Saturday, July 4, 2009

.: Walk away :.


Ignorance is not always a bliss.

I was out with friends. They’re not Muslims. They’re not Malay. And some are not even Malaysians. Over the years, I have become immune to the stares that people hurl at me whenever I am in the company of non-Muslims/Malays.

For a fact, I do know that my actions will bring about assumptions more often slanted towards the negative aspect. Just the other day I got ticked off by a cab driver when he found out I’m meeting a Chinese guy at a public area in the afternoon. I told him it’s a business meeting, yet the words swept past him next to nothing.

Cab driver :: There are so many Malay Muslims! What business can you have with a Chinese guy?
Me :: LoL~ It’s about work.
Cab driver :: The next thing you’ll be telling me you’re marrying him!

From then onwards, I chose to remain silent.

Presumably, everything is over and done for. The stares of disbelief or treachery continued when I met my friend. Looking back, years ago when I wasn’t in hijab, no one gave a second look at me when I’m out and about with my friends. With hijab, things sort of went on a 360 and became all the more disparaging.

Sometimes, this just tires me.

8.56pm Malaysian Time

8 comments:

Gabriel Mirza said...

I suppose people (wrongly) have certain expectations for certain people (in this case hijabis). It is unsettling for them if the stereotyped group does not behave to their expectations. Someone once said that the world is always there out to get you and absorb you in conformity.

Hajar Alwi said...

And someone also said ...

"We don’t want to go back to the same normalcy that we’re coming from.
We will create a new normalcy which will stay and keep on moving and change the world."

:)

van qif said...

It seems you have a good chemistry with cab driver..la la la

Solace In Islam said...

Wow, that sucks!

There is nothing wrong with having friends from different religious backgrounds!

sabrina said...

I'm with Solace. People act like you can only hang out with a mirror image of yourself.
Lame.

Hajar Alwi said...

Van Qif :: Too good of a chemistry ... :)

Solace :: My point exactly. :(

Sabrina :: Welcome. ^^ Sadly, this attitude is prevalent in certain circles.

Hijabee said...

For some reason, people have different expectations for hijabis, like you're supposed to be this super holly person who only hangs out with other hijabis, only goes to islamic events,spends all her free time reading Quran and spends her nights in qayamul layt! There is nothing wrong with hanging out with people from different cultures or religious backgrounds, the world would be boring if we all stick to our respective little groups !

Hajar Alwi said...

My cyber stalker~!!! Long have I yearned for you! Haha~ :P

Ditto! We should add more colors to our dull grey lives. :)