Malala Yousafzai's life journey is a testimony to the transformative impact of education. Starting as a student at her father's school, she endured a Taliban attack on her life and went on to become a 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a 2021 Oxford graduate.
She started the "Malala Fund" to champion universally accessible education and support its advocates worldwide. Her inspiring story shows how a single voice can shake the world, much like the heroic Malala of Maiwand, a symbol of courage and resilience for Afghanistan and Pashtun fighters, whom Malala's dad chose to name his daughter after. In her book "I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban," she shares her story in the form of an autobiography, along with historical notes that highlight the destructive power of illiteracy and ignorance. Enjoy the most expressive quotes by Malala Yousafzai that reflect her life mission to make education an inalienable human right for young boys and girls.
A true activism star from the Swat Valley
As a Pakistani activist, Malala Yousafzai stands up for every child's right to education, especially girls. Her book "I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban" embodies a profound and instructive literary piece that sheds light on the historical roots of the modern-day struggles of Pakistan to secure at least fundamental human rights for its people.
With the active information support of the BBC (Malala used to write for them under the pen name Gul Makai), this brave schoolgirl rose to international fame, growing up with a remarkable sense of duty before her home country. It is perfectly captured in one of her most famous quotes:
"If people were silent, nothing would change."
While turning pages, readers can feel the author's passion to make education an unrestricted right. A growing Taliban power banned education for female students in the early 2000s. Nonetheless, as Malala said during her 16th birthday speech at the United Nations, her determination to serve the people of Pakistan is stronger than ever:
"In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan, terrorism, wars, and conflicts stop children to go to their schools. We are really tired of these wars... Pashtuns want education for their daughters and sons."
"We realize the importance of light when we see darkness... In the same way, when we were in Swat, the north of Pakistan, we realized the importance of pens and books when we saw the guns...Dear brothers and sisters, we want schools and education for every child’s bright future. We will continue our journey to our destination of peace and education."
It might be a notorious place for others, but for her, it is the most beautiful country in the world.
Unlock your potential with Malala's favorite quote
One of the most tragic themes discussed in "I Am Malala" is how dangerous it is to stay uneducated. Ignorance leaves individuals vulnerable to manipulations in political and religious power struggles, which seek to establish the authority of terrorist leaders rather than build a free society. Therefore, the author strives to inspire people to recognize their innate potential to learn and fight for a better future:
"We human beings don't realize how great God is. He has given us an extraordinary brain and a sensitive, loving heart. He has blessed us with two lips to talk and express our feelings, two eyes that see a world of colors and beauty, two feet that walk on the road of life, two hands to work for us, and two ears to hear the words of love. As I found with my ear, no one knows how much power they have in each and every organ until they lose one."
Let these words sink in and boost our confidence to take action towards making a positive impact.
Remarkable quotes from "I Am Malala": Beauty of the word
Some of Malala Yousafzai's quotes are incomparable in their literary beauty. Most of these lines are used in conversations with Malala's mother or father. Sometimes, they are a reflection of the richness of her wit, her analytical take on the Pakistani authorities, and simply her inner world:
"Don't kill doves in the garden. You kill one, and the others won't come."
"When you start your journey from the end of a snake's tail,/ You will end up on its head in an ocean of poison."
"I truly believe the only way we can create global peace is through not only educating our minds, but our hearts and our souls."
Malala on overcoming challenges
One of the stories that Malala shares in her books is how those who try to rule with force and fear use classic tactics of rewriting or reframing history. The leaders shaping the new state of Pakistan, whose history starts after India gained independence from Great Britain, also tried to make it look like the country had been there much longer and rose to sovereignty through an unimaginably complex and sorrowful string of events.
At some point, Malala even started to doubt whether it was right for Pakistan to separate from India, as it ignited all those endless conflicts between Hindus and Muslims, as well as the Muhajir people and Pashtuns, and various Islam branches:
"If Christians, Hindus, or Jews are really our enemies, as so many say, why are we Muslims fighting with each other?"
"Our people have become misguided. They think their greatest concern is defending Islam and are being led astray by those like the Taliban. We should focus on practical issues. We have so many people in our country who are illiterate. And many women have no education at all."
Yet, all challenges, though tough to get through, if faced with perseverance, might eventually shape an aspiring activist into a stronger character fighting for a greater cause:
"She had to overcome a lot of obstacles to get where she was going, and I thought if you want to achieve a goal, there will be hurdles in your way, but you must continue."
Thus, we should always keep our inspiration to learn and believe in the weight of every single effort, big or small.
The Yousafzai family on education and bravery
Malala Yousafzai and her father, Ziauddin Yousafzai, emphasize that education is of utmost importance, even to the point of being a matter of life or death. Malala has talked about the power of General Zia ul-Haq's "jihad against infidels" during the Soviet-Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Her father even adopted the name "Ziauddin Panjpiri" and was prepared to become a suicide bomber if required, such was the strength of the brainwashing. However, his natural curiosity and his daughter's influence made him resist the ultra-religious and political indoctrination and instead seek knowledge. This is why Malala believes that education and bravery are the keys to overcoming the challenges posed by extremist forces:
"So let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty, and terrorism."
