Woman in Islamic Shari‘ah
11. Success in marriage
~ 251 ~
We have a real life example in the second marriage
of Maulana Syed Sulayman Nadwi
207
to Salima
Khatun (I905-1986). When he married her in 1923,
he already had a son by his first wife, called Abu
Suhayl. Whenever Salima Khatun wrote a letter to
someone, instead of signing off with her own name,
she would write “mother of Abu Suhayl” in the
traditional style. Later she had four children of her
own, but there was no change in her attitude. She
continued to be “mother of Abu Suhayl.” Her own
son, Dr. Salman Nadwi,
208
is a famous personality,
but she never referred to herself as “mother of
Salman.” She was a deeply religious lady. She
outlived her husband by 34 years, but her old ways
did not change.
This trait was reflected in all aspects of her dealings.
Quite naturally she must have been very fond of her
own children, but she did not make it obvious. The
result was that Abu Suhayl got along well with his
step brothers and sisters as if they were his real
brothers and sisters. There was never any tension in
the family.
Ninety percent of domestic problems are
