Personal Integration of Prayer
2013 Personalities - New Pope and a 16 Year-old Muslim Girl
Different Faith Perspectives, Same Life Priority
Different Faith Perspectives, Same Life Priority
Malala Yousafzai, lived in the Swat Valley, a region in the north-west of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan, and heavily controlled by Islamic militant Taliban. Her mother had no formal education and her father was a school principal. Both parents were devout Muslims.
While Malala was yet but a young teenager she was passionate and vocal about the rights of girls to have access to education. In this cause, she spoke at rallies and blogged on the internet. The Taliban were strongly opposed to education for girls, branding it as Western and un-Islamic. On 9 October 2012, Malala almost paid the ultimate price as she sat in the bus on the way home from school. The Taliban stopped the bus and a would-be assassin shot Malala point blank in the head. The bullet fractured her skull, narrowly missing her brain and lodging in her shoulder. Miraculously she did not die, hovering for weeks between life and death. She was transported to a hospital in Birmingham, England where, with the help of advanced medical technology and expert professional care, she made a remarkable recovery. She has since forgiven the man who tried to kill her. She has lost none of her passion however and received world coverage of her inspirational address at the United Nations on her 16th birthday, just a year after the tragic shooting. Throughout her story, Malala frequently reflects her deep faith in God/Allah and her habit of acknowledging God’s presence in many of the events of her life. Here are some short samples taken from her book, 'I am Malala'.
In the celebrated interview of Jesuit editor, Fr Antonio Spadaro with Pope Francis in August 2013, Fr Antonio asked the Pope about his preferred way to pray. _____________
1 I AM MALALA, Malala Yousafazia, with help from Christina Lamb. Weidenfeld & Nicholson, London, 2013. 2 AMERICA, National Journal of USA Jesuits, 30 September 2013. English translation from La Civilta Catolica, Editor Fr.Spadora SJ |