The Woman, the Righteous Mother: Mothers in the Age of Modernity - Paperback

by Shaykh Ḥasan Al-Balūshī (Author)

At the Beginning...

"Before you is a discourse on woman, as the flower of the family, attracting all kinds of bees around her, nourishing them with her nectar so that they, in turn, sweeten society with the honey of their goodness. It is a discourse on the mother-indeed, the righteous mother.

Yet, it is by no means an easy discourse. On one hand, it is a great subject-great because of the greatness of the one spoken about: the mother, the vessel of life, the cradle of affection, the inheritor of noble traditions, and much more besides. How can one encompass the great?

On the other hand, it is a rugged discourse, one that swims against the rising tide of modern narratives about women-the narrative that celebrates her as a business leader, slender in form, few in children, the man's equal companion, bold of speech... and poor in modesty. And how shall one swimming against the current find safety?"

At the End...

"I had said, at the opening of this booklet, that I swim against the current. And here I am concluding that swim-hoping that I have succeeded in reaching the shore of safety, and wishing even more that I may have brought along others who were swimming with the current; or at the very least, made them notice that there exists a secure and tranquil shore-one of restfulness and happiness-and to realize that swimming against the current is possible, indeed, in many instances, it is the very path of truth."

- Between these two shores lie reflections and heartfelt musings.