I am a Muslim,
Not the way you want me to be…
Neither I have an ‘Arabic name’,
Nor I was born into one,
But, I believe in Allah’s oneness,
I believe in the way Quran tells me to see,
I am a Muslim,
Not the way you want me to be…
At every aazan,
My head bows to sajda,
At every ramadan,
My body loves to starve,
But, I fail to recite the verses properly,
I am a Muslim,
Not the way you want me to be…
I recited kalma,
I left the atheist in me,
But I couldn’t change the papers,
As it should be,
I am a Muslim,
Not the way you want me to be…
When you will come to ask my religion,
What will your moral be?
I was born both a citizen
And as a son of Allah must be,
I am a Muslim,
Not the way you want me to be…
I will scream Allah-hu-Akbar,
Will pledge in name of my God,
I take oath by Allah,
Not in the name of any power that be,
I am a Muslim,
Not the way you want me to be…
You will question my legitimacy,
You will question my nationality,
You will ask me ‘tera mera rishta kya’?
I will respond, ‘la ilaha illalah’
You will say I am appeased,
You will mark me excess,
In front of your guilt,
My rage will say to thee,
I am a Muslim,
Not least the way you want me to be…
