I am Malala

Chapter 6

As the school attracts more students, Malala’s family moves again and is able to afford a television.

Malala recounts how her interest in politics started when she was young, and that she was mostly concerned with the politics of the everyday life she saw around her, particularly about helping the street children.

Malala notices some children rummaging through the rubbish and begs her father to give them free entrance to the school. Her father does provide free tuition to some students but explains the hard truth to Malala that the children at the rubbish dump were considered breadwinners for their homes. Ziauddin continues to devote himself to causes such as drawing attention to corrupt government, promoting free education and peace, and also writing poetry about controversial topics including honour killings and women’s rights.

After 9/11, the Pashtuns were caught in a precarious situation. On the one hand, the Taliban were destroying girls’ schools in Afghanistan, while on the other hand, the Americans were bombing the Taliban, and being aided by Pakistan. Malala clarifies that while many religious people saw Osama bin Laden as a hero, the Quran expressly states that it is wrong to kill. Her devotion to God is displayed in her writing God a letter interceding for his help.

Chapter 6 Quotes

The girl had a big sack and was sorting rubbish into piles, one for cans, one for bottle tops, another for glass and another for paper. Nearby there were boys fishing in the pile for metal using magnets on strings. Chapter 6

Though my mother was not educated, she was the practical one in the family, the doer while my father was the talker. Chapter 6

He tried to explain that those children were breadwinners so if they went to school, even for free, the whole family would go hungry. Chapter 6

From an early age I was interested in politics and sat on my father’s knee listening to everything he and his friends discussed. Chapter 6

But I was more concerned with matters closer to home – our own street to be exact. I told my friends at school about the rubbish-dump children and that we should help. Chapter 6

‘We can sit by and hope the government will help but they won’t. If I can help support one or two children and another family supports one or two then between us we can help them all.’ (Malala) Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Ziauddin’s father school experiences conflict in the form of Ghulamullah, a mufti (religious scholar and authority on Islamic law) regarding the school. The mufti has been watching the girls entering and exiting the school, which Ziauddin views as foreboding. Ghulamullah approaches the property owner of the school with accusations that Ziauddin is running a forbidden school for girls, but the owner refuses to close the school down and instead warns Ziauddin to watch out for the mufti.

Malala describes how Pakistan, the world’s first Muslim homeland, whose founder, Jinnah, expounded tolerance, in reality began with bloodshed. Many lives were lost as Hindus fled from the newly-formed Pakistan into India, and when Muslims fled in the opposite direction. Malala articulates the difference between Sunnis and Shias, who share the same fundamental beliefs and Quran teachings but who disagree over who the leader of Islam should have been when the Prophet Muhammad died in the 7th century. Sunnis (who make up the majority of Pakistanis) believe the leader should ‘follow in the traditions of the Prophet’ while Shias feel the leadership should have stayed in the family and transferred to the Prophet’s son.

Ghulamullah, the mufti, brings a delegation to the school to demand Ziauddin close it down, and a compromise is reached whereby the girls would enter by another way so they would not be seen by the men in the reception area.

Malala continues with a narration of Pakistan and the ‘modern enlightenment’ General Musharraf initially introduced: opening up media, the celebration of Western holidays, abolishing the archaic law of witnesses to rape, and appointing females to top jobs. However, in the more conservative Swat area, a ‘controlled democracy’ was introduced and things were different: CD and DVD shops were banned, and women were made to cover their heads. The situation becomes further heightened when a US bomb is dropped on a Pashtun area, where Al-Qaeda militants are thought to be taking refuge, and Musharraf sends in the army. Several more attacks by drone take place, causing considerable loss of life to innocent civilians. Fearing the conflict will soon arrive at the Swat Valley, Ziauddin tries to band together the local elders and leaders for a peace conference, but is ridiculed.

