Raids, rockets, guns, slaughter           
any way to **** my friends’ daughters, my friends’ brothers, my friends’ mothers, my friends’ fathers.

I see your ash covered faces, I see your blood streaming, I see your tears dropping. I see your still bodies unprotected, I see your bullet covered corpses lying flat, I see your open wounds throbbing      
Calling on you to keep fighting. Urging you to continue shouting. Begging you to carry on uniting.             

I’m here for you in a hidden place until we meet. You’ve been there for me in Gaza’s streets.    
    
Like our beloved Prophet, you’re suffering so          
Yet you keep giving us a martyrdom show.   
   
I remember you. I’m obliged not to eat. It’s Ramadan you know and it’ll end with a feast. But my dear friends will be missing at the table. I’ll be missing too but not because I’m gone. Because I’ll be standing up holding my Palestinian friends’ hands until the morning’s dawn.  

Devils with legs, Satans with money...                     
How dare you try to smother our faith, ruin my friends’ homes, steal their three-shaded bands.                                        
Who do you think you are? King of Iran? You’d do better to follow the Quran.

At least be a real Jew, at least be a real Christian, at least be a real Muslim. Netanyahu, Obama, Al Saud.
You heard me! Does your God approve of your devil worship? Does your God approve of your insanity? Does your God approve of your missing heart?

Just because you hate the truth - The Power it has – Its power to positively change the world. To stop you in your tracks. Don’t take that out on me. I AM THEM in a different part of the world. Like them, I AM HUMAN.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 
No way would you bulldoze yourself. No way would you set fire on yourself. No way would you drop bombs on yourself. So why do this to my friends? Why do this to me?

Listen! My oppressed friends are dying and much of the world is crying. The planet Earth is quickly frying.
Do you not see…"Palestine is the Issue."  Thank you Imam Asi.

My dear friends facing great oppression - I will not turn my head away. My soul will not act as though you don’t matter. As though you don’t exist. As though I don’t care. I do! I’m bleeding too and I feel for you. I extend my hand and give you Salam. I embrace you - in your time of urgent need, in your time of struggle.

LONG LIVE PALESTINE! LONG LIVE MY OPPRESSED FRIEND!    

By: Najwa Kareem
July 9, 2015

Hijab is my crown
shaped in a circle
around my head
like that of a full moon
bringing light
from the One
who has commanded me
to wear it
to my face

Hijab is my crown
shaped in a circle
around my head
like a merry-go-round
rotating with a joyful force
in places near and far
illuminating its power
a reflection of my soul
and inner beauty

Hijab is my crown
shaped in a circle
around my head
the way whirling dervishes move
we're so high
aspiring nearness to Allah Masha'Allah
our act of wearing hijab daily
deserving of much respect
and Insha Allah
The Seventh Heaven

Hijab is my crown
shaped in a circle
around my head
like a spinning wheel
many made
in different colors
and in different textures
each brightening the world
and when wearing it
like Khadijah (AS), Fatimah (AS), and Aisha (RA)
attracts attention of the best kind

Hijab is my crown
shaped in a circle
around my head
like Big Ben
I'm so high
dignified
a visible ambassador
of Islam
saying no to immodesty
and saying yes to our Majesty

Hijab is my crown
shaped in a circle
around my head
like a halo
starting my day with Bismillah
and looking into the mirror
to carefully donn it
I remember
I'm doing this to help men
married and unmarried
from sinning
and to protect myself
from impurity and immoral acts
as
Hijab is my crown
for me a Queen

By: Najwa Kareem

In the Nahi house, they wed in nineteen ninety seven
Chilly and brisk on an Autumn day,
it was hard to know it on the inside,
their faces glowing like that of heaven

Rokh & Nahi, looking of young Hollywood,
a beauty in a photo
resembling one of Nahi's mom and pop's,  
my sister T figuring it would
No thought in their guests' minds,
this is not going good

Intimate, lively, and buzzing the atmosphere,
People happily conversing, many one on one
I overheard big brother joking with Nahi about you're gonna get some

I wonder now what were the parents, one of Rokh's high in the skies
feeling
as they witnessed the coming together of their daughter and their son
Echoing Grand Nahi,
Bryan would say,
You're not two people
Now, you are one

In these modern times,
many married couples don't last
because of their self centeredness and superficiality
Hopefully in each other,
RokhNahi have found peace and tranquility,
not to mention, namaste

This twosome's souls,
sweet as Nokesville's Pumpkin Pie
and that I can assure you, is the truth and no lie
A wedded pair I can understand
because their love is still saying, Yes, we'll make it land

Like the communion between lovely, white doves,
I'm guessing in their rural nest, there's little push and shove
Mr. & Mrs. a many years,
one tarot card's telling
a contentful matrimony with few tears

Surely in their twenty three year span,
they've been tempted to eat from the forbidden tree
with all of its lustful allure and ornaments calling Rokh or Nahi
Their commitment to God stronger than their commitment to each other
has kept them from dropping to a level of single me,
and Wow, from falling, two apples quickly from the tree

Twenty three years, I'll always be right there
Two kids later,
we think they'll make it to their rocking chairs

Happy Anniversary, onward to planet Mercury
These going strong astronauts are traveling fast,
Allah willing, they'll continue moving on full blast

RokhNahi twenty three,
a long standing he & she
The road to their future
is complementary, free
and for happily ever after now,
each toast to we

By: Najwa Kareem

Zain, a rain on a plane colored beautiful.

Zain, a big window pane with a shade mutable.

Zain painted beautiful.

Caring, he's multihuetiful.

A half a dash of cocoa.

A quarter dash of vanilla.

A quarter dash of pumpkin spice.

Zain, his Mom has said is nice.

He's moving on a fast train traveling down a bright, shining lane.

Maybe, once baby Zain will be the next Zain Bhikha or the next Maher Zain.

Helter Skelter, God sees these three as all playing together at the same Aqiqah.

Zain grown of sugar cane, black, white, and beige.

A trio equally plentiful.

Zain is The Multihuetiful.

By: Najwa Kareem

You show us the way.
You guide us.
You teach us.
You think about us
and care for us.
You unselfishly, courageously, and consistently strive for us.
You love God
and so you love us.
You provide to us
the most important things
we need to know.
In doing so,
you help protect us.
Thanks to the moon and back
for being a father 4 all of us.

We're polar opposites.

They flirt with those they're not married to and we strive hard to be modest.

They eat pig and we don't because we know it's filth and because we eat halal.

They talk trash cursing out of their mouths like it's a language of it's own and we talk in ways to avoid having to have soap be put in our mouths.

Girls dress half naked with skin tight clothes on walking around in public as though they're in their own homes, disgusting and evil as it is and we wear clothing to cover ourselves appropriately in public with the intention that our outer appearance is a reflection of our inner presentation.

They drink alcohol like it's water even to a point that they steal it as I've been a witness to and because of their consumption, they do many unlawful things and we don't even know what alcoholic beverages taste like because it's garbage and the sight of it makes us want to throw up.

They're obsessed with material things and are stingy, in fact, that's what they live for, that's what they exist for, that's why they breath and we try to live a selfless life and preoccupy ourselves with things of a higher purpose like living for God and serving Him and humanity so that we're not lost and so that we earn the ultimate reward.

Sadly, they're a wreck. I hope our example can help them.

Everybody is talking about it now

I'm not certain about this

Roses are red

On the surface, it appears sweet

into a bit, it possibly taste pretty wonderful

My conjecture is it is something more

when we make it that