Series on Islam: "THREE FACES EAST" - Part 16 - By HJS

Mani (Mainstream): Modi, what on earth is wrong with you? You look like you just found out your family was Jewish.

Modi (Moderate): Worse than that! I have a terrible family problem.

Mani: Whew! If it’s worse than that, maybe I shouldn’t hear it.

Modi: It’s about my little sister.

Mani: I thought she went to Denmark with your parents on holiday.

Modi: I thought so too, but it turns out they were going to marry her off to an old friend.

Mani: That’s nice!

Modi: Nice!? She’s 12 for crying out loud! 12! Just a baby!

Mani: Nothing wrong with that. Keeps her out of trouble. I bet she is thrilled.

Modi: No, Mani. No way! She thought they were going to look at some schools there. She really wants to get an education and do something important.

Radi (Radical): There is nothing more important for a woman than to honor and support her husband. It is easier to teach obedience if the girl is younger.

Modi: I am tired of hearing that, Radi. We are talking about my little sister.


Radi: Oh! I remember her. She must be ready for marriage by now.

Mani: Don’t say that, Radi; Modi thinks she is a baby.

Radi: I don’t know what we’re going to do with you Modi. Our women have been doing that for centuries. They are quite satisfied with their bargains.

Modi: Centuries of mistakes against our women and telling them it can never be changed do not make anything right. The marriage is not the worst part. When she found out what was going on, she ran away.

Mani: Oh no! Have they found her yet?

Modi: They know where she is; a group of Danes there took her in and they are protecting her. They won’t give her up. My parents want me to go there and get her; they think she will listen to me.

Radi: They want you to talk some sense into her?

Mani: Radi, you know better than that. You know what they want.

Radi: They want Modi to kill his little sister?

Mani: That is why he is so down. You already know how it works; I bet they told him he either must do it himself, or else bring her back so that they can do it. It’s the knife or the stone—or consent to be married. It may be too late for that; the family is dishonored already.

Radi: And Modi does not want to do it because it’s his little sister? Now that’s where the rubber hits the road; he is either a believer or not. He has to save his family’s honor. If he doesn’t, there will be dreadful consequences.

Mani: Yes. The family will be dishonored twice. Modi and his sister both will bite the blade. Modi, you have to go and do it.

Modi: No! If I go, I will help her. She deserves to have a life and she deserves to be educated. She does not need to suffer the life of a shadow of a person depending on the attitude of a husband for a either a mediocre life at best, or a terrible and painful one—and a very short one. To hell with family honor--that is only an excuse for the older folks to get what they want or else. I am shocked it is happening in my family.

Radi: You make it sound worse than it really is.

Modi: I did some favors for our powerful imam and he told me I can point my finger and change anything I want, but just one time! So, I am pointing at you and will change you into a woman!

Radi: What? (Covers his face). You better not! I will kill you for that!

Mani: Radi, Modi is only kidding you. He does not have that kind of power; he was just making a point.

Radi: (Holds his heaving chest) That is not funny.

Mani: Modi, what are you going to do? You can not dishonor your parents.

Modi: I am not going to see my sister married, hurt, or killed. I will let my parents know that no one except me knows what happened. If I go to my sister, we will both run away somewhere, maybe to America.

Mani: What good will that do?

Modi: I am not finished yet. I will tell them to let my sister go and make up a story that will save their honor. If I hear that they continue in their efforts to find her, I will go there and interfere. Then they will have to find someone to kill me. That will not be easy. I will go to America where there is very little of this type of thinking.

Radi: Ha! They could hire me to come after you.

Modi: If that is the kind of friend you are, Radi, then how can we continue to pray together to the same God?

Mani: Modi, it would not be personal with Radi; he just follows his religion, as we all must do. We do not always like our responsibilities, but we must shoulder them.

Modi: I told you guys before, that is not following religion; it is giving in to your basic instincts because your religion allows it. Many, many believers know what the religion says, but they do not kill people who are in no way harming them. When it comes to killing someone, it is more important than what you read; you must wait until you have a clear and unambiguous sign from Allah before you can act. And even then, you must think about it. If it just does not feel right, how can it be right, no matter what the imams say?

Radi: I just received a clear and unambiguous sign.

Mani: Uh, oh! I did not like the sound of that. Look out, Modi!

Modi: (Looks seriously at Radi.) What kind of sign, Radi?

Radi: My stomach is making unambiguous noises and I did not have breakfast. Is that clear enough?

Modi: One of these days Radi. One of these days.

Mani: Both of you guys are nuts!

HJS