Profile: Nazim Bhimani who calls himself Deaf 1 Naz, is sixteen years old and is deaf. Please see his profile in his own words at Nazim Bhimani: The Deaf World.  The following poem was composed by him on November 17, 2008 when he was fifteen.

Who Am I?

 

My heartbeats,

Who am I?

Raging hormones,

Multiplying chromosomes, 

In a world with such confusion and delusion,

I am an Ismaili with so much devotion,

A true Ismaili in the making,

Understanding our faith through BUI,

I am learning to see with my inner eye

I am an Ismaili and that is who I am.

 

Who am I?

The history and the mystery of my faith,

A true Ismaili is ready for a fight.

A fight of choices between what’s wrong and what’s right,

I am armed and dangerous

Now don’t get me wrong.

 

The power of my inner strength is my ammunition,

The power of my mind is fully loaded with education,

The power of my shield is my religion

Therefore this must be my mission,

Therefore the definition of Ismailism is to have a clear vision,

to make the righteous decision.

 

I will fight to choose the right path,

For the consequence of the wrong path,

May lead me to an aftermath.

 

I am deaf and I know who I am

I respect me and I accept me

Just because I am an Ismaili and I am proud to be me!

 

Editor’s Note:
BUI, referred to in the poem, is an acronym and stands for Bait-ul–Ilm (meaning, House of Knowledge). Ismaili students from Kindergarten through to the Secondary Levels are offered classes to enhance their understanding about their faith – in all its forms – and are also taught to appreciate the richness and diversity of the Muslim world.  There is a special standard curriculum prepared by the Institute of Ismaili Studies, located in London, to impart this knowledge to Ismaili children all over the world. The term BUI may be specific to Canada, and other countries may be employing their own terms for the same purpose.