The way this young Muslimah responded to a group of anti-Muslim protesters is a mood.
Shaymaa Ismaa’eel was attending the Islamic Circle of North America Convention on April 20 when she encountered a group of bigots holding offensive signs and shouting Islamophobic rhetoric.
Ismaa’eel witnessed other convention attendees get upset by the presence of the antagonists.
"Most people were very upset and didn't know how to embrace their presence,” she told BuzzFeed News. “Some teens were getting upset, trying to approach the men."
Instead of getting angry, Ismaa’eel wanted to do something visible and kind to counter their hatred. It was a good idea considering there was a violent confrontation at one point, according to The Advertiser.
"I wanted them to see my face and walking by wasn’t enough. We were busy Saturday and they had left by the time things at the convention slowed down,” she continued.
"I kept thinking about them during the workshops. 'What if we had a loud speaker so they can hear the beautiful things we’re learning about our beloved prophet?' I kept thinking to myself."
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The 24-year-old encountered the hatemongers on her way back from shopping. She grabbed her friend and asked her to be her photographer.
"I walked up as they continued yelling their hateful speech. I asked the police officer if I could stand at the curb in front of the men. The officer said 'no,' and in that moment I felt like the biggest rebel,” Ismaa’eel recalled.
"I smiled so hard in the picture and the man [started] directing his speech toward me. Silly things like 'your face should be covered.'"
Isma’eel posted the picture thinking it would only get “my usual 120 likes.” The image defied her wildest expectations and earned 68,000 likes on Instagram and 50,000 on Twitter.
On April 21st I smiled in the face of bigotry and walked away feeling the greatest form of accomplishment. pic.twitter.com/Dbrtk7MDAw
— شيماء (@ShaymaaDarling) April 23, 2019
Thankfully, most of the feedback has been positive.
THESE PICTURES BELONG IN A MUSEUM!
WE STAN!— ???????????????????? (@Norahabdela) April 23, 2019
I have to follow you. Just for this tweet. You are a legend.
— OUR LAND & JOBS NOW (@MorwaMobu) April 23, 2019
as a christian, i’m rooting for you bc I stan and I respek ????????????????????
— yuliza ???? (@yuliotanez) April 23, 2019
I swear I thought she was cropped in at first lol which would still awesome and funny! I love how she looks like she on a tour & the zoo animals are behind her being just that uncivilized ????????????
????????????????
— 1-800-Intellect (@Savannha_XVII) April 23, 2019
"The positivity from this is very uplifting,” she told BuzzFeed. “It’s making me happy to know that the youth can see someone being unapologetic in the face of people who hate their religion.”
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