"Life isn't just about taking in oxygen and giving out carbon dioxide. You can stay there accepting everything from the Taliban, or you can make a stand against them."
“Ignorance allowed politicians to fool people and bad administrators to be re-elected.”
"At night our fear is strong. But in the morning, in the light, we find our courage again."
"I told myself, Malala, you have already faced death. This is your second life. Don't be afraid - if you are afraid, you can't move forward."
"We were scared, but our fear was not as strong as our courage."
As we can see, the youngest Nobel Prize laureate strongly believes that education and bravery are the keys to overcoming the challenges posed by extremist forces. She emphasizes that ignorance and fear can never lead to progress, and education is the only way to combat them. Malala's bravery in standing up for the right to education has inspired many to follow in her footsteps, as it is only through education and bravery that we can defeat the darkness and create a brighter future for all.
Malala's powerful insights on women's empowerment and feminism
Malala fearlessly advocates for the empowerment of girls and women both in Pakistan and worldwide. Having survived an attack by the Taliban in the Swat Valley, she uses every opportunity to draw attention to the severity of their situation:
"If one man can destroy everything, why can't one girl change it?"
"In Pakistan, when women say they want independence, people think this means we don't want to obey our fathers, brothers, or husbands. But it does not mean that. It means we want to make decisions for ourselves."
She boldly speaks out wherever possible, including in the UK, Western Europe, and the USA.
"No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men."
"We want to be free to go to school or to go to work. Nowhere is it written in the Quran that a woman should be dependent on a man."
"I don't want to be thought of as the "girl who was shot by the Taliban" but the "girl who fought for education." This is the cause to which I want to devote my life."
"I Am Malala" take on how important education is
Throughout the book, the reader traces a silver lining: Malala's evident love for her parents, especially her dad, her "comrade in arms". She mentions how stressed he was during his childhood, suffering because his own father underappreciated him as he used to stutter and mess up his handwriting. Yet, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner humbly highlights that Ziauddin Yousafzai was nevertheless given the most essential thing that will determine his entire life: modern education, including studying foreign languages.
"Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human."
“Today we all know education is our basic right. God wants us to have knowledge. He wants us to know why the sky is blue and about oceans and stars. I know it's a big struggle."
"The most important gift - the gift of education."
"Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path to follow."
"There are two powers in this world: one is the sword, and the other is the pen."
Malala's unwavering commitment to standing up for what's right
Apparently, in every struggle, including one for the girl's education, some of the most powerful weapons are personal courage and a сontinuous desire to learn, never succumbing to physical or psychological pressure. This is what Malala doesn't stop to demonstrate by her own example:
"They were taking the threats seriously. I don't know why, but hearing I was being targeted did not worry me. It seemed to me that everyone knows they will die one day. My feeling was that nobody could stop death; it doesn't matter if it comes from a Talib or cancer. So I should do whatever I want to do."
"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."
"Let us pick up our books and our pens. They are our most powerful weapons."
Malala on the impact of a single voice and following your dreams
Malala dedicates her book "to all girls who have faced injustice and been silenced," promising that "together they will be heard." Some of the most inspiring quotes from her book highlight the power of a single voice, which, if it doesn't grow weak due to resistance, eventually joins other voices and grows into a loud choir:
"When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful."
"We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced."
"One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world."
"Malala will be free as a bird. I dreamed of going to the top of Mount Elum like Alexander the Great to touch Jupiter and even beyond the valley."
"My father turned his weakness into strength."
"Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow's reality."
"We must tell girls their voices are important."
The Nobel laureate wanted everyone to remember that all great achievements began with a single person who had the courage to speak up and follow through with their vision.
An enduring promise of Malala Yousafzai's mission
In the 10th anniversary edition of "I Am Malala," published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson, some of the appraisals of the book call Malala a person with the heart of a lioness, a brave young girl in an unsafe country. Overall, the author persistently demonstrates a determination not to let circumstances that only trigger fears make her give up. Her life mission still has a long way to go: to see Pakistan and an entire world free from Talib and extremists like them who cut democratic tendencies at their roots:
"The Taliban became the enemy of fine arts, culture, and our history."
"Thousands and millions of people and children around the world had supported me and prayed for me. Then I realized that people had saved my life. I had been spared for a reason."
"To see each and every human being with a smile of happiness is my wish."
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate uses all available platforms to promote her cause.
More encouraging books on Headway
If you're looking for more inspiring books on personal activism, like "I Am Malala," Headway has got you covered. Do you want to feel motivated and uplifted to study and act? Check out our selection of encouraging reads that inspire social change, like "The Promise of Pencil" by Adam Braun and "Half the Sky" by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. Discover the power of continuous education and unlock your full potential with Headway as an activist making this world a kinder and more inclusive place.
