ACCORDING to a report in the 'Boston Globe', the daughter Chelsea of former US president Bill Clinton and current secretary of state Hillary Clinton is due to get married this summer (May 4).

The only offspring of the Clintons will be walking down the aisle with longtime suitor Marc Mezvinsky, who is the son of onetime Pennsylvania Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies - Mezvinsky and former Iowa Congressman Edward Mezvinsky.

Chelsea had met the Goldman Sachs investment banker through her parents and both of them had reportedly attended the Stanford University.

After reading the story I remembered that over a decade ago there was the news that the young lady had been reading about Islam and was said to be impressed by it. There even were rumours that she might become a Muslim. I don't know how far her study of the religion proceeded. The gentleman she is due to wed appears to be Jewish from his name.

Nevertheless, one does hope that in this era when the West and Islam appear to be on a collision course, her knowledge of and grounding in Islam would help a very important person like her, to help remove the misunderstanding between the two worlds and bring them together for the sake of global peace.

As had also been noted by Mr Obama during his election campaign, people all over the world have largely similar hopes, dreams and fears. One agrees wholeheartedly with that, based on one's personal experience gained from meeting people hailing from most parts of the world.

Through these columns I would also like to share with the Clintons in particular an anecdote that I have never shared with anyone before. During the time that I was studying at an American University many years ago, an unexpected financial crisis forced me to take up a job as a security officer in some organisation.

Soon enough I met this pretty and very good-natured American girl who happened to be named Hillary and was also working there. She was Christian while I was a Muslim. Apparently, we both developed a liking for each other. After some time I saw an American friend visit her, who appeared to be Jewish, was quite a decent person and seemingly in love with her. I felt no animosity towards him — like me, he was a loving person — and whomever Hillary chose would win her hand.

Since I believed in following my Islamic values, there was no attempt to get intimate with the girl, which could only happen after marriage. As luck would have it, I soon got posted out to another location by my employers, about which I told her. Our contact had thus far been restricted to office. Spontaneously, and for the first time, she said, “Maybe we can go out for dinner.” I thought to myself, “it seems she has finally decided in my favour, instead of the other fellow,” and was very pleased.

Anyway, to cut the story short, I lost contact with her after my transfer. However, the point of narrating this tale is to stress that Christians, Jews and Muslims can get along together if they really want to and are not burdened by prejudices. I would like to end this letter with prayers and good wishes for Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky for having a very happy married life. It's been said “Marriages are made in Heaven.” May theirs prove to be such a one. May they also be able to help bring peace and friendship to the world.

A PAKISTANI

Karachi