HARIPUR: Launching ceremony of Prof Abdul Muhaiman’s book “Baat Shanasai Ki” was held at a private school here the other day. The author dedicated his book to women.

District Police Officer Shafiullah Khan Gandapur was guest of honor while Ms Fozia Taj, Commandant Prison Academy Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, presided over the ceremony. Members of academia, civil society organisations and government officials were in attendance on this occasion.

Sharing the introduction of his fifth Urdu book, Dr Muhaiman, a professor of Islamic Studies at University of Haripur, said that he borrowed the title from the famous verse of late poet Parveen Shakir “Koo bakoo phail gaee baat shanasaee ki-Us ne khushbu ki traha meri pazeerai ki” and utilised his research-based intellectual efforts to elucidate the true status of a woman in the purview of teachings of last Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and Quran.

He said, “I dedicated my efforts to clarifying the true status of a women, who are frequently and unjustly portrayed as naqs-ul-aqal (intellectually deficient) and inherently flawed through the metaphor of the “crooked rib (tehri pasli).”

Despite the fact the society acknowledges the woman’s lap as the first school for a child, how can a woman with bent rib and deficient intellect could take the role and responsibility of being the first teacher with moral grooming of her child, he questioned.

In fact, we have never tried to enlighten the society about the true and complete message of teachings of the last Prophet (PBUH) and Quran, Dr Muhaiman said, adding that through his book he tried to dispel the impression that a woman was unwise and a product of crooked rib and advocated for the true status of a woman as the first school for a child and centre for moral training.

Ms Fozia Taj, commandant Prison Academy KP, and DPO Haripur Shafiullah Khan Gandapur were among those who shared their views about the book and the role of a woman in shaping the future of societies.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2026