IRSHAD AND THE ABUSE OF MUSLIM WOMEN

BY DR. A. A. AHMED

Prologue

Irshad was sitting in front of her tent and looking with eyes flooded with
tears at her six little children. She was feeling terribly hot from the heat of
the blazing sun and the Islamic niqab that was wrapping her body from head
to foot. She could see her children through a small single hole in her niqab
that was as small as the eye of a needle. She was deeply engrossed in her
suicidal thoughts. She was haunted for many days by strong suicidal mood.
Many times she tried to end up her life but she was always prevented by the
fear of leaving her children orphans and begging for food on the streets of
Kandahar. Irshad knew for sure that her three little sons would grow up as
terrorists and blow up themselves in the cause of Jihad. She also anticipated
that her three daughters would be forced to marry Taliban Mujahedeen and
give birth to more terrorists. To avoid such unpleasant consequences Irshad
decided to return to Australia where she was born and brought up.
Unfortunately, her application was rejected by the Australian Embassy for
her association with the Islamic terrorists for so many years.
The only relief Irshad thought of was to end up her life and leave that
miserable and hellish life. Her abuse and agony reached beyond her ability
to endure it any longer. She even contemplated the idea of killing her
children along with her. However, she could not believe that a day would
come in her life that she would be reduced to such inhumane thought of
trying to kill her own children. Irshad knew that in her country her children
would be provided with all care and education that would make them grow
up as good citizens. In Afghanistan her sons would not avoid their fate of
growing up as terrorists and her daughters of being illiterate and marrying
Taliban Mujahedeen.
Irshad remembered how her parents and friends tried to stop her from
marrying a Muslim immigrant. Nevertheless, at that time she was so blinded
by her strong love for her classmate, Mustafa. In those days she saw her
Muslim boyfriend as an angel came down from heaven to give her the love
and joy that she longed for. She loved his reddish Arabic complexion and
height. She enjoyed hearing his accent when he spoke English. She found
Mustafa to be so polite and loving person. Everything she loved in a man
she found in him. In short period he became her idol and she worshipped
him. Whatever, he wanted her to do she did for him. He made her to forsake
her family, friends, and country and travel with him to his homeland in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Irshad even left her Christian faith and embraced
Islam. Eventually, Mustafa changed her name from Susan to Irshad and
married her…