eleven years

it's a long time isn't it?

eleven years

you grow up with Justin Bieber playing as you went to sleep

then suddenly

this guy called Mishary Alafasy is on speaking in Arabic

eleven years

rewatching Hannah Montana till your ears bled

then suddenly

you're listening to a khutbah about God by Nouman Ali Khan

and

Zakir Naik

and

Mufti Menk

eleven years

waking up to bacon

then suddenly

you can't even pop into the local McDs cos 'it's not halal'

eleven years 

combing hair because you liked Matty in Preschool

then suddenly

there's kids pointing at you 

'what's that thing on your head?'

Her mother hadn't even thought about how hard it had been on her.

Her mother had just blamed her.

"Aleyah!

Shame on you."

"Aleyah

Have some respect"

"Aleyah

Where's your headscarf?"

"Aleyah

Stop flirting with that boy"

Her friends didn't like her

"Aleyah

what are you doing?"

"Aleyah

you don't even go out to eat with us anymore"

"Aleyah

why are you being like that?

they're just boys."

"Sorry

mind my friend Aleyah,

she's a bit prude"

She couldn't bear it.

and Shaytaan whispered in her ear.

This Islam

it's causing problems for you

This Islam

doesn't even let you have fun

This Islam

is making you shunned from society

This Islam

is not beneficial to you.

And when Shaytaan called,

she came running.

Stamping on her headscarf with distaste.

Let's shorten the dress a little bit.

Let's add a bit of mascara.

Then lipstick.

Let's have a talk with him.

It's just one conversation.

Reverting at eleven hand not been easy on her.

Nor had it been easy for her sister.

It had been her mother's choice.

Not hers.

But don't you know?

A revert

has all their sins wiped of them

A revert

has the potential to be even stronger in faith in comparison to their muslim born brothers and sisters.

But would her mother understand her pain?

no.

Would her sister?

no.

Stepdad?

no.

May Allah guide her to the right path.

Ameen.