It's My Choice Poem by Abdulmalik Mudathir

In this dark and lonely time
Where religious disputes reign supreme
I only have one thing to say
For you is your religion
And for me is mine

All around the western world
People are go-getting to stop
The spread of a single religion - Islam
All over the news you see terrorist strikes
And the first thing you hear is-“it's the Muslims again”

Sure, we have questionable people in our ranks
But then, we aren't all like that
You're placing us all in one category
Yes, we have our less appealing characters
But, so do people in other religions

Remember we are all from the same Source
We all live in this planet
And to God we shall all return
Why can't we just get along and see what the end will be?
Why do we fight and squabble?

Islam is serene, but not all Muslims are
Though Muslims aren't to be despicable, vindictive or belligerent
As a whole we're not bad
Though, one or two may act out of line
And you base us all on that?

I don't obligate you to accept Islam and to follow its rules
I don't label you by odious titles
But when I walk down the street I get called eerie names
Or I get singled out to be laughed at
Just because am the type that practice the religion

I am a Muslim
Trying to understand what is right and wrong
And following what I know to be right
So I ask you from deep down,
What is the harm in that?

Why the names and the stares?
Do you really care?
My sisters wear the Hijab to purify their Hearts
We pray five times a day to keep our duties to God
And so for other rules in the religion

Why do you try to veto my rights?
Why do you try to cage me in your rules?
Why are you always targeting Islam?
Why against it you all stand?
When the world is full of other religions too

My intent is simple
I'm trying to understand
Why people hate Islam so much
You have no right in the affairs of my heart
Yes! In my heart I believe and ordinarily outside it should reflect

Anyway for you is your religion
And for me is mine
So no matter how you shriek and blight
Islam is my religion, and the veracity is,
IT'S MY CHOICE!