|
Dear daughter Tahira (women),
May you
have a long life! I want to bless you with a wish that you
may happily live to see your progeny flourish and prosper.
Firstly, you will ask what this wish means. Even if I tell
you that it is an affectionate blessing, you will ask the
meaning of 'blessing.' If one has to ask for such a meaning,
the wish loses its charm and effectiveness. A blessing, a
subtle humour, and a melody or verse are effective only when
they are spontaneously understood and absorbed. If you have
to explain their meanings, they lose their spicy charm.
Daughter,
I do appreciate all your complaints but whenever I write to
Saleem (men), I always mean that you are included, too. I
did not think of you and Saleem separately. But now I know
that you are sensitive about it, and consequently I have
keenly felt your special sarcasm that I, too, like other
people, prefer a son to a daughter and consider a man better
than a woman. No Tahira, you have misunderstood. This is
simply beyond my imagination, but your sarcasm reflects
depth of your vision and sensitivity of your feelings. I
appreciate this, because I know if a woman's worthy emotions
are not valued, how dangerous she can become. Listen dear
daughter, do not ascribe a wrong meaning to this word
'dangerous'. It should be understood in the context I use
it. I believe it is not difficult for you to understand the
correct meaning of my words, since you have been hearing
them a long time. A basic reason for the incompatibilities
that have crept into our Muslim society is that man has
disregarded the respect-worthy emotions of woman. It is a
fact that he has never tried to understand woman. He has
never considered her worthy enough of being understood. But
has this neglect given him any peace? If your left eye is
aching, can your right eye sleep peacefully? |
