Be a Woman Once, Oh Lord! (from Heart Lamp) by Banu Mushtaq (2025): A Review

Title: ‌‌Be a Woman Once, Oh Lord! (from Heart Lamp)

Author: Banu Mushtaq

Publication Year: 2025

Pages: 10

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre: Domestic Fiction, Biographical Fiction

Source: Ebook @everand_us

Warning: Spoiler Alert


This is the final and most impactful story in this collection. It features an angry letter written by a poor wife to God, questioning the reasons behind His creation. Her story is heart-wrenching from beginning to end. Although she does not openly protest, she ultimately voices her frustration against the One who created the world as it is, being the primary reason for all the injustice and suffering in women's lives. She embodies the voice of all women who dare, or do not dare, to question the rationale behind their oppression. She represents all the silent and oppressed individuals. The concluding sentence encapsulates all her anger towards God: “If you were to build the world again, to create males and females anew, do not be like an inexperienced potter. Come to earth as a woman, Prabhu! Be a woman once, oh Lord!”


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