Malala's Muslim Faith: A Voice Of Islam For The Next Generation

[cbayer]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/10/malala-faith-islam-next-generation_n_4072645.html?utm_hp_ref=religion

By Yasmine Hafiz
Posted: 10/10/2013 11:09 am EDT | Updated: 10/10/2013 4:34 pm EDT



Malala Yousufzai was shot by the Taliban for standing up for the education of girls and has electrified the world with her determination and courage in the face of ignorance and hate.

She's also the voice of Islam's next generation of moderate Muslims.

Though only 16 years old, the charismatic teenager fearlessly articulates how her faith grounds her and gives her the courage to back up her views on peace and the importance of education. Her father is a teacher and outspoken activist for education, as well as a devout Muslim who opposes the Taliban's narrow-minded interpretation of Islam.

Malala presents an alternate narrative to the hijacking of Islam by the Taliban; using the Muslim faith as a framework to argue for the importance of education rather than making Islam a justification for oppression. She doesn't hesitate to directly challenge the Taliban, saying in a speech to the UN, "They think that God is a tiny, little conservative being who would send girls to the hell just because of going to school. The terrorists are misusing the name of Islam and Pashtun society for their own personal benefits."

more at link

[Swede Atlanta]

1. Unfortunately for her....

I predict she will be dead before her 18th birthday.

The men of Afghanistan don't take kindly to anyone, let alone a woman, challenging their power and the shame of having a small unit.

I truly believe if she remains in her native country she will be hunted down and killed by these bastards. I hope that is not the case but I believe her days are numbered.

[cbayer]

2. I hope you are wrong. I've heard she is on the short list for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.

If the world has a vested interest in keeping her safe, we will find a way to do it.

[Autumn Colors]

3. She's from Pakistan, not Afghanistan (nt)

[Act_of_Reparation]

4. In the interest of truth, you are correct.

Practically, I don't see how that would help her chances should she decide to return.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Not only is she from Pakistan, she's been in Britain for a year

The girl from Swat has gone global, but she still believes she can and will return home to Pakistan. Few would advise her to do that anytime soon. There are still fears for her security and also criticism that she attracts too much attention, especially in the West.

But she seems sanguine about any criticism. "It's their right to express their feelings, and it's my right to say what I want," she says. "I want to do something for education, that's my only desire."

The danger for Malala is that the more time she spends away from Pakistan, the less she will be seen at home as a true Pakistani, and the more she will be identified with the West. But she has little time for distinctions between East and West.

"Education is education," she says. "If I am learning to be a doctor would there be an eastern stethoscope or a western stethoscope, would there be an eastern thermometer or a western thermometer?"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-24379018

[MellowDem]

6. It's a step in the right direction...

Moderating Islam means ignoring the nasty parts of the book. That will only get you so far, and leaves a lot of baggage.

Islam hasn't been hijacked, it has been interpreted in thousands of ways, some quite nasty, and not at all surprising given some of the terrible morals presented in the Koran. A vengeful, tyrannical and genocidal god can be moderated only so much, but people will eventually wonder why they are believing it at all.