"We have no links with them anymore. They feel bad because I have been accused of insulting Islam. After our marriage, my father told me not to even call again. But I try calling them. I want to make up with them somehow," she says.

"I don't regret what I did," she adds, "The incident has given me a lot of confidence. I got a lot of good friends because of it. Many, many strangers came forward to help."

But with the offers of help, there also came mails of hate. Even now, Tasni, Nassar, Jabbar and Fousiya together get at least 10 of such every day. From all over Kerala and from Keralites settled in the Gulf. Some of them are mild and chiding, some, backed with voluminous quotes from the Quran, attempt to explain the 'wrong' they have done, while a third are downright crude and abusive.

A particularly major irritant to the fundamentalists was the letters that Tasni wrote Nassar. In them, they addressed each other as Adityan and Radha. The names were borrowed from Malayalam novelist N Mukundan's Adityanum, Radhayum, mattuchilarum (Adityan, Radha and some others).

"We wanted to have as deep and unselfish a friendship as the main characters of that novel had. Unfortunately the Muslim media looked on it with communal colours. They wrote this was part of our becoming Hindus," says Nassar.

The affair has stalled Tasni's studies; she couldn't give her final year exams. "I want to do my post graduation in journalism. That is the profession I like best. There are a lot of women around me. They go through life bearing a lot. Because of lack of education, because of lack of independence. I want to dedicate my activities for them. I want a job that will help me do that.

"A journalist can do a lot for the society. You can influence the mentality of many people. It's one job I would love to have," she says.

And Nassar? "I want to do what I can for society. I want to support Tasni, help her achieve her goals. Even our marriage was for that. If they had let Tasni give a complaint, none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have married her, you wouldn't be here interviewing us..."

Neither Tasni nor Nassar are sure how long the threats will continue. What they are praying for is that people forget them soon.

"But Muslim psychology won't let that happen," says Nassar, "Have they forgotten Salman Rushdie?"

"Once they label you as the enemy of the religion, they won't forget you," adds Jabbar, "But may be another issue will come and cloud this..."

May be. But Tasni's statement is not the kind that should be forgotten. Hers was not a fight between two individuals. It was between two ideas. One good and the other inarguably evil.

The jihad within
Back to the series home.

Tuesday, April 27, 1999
Palathody Abdul Rasheed, ostracised for learning a 'Hindu' dance form, believes "Kathakali doesn't have religion. It isn't Hindu or Muslim or Christian."

Thursday, April 29, 1999
V P Suhara is feminist and crusader for the rights of Muslim women. Completely bereft of ideology and dogma, she only has personal conviction. "Can you show me where the Quran allows a man to divorce his wife at will?" she demands.