Princess Sultana's Daughters

trembled as I struggled to control my
laughter. Giving up the charade of parental guidance, I held my
daughter in my arms and roared uncontrollably.
    For the first time in her life, Amani
exhibited traits that led me to hope she was a child born of my
body after all.
    I know now that I should have scolded my
child for a deed that would have caused Ali a heart attack had he
known the truth, but I could barely control my glee. When I
laughingly confided the story to Kareem, he had such a look of
sheer horror at my amusement, that I knew my husband feared for the
sanity of his loved ones.
    Kareem’s patience snapped at my revelation.
Seething with Muslim anger at the prank and disturbed by Amani’s
preoccupation with animals, he declared that the large number of
animals in our home was ruining his life, and he insisted that we
sit down with our daughter and have a frank discussion about her
apparent obsession.
    Before I could respond, my husband spoke into
the house intercom and instructed Amani to come into our living
quarters immediately.
    Together, Kareem and I waited for Amani in
the sitting area that is attached to our master bedroom.
    Amani’s black eyes sparkled with interest as
she swept with sprightly grace into the room.
    Before I could diffuse the situation, Kareem
bluntly asked, “Amani, tell me, what is your object in life?”
    Amani, with childlike serenity, replied
without hesitation, “To save all the animals from man.”
    “Saving animals is nothing more than a
pampered passion of rich Europeans and Americans,” Kareem angrily
responded. He looked at me as if I were to blame and said,
“Sultana, I thought your child would be more intelligent.”
    Amani’s eyes began to tear, and she asked to
leave the room.
    Uncomfortable with female tears, my husband
thought better of his sarcastic tactics. Kareem tempered his
approach and spoke with perfect seriousness. “And, Amani, after you
save all the animals, of what consequence will you be to yourself,
or to your family?”
    Amani squeezed her lips together and looked
off into space. Without responding, she gradually came back into
our world. Unable to formulate her thoughts, she looked at her
father and shrugged her shoulders.
    Remaining wisely uncritical of her great love
of animals, Kareem clarified the need for greater purpose in human
life, to create and inspire those of our own kind. He reminded
Amani that she could perform good deeds for four-legged beasts
while still influencing civilization. He added, “Advancing
civilization is the responsibility of those who are mistreated in a
society, for only out of discontent with imperfection does mankind
seek to better the society in which he lives.”
    Amani scoffed at his message. She raised her
voice and asked her father the obvious question, “In Saudi Arabia?
What can a female do that will make a difference in this
country?”
    My daughter looked at me and waited for my
expected agreement.
    Just as I was about to argue with Kareem, he
interrupted me and, to my astonishment, pointed me out to our
daughter and said that I, as an unheard female in Saudi Arabia, had
not reconciled myself to the life of a royal idler, but that I had
become educated and was utilizing my knowledge to further women’s
causes. He continued by saying that one day women’s roles would
develop, and our influence would be felt outside the home.
    Dumbfounded at Kareem’s words, I could add
little to the conversation. Never before had my husband
acknowledged the righteousness of my vision of freedom for
women.
    After a discussion of more than an hour,
Amani promised her father that she would look beyond her furry
friends and find a second, equally challenging purpose in her
life.
    As affectionate a child as ever lived, Amani
kissed each of us good night, and said that she had much thinking
to do. As she was closing our bedroom door, she turned back and,
giving us a wonderful smile, said, “I love you, Dada, and, Mummy,
you too,” bringing back to mind the innocent girl our youngest
daughter still was.
    Thrilled at what he declared a huge success,
Kareem held me in his arms and spoke of his dreams for his
daughters, as well as his son, saying that if it were up to him,
“All the ridiculous restrictions placed upon the heads of women
would disappear, just like magic.” Kareem snapped his fingers in
the air and gave me a tender look.
    Cynically I thought that there is nothing
like a beloved daughter to induce a man to