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? |