I WRITE MY HEART OUT

Soft Ethics for a Loud World 1. If someone is saying “I’m sorry,” accept it with grace. Don’t argue who’s right. Sometimes peace is holier than proof. 2. If someone is standing before you, acknowledge them, especially if they are younger. Respect doesn’t need an audience, only a gesture. 3. If someone is saying they need advice, give it with sincerity, but don’t bind them to it. Guidance is not control. 4. If someone is saying they find joy in something, let your heart respond with a quiet prayer. Not every emotion needs a comment. 5. If someone says they got a job, say “Mubarak ho.” Please don’t ask how much they’re earning or who helped them. Their joy is not your inquiry. 6. If someone is saying it’s their birthday, celebrate. Don’t chase their age with questions. Let joy be unmeasured. 7. If someone is saying they are preparing for an exam, say a prayer, don’t wait to critique their result. 8. If someone is saying they’re happy, pray it lasts. Don’t dissect it with doubts. ...

I  stand alone, the world so tough, I’ve lost it all, but I’m still enough. I carry life’s weight on my shoulders each day, But I trust in Allah, to show me the way. Though things are hard and I feel the pain, I know Allah’s help will come again. I hope for the best, through each trial and test, With His love in my heart, I find my rest. I feel whole when people see The kindness and hope that live in me. They see the truth in my gentle soul, And it helps me feel strong, brave and whole. So here I stand, against life’s storms, With faith in Allah, my heart stays warm. I’ll keep moving forward, come what may, For His love is my strength, every day.

A weak man marries but doesn’t take responsibility for his wife. He has a child, yet abandons the mother to struggle alone. He can’t accept ‘no,’ so he turns to violence to get what he wants. He is married, but still holds feelings for another woman. He already has a child but insists he wants to start a new family with someone else. He grows a beard and pretends to be religious, yet he commits terrible acts. He opposes laws that protect children from early marriage, yet happily celebrates the West.  He speaks of honor and respect, but never actually shows them to others. He claims to follow his faith, but his actions prove he does not. He never learned what real love is, yet he insists he loves—but it’s only abuse and control, not love at all. Yes, not all men— but it’s always a man who does these things?