black or white…

So a little while back I was at a wedding at a place where multiple functions were going on.  I got a little bored so I stepped out to the hallway for a minute to cool off (it was getting stuffy because there were a lot of people).

As I stood against the wall in the hallway, there were two girls who began walking my way.  I paid no attention to them and as they got closer, they began to talk louder and louder.  They were copping a peek into one of the other hallways and were getting closer (and louder).  It got to the point where I was getting a little annoyed because of their loud talking (I mean they were like 6 inches from each other–they didn’t need to be that loud).  They kept on talking about the bride, her clothes, and all that other girly stuff.  Then they said something that puzzled me.

“Oh my God, look at how white she is!  *sigh* She is SO white and so pretty…”

*shakes head* Look at how white she is?  Are you serious?  What is wrong with us?  I mean I know there is this mindset in the Pakistani/Indian coommunity where they equate “whiteness” to being “pretty” but I thought we moved passed this in our generation, but I guess not…

Why can't we just party (potty) like these two?

I mean this is absurd.  I have seen plenty of girls that were as dark as chocolate and were mash’Allah beautiful.  On the other end, I have seen plenty of girls that were as white as rice and were also beautiful, mash’Allah; and I’ve seen girls that had complexions in between that were just as beautiful, mash’Allah (before any smart aleck says “lower your gaze” I’m trying to make a point).  It wasn’t the color of their skin that makes them beautiful, but it was the way they carried themselves.  It was the modesty and humility that they showed.  It was the kindness and respect that they showed others.  It was their character.

Character.

Something that we often look at last when looking for a friend, for a business partner, or for a spouse.  During the Prophet (S) they put a lot of emphasis on character.  One of the best examples that I can think of was when Abu Bakr (R) and the Prophet (S) were migrating to Madinah.  The Quraish were out to kill him and they needed a guide; so who did they choose?  A non-Muslim (who’s name is escaping my mind right now).  But the Prophet (S) chose him because of his character and the fact that he was the best guide in the area.

This is a great example of how the character of a person is what truly counts.  People spend so much time on the outside to glamor themselves up.  You have women making their eyebrows look like a roller coaster or as if they were always interested, putting on make-up until they look like Bozo the clown (fyi I used to love Bozo–but that’s besides the point) and other things just to look “beautiful” on the outside (men do similar things–do their eyebrows (I don’t know why some do that, etc…), workout so they can wear shirts from Kids ‘R’ Us to show off their ‘guns’ at the next Jummah, etc…).  But why do we do this?  Why do we apply so much on the outside and not try to improve our inner-self which lasts much longer than the newest thingy from L’Oreal or Revlon (it’s Revlon right?)?

Rambling about this has reminded me of a great line from a song entitled Dontchange by Musiq, which is:

I’m not impressed, more or less, by them girls on the TV or magazines
Cause honestly I believe, that your beauty is way more than skin deep

It shouldn’t matter if you’re black, white, brown, yellow, tall, fat, muscular, skinny, or whatever.  This does not determine beauty.  If someone is born short or not in a perfect proportions then most people won’t find that person beautiful.  This is truly sad, and I don’t care what society says but I would rather stand alone with my own beliefs then to conform to what society, or two random girls in the hallway of a banquet hall, tell me to believe…

-peace-

Tags: black or white