السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته،

This poem may be of benefit to other sisters and help them reflect. A girl before Islam A girl before Islam, taught to seek validation from a man. Make sure you look pretty and smell nice, then look in the mirror, will this suffice? Post yourself on the Internet, watch and see how many likes it will get. Is my hair lovely, neat and shiny?my clothes feminine, attractive and tidy? When he sees me looking beautiful and slim, will I then be enough for him? Giggle and smile and laugh when he’s around, to make his desire for you strong and sound. Because if he’s not interested in you, it will leave your heart black and blue. Am I adorned, lingering in his sight, do I occupy his dreams at night? Make jokes, be soft, don’t be uptight, or he’ll frown and choose the next girl who acts just right. If you want to be loved, cherished, and respected, you must exhaust yourself, that in their hearts you may be accepted. And if over you, he chooses the blue-eyed blonde one, you question your value, then conclude you have none. This is the sad reality of a girl who is raised, in a society that places her worth in a man’s gaze. What’s in her brain is not important, nor her integrity nor piety, only how many men she can “pull” in society. She is likened to a piece of meat, stamped and tread on by careless feet. Decorated candy for men’s eyes, when they’re full, they simply toss the wrapper and throw it aside. Ukhtunā al-ʿazīzah you were undervalued and oppressed, until you came to al-Islām, by Allāh you are blessed. Covered, concealed, protected from beasts, whom you were once deceived into being their feast. So never think you are less because the men do not now admire you from afar, for verily, the most honourable of you in the sight of Allāh is the one with taqwā. — written by a sister who retired from the competition she never signed up for.