Whenever I go out during Ramadan
young men who pass by me mutter,
“O Allah, I seek refuge in you from all evil and evil-doers.”
Or I might be on the bus,
And a man will look my way in disgust,
And seek forgiveness from Allah under his breath.
They make me feel like I’m the devil.
Like I’m running around, trying to spread evil.
When it’s men I see harassing women in broad daylight during Ramadan.
“What are you doing outside? You’re already out and about all year,” they say.
And if one of them hurts or harasses you, and you decide to say something about it,
You get people who defend them, saying
“Ramadan is hard on men.”
But I’m the one wearing a headscarf and loose clothing,
Battling the heat to run errands.
It’s not like I’m out to have fun.