she wished she was anything but. She told me that on the train the other day, she was belittled – told to “go back to her country”. Why? Because she was Muslim. All this hate was brought upon her because she was Muslim. It’s so infuriating knowing that my best friend is hurting because of some stranger that thinks they’re better than them because of their race and beliefs. He didn’t even know Amal, he just spat it in her face to cause hate. The man probably didn’t think twice about it after but Amal went to bed crying.

    Now, you may be wondering why I feel so passionately about the bigotry against the Muslim community if, obviously, I’m not Muslim and here’s the answer. I might not share the beliefs, the culture and language as the Muslim community but you guys are my brothers and sisters. We’re all human, we all have blood and flesh underneath everything regardless of skin colour and ethnicity, and we all feel emotions – sadness, love, happiness. We’ve all felt that at least once in our lifetimes. So, I encourage all of you to stick up for not only the Muslim community but any community you see being let down and prejudiced against; our lives are only so long and racism, sexism, etc. shouldn’t be a prominent problem in our world.

    Thank you for the beautiful poem, Rinum.

    Liked by 3 people

    1. This was one the most beautiful things I’ve read in a while… ‘we’re all brothers and sisters’ if only everyone could understand this… We all have to stick up for each other, regardless of all these labels forced on us. I wrote that poem for everyone whose lost their life because of someone else’s hate. It’s not hard to be compassionate.
      Peace 🙂 and thank you for your kind words.

      Liked by 1 person

  18. Please don’t thank me, I should thank you for sharing your poem. All I did was comment my thoughts – your poem has inspired me so much and I think right now marks the 100th time I’ve read it haha. Thank you, again, for writing it and sharing it with the world… people like you help change the world!

    Keep doing you!

    Liked by 1 person

  20. I love your poem, so eloquently written about such human cruelty. Thank you so much for checking out my blog and commenting. I really appreciate this. However there is a much better writer than me. I strongly recommend you and all your followers my friend Mario Savioni’s poems. These are some of my favorite poems:

    “A Dream”: https://savioni.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/a-dream-2/comment-page-1/#comment-1330

    “Reclusivity of Silence”: https://savioni.wordpress.com/2014/03/05/reclusivity-of-silence/

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  21. Nice poem Rinum and mostly valid peaceful sentiments expressed. It became a little political when one of your verses suggested that if you were a fewer shades of white you would be treated better. But you live in Pakistan so how would this change your life in any way? Also you write that the shooter has an angelic soul but troubled and you seem to use this view as a gateway to suggesting that excuses will be made for him because he is white. So you’re poem does have an ideological theme. This is tempered with your view point of wishing that all religions can co-exist in harmony. I share your viewpoint in this regard and wish you peace.

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    1. I agree. People in northern Pakistan are light skinned, as you go down people become darker. I’m brown (and there have been moments where I wish I was lighter, but not anymore.) The “angelic soul” part, I got that from a news article- that’s not something I came up with. I tired to make it as less political as I could. Thank you for your feedback.

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  22. Thanks for ones marvelous posting! I truly enjoyed reading it, you may be a great author.I will always bookmark your blog and will come back in the foreseeable future. I want to encourage that you continue your great posts, have a nice evening!

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