Anita Rai. In this book she pays homage to ‘the two most remarkable women the world will ever know’. For the last five years she has been intellectually and emotionally moved to study, compare, comprehend and appreciate the fundamentals and essence of Islam.

Her interest in Islam was triggered off by a sequence of deeply spiritual and thought provoking dreams in which she has been blessed by the recurring appearances of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh& his holy progeny), Imam Ali (AS), Lady Fatima Zahra (SA), Imam Hussain (AS), and Lady Zaynab (SA).

Miss Rai started writing two books simultaneously – An Affair of the Heart and The Essential Woman. But she arranged for the latter to come out first. In her own words, “My heart knew that Muhammad would be nothing, but pleased with my decision to write the book meant as a dedication to these two women, only to be followed by the other, in dedication to his gracious self.”

The Essential Woman is a triumphant work written in masterly prose and with powerful motivation that would reacquaint women with their forgotten essence.

Rai writes, ‘Throughout the history recorded by human prejudice and humane flaws, we have had to look hard to find female role models who made an impressive dent in the contours of the world. It is not so much that history has been unable to produce exemplary women…but they have been so slimly recognised or remembered.’ Hence, Rai goes in search of incredibly outstanding women who have been ‘slimly recognised or remembered’ by the international media.

Rai says, “I was simply overtaken by the two most remarkable women the world will ever know.” In the first chapter called, An Ode to Man’s Inspiration, she writes, ‘I feel deep sorrow for those of my sex who have been bound and are still being bound by fetters… And this makes me even more thankful to the Lord Almighty that although, I did not escape my share of discouragement, deprecation, discrimination, betrayal and other related depressant situations inevitable in any society and the Hindu brahmanical society is no different, today I am what I have always wanted to be…It has been a long and hard up-hill climb. I am not saying I have reached my destination, but I have found my way and I am pursuing it with everything I have. I hope it is worth the tears, the heartache, the difficulties and the struggle. But when I think of this woman, who was chained and fettered by a so very cruel nation and in a so very unfortunate age, I feel devastated.’

And she put down her delightful and poignant findings, in the form of her book The Essential Woman.

Miss Rai has decided to distribute copies of The Essential Woman free of charge as a tribute to Lady Fatima Zahra (SA) and Lady Zaynab (SA). 21500 copies have already been sent out. To receive a free copy of The Essential Woman, please send your requests to Miss Rai anita@anitarai.com, anita_rai14@yahoo.com.