PEER E KAMIL

Untitled Part 30

Waseem did tell Hashim Mubeen about his conversation with Imama but he
censored much that would have provoked his father. Despite that, Hashim
Mubeen was shocked into silence.
̳So Imama told you all this?' he enquired after a long pause. Waseem nodded
in assent.
̳Call her.' Waseem hesitated as he left the room, but instead of going to
Imama himself he sent a servant to do his father's bidding and returned to his
own room. He did not want to be present when his father confronted her.
Imama knocked at her father's door and entered. He and their mother were
seated there in absolute silence. The way her father looked at her made her
tremble.
̳Baba, did you...send for me?' in spite of her effort to control herself, her
voice faltered.
̳Yes, I did. What's this rubbish that you've been discussing with Waseem?'
He asked angrily, without any preliminaries. ̳What did I ask you?' he
shouted again. ̳You should die of shame! You are sinning and dragging us
down with yourself!' Tears sprang to Imama's eyes.
̳We are ashamed to call you our offspring!' He was livid. ̳What are these
books that you have brought here? You will return them tomorrow to
wherever they came from—or I'll throw them out!'
̳Yes, Baba,' replied Imama, wiping away her tears.
̳And if you see Javeria again or talk to her, I'll put an end to your going to
college.'
̳Baba, Javeria did not say anything to me. She does not even know any of
this.' Imama protested in a more firm tone.
̳Then who is it that has filled your head with this garbage?' he thundered.
̳I did so...myself...' Imama tried to explain.
̳Who do you think you are? Look at your age and you dare to question your
faith and the veracity of your prophet!' His temper flared again. ̳Look at me.
I have spent all my life preaching his religion—am I blind to have done this or
are you wiser? You hardly know anything and here you are questioning our
faith.' Hashim Mubeen rose from his place. ̳You were born with a silver  spoon in your mouth because of this prophet whose infallibility you arequestioning today. If it were not for him our family would have been out on
the streets today; yet you are ungrateful and are denying the very source of
your prosperity.'
Hashim Mubeen's voice grew hoarse and Imama's tears flowed faster.
̳No more education for you! All this learning is leading you astray!'
His words left Imama speechless, stunned. Even in her wildest dreams she had
not expected to be denied education.
̳Baba, I am sorry!' she pleaded. Her father had brought her to her knees.
̳I do not need your apologies or excuses. I've made myself clear—you will
stay home from now.'
̳Baba, this is not...what I meant. I...I don't know what Waseem has told you.
I'm telling you that in future I will not read anything you don't want me to. I
will not say anything you disprove of. Baba, please!' She was crying, begging
with her father.
Her entreaties and pleas continued as she kept apologizing to her father for
the next few days. Eventually, by the end of the week, he softened his stance
and relented: Imama was allowed to go back to college. But for all those days,
she was at the receiving end of taunts and barbs from everyone in the family.
So, though Hashim Mubeen, with very strict warnings, had allowed her to
return to college, the attitude of her family further distanced her from her
faith. She did not stop reading the books that had provoked her thought: the
only difference was that instead of bringing them home she read them in the
college library.
After making it to the merit list in the F.Sc. examinations, Imama got
admission into medical college. Javeria also got admission into the same
institution and now their bonds of friendship were stronger than before—the
main reason for that was the change that had come in Imama.
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