Chapter 7 Quotes

‘You are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship in this State of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed – that has nothing to do with the business of the state.’ (Jinnah) Chapter 7

… we were not at war with the Americans and were shocked that they would launch attacks from the sky on our soil. Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Malala recounts the day a 7.6 Richter scale earthquake hit the Swat Valley which caused minimal destruction in Malala’s town of Mingora but was widespread in the northern areas of Pakistan, killing 73,000 people. Malala’s family raised money and donations for their relatives and rescue efforts were assisted by Islamic charities as well as the Americans who were already in Afghanistan. Many orphaned children were taken in by an Islamic group, who taught the Quran but discounted science, literature and the existence of dinosaurs or that man had been to the moon. Other Islamic scholars predicted the earthquake had been God’s judgment and advocated for Shariat or Islamic law to be introduced.

Chapter 8 Quotes

Mullahs … preached that the earthquake was a warning from God. If we did not mend our ways and introduce shariat or Islamic law … more severe punishment would come. Chapter 8

Chapter 9

The next few chapters are highly political, with the Malala describing how the Taliban entered her area when she was 10. Their leader, Maulana Fazlullah, introduced himself as an Islamic reformer and interpreter of the Quran and began preaching on a radio station to which Malala’s family listened. At first, the preaching was reasonable, but it soon devolved into spreading ignorance, denouncing music, watching movies and dancing as sinful and responsible for the earthquake, and restricting the role of women, which Malala points out contradicts the Quran. People begin to follow Fazlullah’s words, throwing away their DVDs, CDs and TVs.

Fazlullah builds a large headquarters and each village is required to send men to help. One of Ziauddin’s teachers is sent and upon return refuses to teach girls, arguing women should teach girls. Ziauddin agrees but points out that girls first need an education in order to be able to teach. A kind of police state ensues, and Ziauddin receives a threatening letter to shut down the school.

Chapter 9 Quotes

These were strange-looking men with long straggly hair and beards and camouflage vests over their shalwar kamiz, which they wore with the trousers well above the ankle. (the Taliban) Chapter 9

‘It’s ridiculous,’ my father would say, ‘that this so-called scholar is spreading ignorance.’ (Ziauddin, on Fazlullah) Chapter 9

Mullahs often misinterpret the Quran and Hadith when they teach them in our country as few people understand the original Arabic. Fazlullah exploited this ignorance. Chapter 9

‘This is how these militants work. They … first see what the local problems are and target those responsible, and that way they get the support of the silent majority. … After, when they get power, they behave like the criminals they once hunted down.’ (Hidayatullah, to Ziauddin) Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Malala begins to outline the oppression of living under Taliban occupation, which extended to the destruction of Buddhist relics and taking ownership of history. They took over villages and moved into Islamabad, the nation’s capital, where they used girls trained in religious schools to terrorise other women, and eventually declared war on Pakistan’s government.

The political situation sharply escalates when Benazir Bhutto returns from exile in what the US hoped would be a power-sharing government with Musharraf. She survived an assassination attempt by militants which killed 150 people. The Taliban take over the Swat Valley, using suicide bombers to kill masses, and a curfew is imposed on the residents. Musharraf sends in 10,000 more troops but this does not drive the Taliban away, more militant groups form and Bhutto is again targeted for assassination and this time is killed.

When Malala becomes confused by the Islamic doctrines that are being preached, Ziauddin directs her to follow only the literal words of the Quran as spoken by the mullahs, not the mullahs’ explanations.

Chapter 10 Quotes

First the Taliban took our music, then our Buddhas, then our history. Chapter 10

We felt like the Taliban saw us as little dolls to control, telling us what to do and how to dress. I thought if God wanted us to be like that He wouldn’t have made us all different. Chapter 10

All this happened and no one did a thing. Chapter 10

When it suits the Taliban, women can be vocal and visible. Chapter 10

‘But you just use him to learn the literal meaning of the words; don’t follow his explanations and interpretation. Only learn what God says. His words are divine messages, which you are free and independent to interpret.’ (Ziauddin to Malala) Chapter 10