A good father benefits Afghan women. Afghan girls want good fathers who will not be cruel and beat them and force them to marry at a young age. A good father won’t force them to stay at home, prevent her from school, university, or even attend a Masjid. A good father will do everything to make his family happy and to give the family a blessed life so he can feel proud about his children and lovely wife.

A good father will encourage his daughters to study, continue their education, and he will teach them a true meaning of life. Life isn’t just marriage. It is about many other achievements such as education and career.

Once I had such a father, a good father and the best father in the world. He encouraged me to go to school, even kindergarten, though I was little at the time. He helped my older sister attend the best university in the city. She improved her English, and became the best student in her class. If it weren’t for the help of my father, she wouldn’t have been able to be successful.

My father used to show his love to his girls even more than his boys. Most Afghan fathers love their sons more and they will do everything to make them successful, but don’t care about their daughters. My father was different. He celebrated all of my birthdays. Whatever I asked for, he would give to me and try his best to help me accomplish my dreams.

My father had the best smile. I called him Padar Jan. Father. He would reply Bale, dukhtarum. Yes, my daughter. I remember how he laughed at my silly jokes. He would send me to buy bread for breakfast and would always give me more money and tell me to keep the change. He always knew what made me happy.

Now I no longer have a father. He has gone, but left a mark on his children’s hearts. I only can pray for him. I pray to Allah that his soul rests in peace and I pray that all fathers of the world will be a hero to their daughters like my father was to his daughters.

By Sveto

Photo courtesy Corner Islam