Today I looked at myself in a mirror and thought for a second. Once I had asked God for one or two extra inches in height, but instead he made me as tall as the sky, so high that I could not measure myself. So I offered the hundred raakat nafl prayers that I had promised if I grew.
I love my God. I thank my Allah. I talk to him all day. He is the greatest. By giving me this height to reach people, he has also given me great responsibilities. Peace in every home, every street, every village, every country – this is my dream. Education for every boy and every girl in the world. To sit down on a chair and read my books with all my friends at school is my right. To see each and every human being with a smile of happiness is my wish.
I am Malala. My world has changed but I have not.
Glossary
aba – affectionate Pashto term, ‘father’
ANP – Awami National Party, Pashtun nationalist political party baba – affectionate term for grandfather or old man badal – revenge bhabi – affectionate Urdu term, literally ‘my brother’s wife’
bhai – affectionate Urdu term, literally ‘my brother’
chapati – unleavened flatbread made from flour and water dyna – open-backed van or truck FATA – Federally Administered Tribal Areas, region of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan governed under a system of indirect rule started in British times Hadith – saying or sayings of the Prophet, peace be upon him Haj – the pilgrimage to Mecca, one of the five pillars of Islam (along with the confession of faith, daily prayer, fasting during Ramadan and alms-giving), which every Muslim who can afford to should perform once in their lifetime haram – prohibited in Islam hujra – traditional Pashtun meeting place for men imam – local preacher IDP – internally displaced person ISI – Inter Services Intelligence, Pakistan’s biggest intelligence agency Jamaat-e-Islami – Party of Islam, Pakistan conservative party JUI – Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Assembly of Islamic clergy, Pakistan conservative political party closely linked to the Afghan Taliban which advocates strict enforcement of Islamic law jani – dear one jani mun – soulmate jihad – holy war or internal struggle jirga – tribal assembly khaista – handsome one khan – local lord
KPK – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, literally ‘Area of Pashtuns’, until 2010 called North-West Frontier Province, one of the four provinces of Pakistan lashkar – local militia LeT – Lashkar-e-Taiba, literally ‘Army of the Pure’, one of Pakistan’s oldest and most powerful militant groups, active in Kashmir and with close links to the ISI madrasa – school for Islamic instruction maulana, mufti – Islamic scholar mohalla – district MQM – Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Karachi-based party representing Muslims who fled India at Partition (1947) nang – honour PML – Pakistan Muslim League, conservative political party founded in 1962 as successor to the Muslim League, the only major party in Pakistan at Partition, which was banned in 1958 along with all other parties PPP – Pakistan People’s Party, centre-left party founded by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1967, later led by his daughter Benazir and currently co-chaired by her husband Asif Zardari and their son Bilawal Pashtunwali – traditional behavioural code of Pashtuns pir – hereditary saint pisho – cat purdah – (of women) segregation or seclusion, wearing the veil qaumi – national sabar – patience shalwar kamiz/salwar kamiz – traditional outfit of loose tunic and trousers worn by both men and women surah – chapter of the Holy Quran swara – practice of resolving a tribal feud by handing over a woman or young girl talib – religious student, but has come to mean member of Taliban militant group tapa/tapey (plural) – genre of Pashto folk poetry having two lines, the first line with nine syllables, the second with thirteen.
tarbur – literally ‘cousin’, but also ‘enemy’
TNSM – Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Sharia-e-Mohammadi, Movement for the Enforcement of Islamic Law, founded in 1992 by Sufi Mohammad, later taken over by his son-in-law Maulana Fazlullah, also known as as the Swat Taliban TTP – Tehrik-i-Taliban-Pakistan, Pakistan Taliban Umrah – lesser pilgrimage to Mecca which can be made at any time during the year
Acknowledgements
The last year has shown me both the extreme hatred of man and the limitless love of God. So many people have helped me that it would take a whole new book to name them all here, but I would like to thank everyone in Pakistan and all round the world who prayed for me, all the schoolchildren, students and other supporters who rose when I fell. I am grateful for every petal of the bouquets and every letter of the cards and messages.
I was very lucky to be born to a father who respected my freedom of thought and expression and made me part of his peace caravan, and a mother who not only encouraged me but my father too in our campaign for peace and education.