Irshad

My dearest Yasmin,

What a generous message you’ve sent me. I’m left speechless (no small accomplishment) for more than one reason. To begin with, the suggestion that collective love will keep me and other outspoken ijtihadists safe is among the most Godly ideas anybody can convey. It shows a level of faith in that can only be described as unshakable. Please know that you have my reciprocal love.

Second, thanks to you, I now have more than a heavy sigh to offer my mother when she tells me to tone it down for her sake. Sister, in that alone, you’ve given quite a gift to the the dutiful South Asian daughter of a wonderful mom. (Having visited your website, I know you’re of South Asian heritage too, so I trust you empathize with my excitement at your gift to me...)

Finally, I must tell you that Socrates is my HERO. To be compared with him, in any way, half-tempts me to just pack it now and end my personal journey on a high. ;-) But, of course, the journey must continue because the work is not done — not by a long shot.

I’m enormously grateful that you’ve taken time out of your busy acting schedule to drop me the sweetest and kindest of notes. Because you blog, I would be thrilled to have you share my response with your many fans. Count me among them. I say that not to be polite or artificially flattering. Fact is, I don’t have a chance to watch television much. But I can still be a fan of your labours as a person of conscience and not just of your work as an actress.

You are many things at once, as revealed by your stated distaste for labels... On that score, as on many others, I stand shoulder to shoulder with YOU.


God bless and big hugs,
Irshad