I read Irshad Manji's book "The Trouble With Islam" last year. I fell in love with it from the very first page and found it to be very realistic. For the first time, I read about someone who spoke my mind about Islam as it is practiced today.

Operation Ijtihad is what we (Muslim women) need to bring reform to Islam or, to be more precise, "practiced Islam." Islam gives rights to all creatures such as plants and animals, but women are crushed under "practiced Sharia law" in countries like Saudi Arabia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. (Now you know why I'm upset my son is there).

Bringing Ijtihad (independent thinking) to young Muslims is the only answer. Women were put on a pedestal during Prophet Mohammed's time (peace be upon him) starting from his wife (Khadijah) to his daughter (Fatima) and granddaughter (Zeyneb). No Muslim can deny that historical fact. If only young Muslim women can be reminded of such wonderful role models and helped to make connections to their lives now, we are sure to see a new age of Islam being born.

The young Muslim generation is the future and our only hope.

Some may hold Irshad Manji's sexual orientation against her. To me, Irshad is free to make her own choices in this life and the life after and that doesn't take away any of her faith. I would love to see how her call to Ijtihad will play out among Muslims, and in my native Iraq, too. I can't wait.

MAY KHEMILI

Clifton Park