So What? Poem by Nur Meiyati

So what
If you wear clothes
That cover almost all parts of your body
And you guard each single part of your body as holy or sinful
It does not make you more or less holy than the others who don't
It does not guarantee that you are closer to heaven
If I - or anyone like me - don't wear such clothes
It does not make me lower or higher than you
At least in the perception of anyone outside your circle

So what
If you fast, you pray, you do pilgrimage to your holy land
For anyone like me who are not in your circle it is meaningless
I don't appreciate you nor do I admire you for that
Nothing
Just as you don't admire anyone outside your circle
Who are diligent to go to church or temple or any other holy places
They don't amaze nor impress you, right?
Don't be mistaken
I don't hate you nor do I intent to look down upon you
And I don't even care if the whole people in this country dress like you
Unless you don't force them to

Do you know why?
Let me preach you although I am not a preacher
A strict adherent to your religion is not a moralist as a matter of fact way
What makes anyone else impressed is: if you are bound by universal morality
Morality that is accepted by anyone
Regardless places, races, religions and time
Like if you don't steal, don't corrupt, don't misuse the authority given to you by the people of your country
Those ones that make you moralists
If you hold justice, if you don't make any individuals victims of your policy,
If you respect basic human right, if you have compassion
Those define you as a moralist
Don't you understand?
That is what others outside your circle appreciate most