October 9, 2012, Mingora, northern Pakistan:
A fifteen-year-old girl was suddenly shot and collapsed on the road.
The girl was on a bus talking with friends about their upcoming exams. Then a black shadow approached the girl, and gunshots rang out, shaking the whole bus.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three rounds pierced the girl’s forehead, neck and shoulder, and the girl fell unconscious on the spot. It was the Taliban who shot the girl.
A statement issued by the Taliban when the girl was on the verge of death ―
“Whoever raises a voice against us will be dealt with in the same way.”
The Taliban is an Islamic extremist terrorist group operating in Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. Following extreme legalism, the Taliban have deprived girls of their right to education. Fearing that educated women would insist on the rule of law over power and peace over violence, they bombed girls’ schools, guarded the alleys with guns, and watched girls and women.
Action: Magic that Creates Miracles
The girl targeted by the Taliban was Malala Yousafzai.
In her youth Malala had always feared the Taliban. Sharp gunshots that shake the night, corpses strewn on the streets, and the oppression and violence of the Taliban that terrify the populace.
Then one day Malala recalled the story “The Magic Pencil” she had seen on TV as a child.
It was a miraculous tale in which words written with a magic pencil came true.
“Even if I don’t have a magic pencil, I can still work miracles by writing.”
January 2009:
Malala at age 11, began documenting the lifestyle and activities of the Taliban on the BBC’s Urdu-language blog under the pseudonym “Gul Makai.”
Taliban are the Most Blameworthy in the World!
Sunday, January 4th: Today is a holiday, so I slept late, and woke around 10 a.m. I heard my father talk about three more corpses found lying on the Green Chowk [town square]. I felt so bad when I heard this news. Wednesday, January 14th: From today we may not be able to return to school. I felt pretty lousy today. Winter vacation starts tomorrow, and the principal announced the start of vacation, but he didn't mention when we'll be able to return to school. It's the first time this has ever happened. ― Excerpts from Malala's diary.
Via online, the inhumane plight of Pakistani girls has quickly spread around the world.
Malala’s story became big news on BBC and a documentary featured in New York Times.
Then Malala gathered more courage to go out on the streets.
“Human rights for girls and women! The right to study at school!”
And countless Pakistani citizens began to follow her. Despite being attacked by the Taliban armed with guns, the courage of one girl called on citizens to take even greater courage.
The Taliban, which had been suppressing women’s education by shouting out religious ordinances, could not stand by idly in the face of Malala’s actions.
“We have to put that girl out of action for good!”
And so the shooting was carried out.
Muslims and people around the world were outraged at the Taliban’s actions in violating the Islamic proscription on killing women and children.
The Beautiful Revenge that Malala Vowed
Malala, suffering severe gunshot wounds, miraculously survived with the help of the international community.
What she said after regaining consciousness:
“They shot me because they are afraid of women receiving an education.”
Malala, who had regained consciousness, cried out in an even more strident voice:
“I do not hate the Talib who shot me.”
“Even if there was a gun in my hand, and he was standing in front of me, I would not shoot him.”
“And we shall provide quality education to the children of the Taliban. Namely that shall be my revenge.”
This revenge is the compassion I learned from Muhammad, the compassion I learned from Jesus and the Buddha, and the philosophy of non-violence I learned from Gandhi, Badsha Khan and Mother Teresa.
Malala Becomes an Icon of the Women’s Rights Movement
At the United Nations Headquarters in New York, July 12, 2013, 16-year-old Malala began speaking at the UN Conference Hall.
“Please let us hold the book and pen. Books and pens are the most powerful weapons in the world. One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.”
And a year later, the eyes of the world turned to 17-year-old Malala, who was taking classes at a girls’ school in Birmingham, England. Because she was the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in history.
“Despite her young age, Malala Yousafzai has already championed girls’ right to education for many years, demonstrating that children and young people can also contribute to improving their situation. She did so in the most dangerous situations. Through her heroic struggle, Malala became a leading advocate fighting for girls’ right to education.”
Her courage and conviction to stand up to injustice and violence without remaining silent have touched the whole world.
Currently, Malala runs a non-profit organization called the “Malala Fund” to support education activists around the world and to provide free education for children throughout the world.
Malala is now an icon of the women’s rights movement.
