Woman Between Islam and Western Society
11. Success in Marriage
~ 486 ~
We have a real life example in the second
marriage of Maulana Syed Sulayman Nadwi
2
to
Salima Khatun (1905-1986). 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,
3
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.
