More Than a Bin Bag by Anisah Choudhury – ScribersHive Europe3 min read

It’s more than a bin bag 

It’s more than a rag 

Its my identity, it’s what makes me, me. 

 

See it’s more than what we wear 

On our heads 

It’s the way we act 

The way we live our lives 

It’s the words we say and 

How we live everyday

 

It’s more than a bin bag 

More than a rag 

It’s a symbol of freedom 

A symbol of love 

 

You say we’re oppressed 

And Distressed 

And too overdressed 

For the way which society expects 

 

You say being covered we can’t express 

That everyday we’re under a lot of stress

 

Well let me ask you. 

When I leave my house I feel free, free to be me

I don’t worry about my hair 

About my figure, I don’t care 

 

It’s more than a bin bag 

More than a rag

It’s a symbol of unity 

A symbol of humanity 

 

In the eyes of our lord 

We’re more than precious 

A whole chapter dedicated to us in the holy book

 

That we as mothers are raised to the highest position 

Yet still met with opposition 

Underneath a mother’s feet lays paradise 

I don’t think we need to look twice 

At how we are blessed with this life

 

See my hijab is my identity 

It’s an element of my modesty 

My body, my hair, it don’t belong to you, even if you want it to 

It belongs to Allah, the most merciful, most kind

It seems as though people are blind 

Blind to the truth, and they need to regroup

 

It’s more than a bin bag 

More than a rag 

It’s not just something on the head

Or something that we dread 

 

It’s special in every single way

It’s our bond will Allah everyday

When you leave your homes, you cover up 

Your precious items, so they’re untouched 

See it’s the same for me, I’m precious don’t you see

‘I feel for you, you wear it when it’s hot’

‘Wait you don’t take it off?’ 

 

See it brings us sisters together, whatever the weather 

The way we are dressed, its none of your business. 

Maybe it’s time you cared less 

 

You think we started the scarf 

Well no, that’s not the case

See modesty has been embedded throughout the human race. 

 

Every single depiction of Mary, has a covered head 

Yet she’s not seen portrayed as distressed or oppressed 

Judaism, Christianity women had to dress modestly 

Victorian women had to act and dress in a modest way

In fact the higher up you were the more this was the case. 

 

See the thing with the hijab is its freedom 

Freedom to choose the colour I wear

Freedom to choose without a care 

It means were different covering our hair 

And yes we’re use to the stares 

 

We’re not oppressed, stressed or distressed 

We may be overdressed 

But we’re definitely blessed 

 

See the fact that I’m blessed in the eyes of the lord 

Is more than I can put into words 

I’m not doing it for you, or anyone else too

Its for my God, who made me who I am 

 

It’s more than a bin bag

More than a rag 

It’s everything that shows my identity with God 

Its my way of showing I’m blessed and different from the rest 

My hijab is what makes me, me 

Its my identity, it makes me free, 

It’s about time you see….