Microbus…and the real test

There are times when I feel like just leaving the house is a battle.

Today, I stood in front of the apartment door, my heart pounding as if I were entering an oral exam, not just a microbus ride.

The black abaya from Oswa wrapped around me like a safe embrace… but I was still in awe.

From afar, my mother said:
— “Aren’t you going to be late today? People are talking, my daughter…”

I climbed the stairs with measured steps. The smell of the neighbors’ apartment, the sound of the television… and I felt all eyes on me.

The street was full: young men standing, women carrying vegetables, drivers wiping car windows.

I arrived at the bus stop.

The microbus was old and to the side, and the driver gestured:
— “Please, madam… take a seat up front, because I saw you wearing a hijab and respecting yourself!”

I laughed bitterly, not knowing if this was a compliment or a new test.

As I entered, one of the passengers said in a low but audible voice:
— “Are there still girls who dress like this in 2025? Aren’t you tired of abayas and hijab?”

I froze, afraid to respond and afraid to keep quiet… but I chose to be here.

I heard the whispers of the girls behind me:
— “Why does she dress like this? Someone must have forced her…”

I looked down.

A voice inside me said:

“I’m here for myself, not for you. I’m not a stranger… I’m just different.”

Every second on the microbus was a test of patience… a test of trust… a test of identity.

I arrived at university.

Before I got out, I caught a glimpse of a veiled girl in the mirror looking at me from afar… smiling.

For a moment, I felt I wasn’t alone.

But the question still haunted me:
“Why does Islamic dress do so much? Why has modesty become such a surprise in our country?”

If you were the heroine, would you keep quiet about what people say or defend your identity, even if it was by yourself?
Tell me, share your opinion in the comments, or write to us about a time when you felt your Islamic dress was a “daily test”!

And if you have a sentence or word that gives you strength, write it here. It might be the reason for changing the life of a girl like you.