Nobel Prize winner and activist Malala Yousafzai features on the cover of July’s British Vogue. The interview covers her life after her graduation from Oxford University, her big plans for her future, love and marriage.
Few people know that Malala was well-recognized in Pakistan way before the Taliban attacked her – was the recipient of National Peace Award for Youth in 2011 – for her insistence on girls’ right to education as Taliban sought to shut down girls schools.
Malala Yousafzai Interview
Interview covers many topics like Power of a young girl, Importance of marriage and her view on A normal life. But the statement which made it a hot topic is that Why do people have to get married?. She talks about her parent’s arranged marriage and asks, “I still don’t understand why people have to get married. If you want to have a person in your life, why do you have to sign marriage papers, why can’t it just be a partnership?”
She giggles and mentioned that her mom continues to educate her concerning the excellence of marriage and how her dad gets messages from admirers who talk about how they have land and cash and need to wed Malala. Further on interview also highlighted that Malala’s biggest fear is failing voiceless girls who are married off to older men. Complete Interview.
Malala on her Instagram profile expresses her joy and happiness to be featured by British Vogue.
Malala and living relationship
But when asked about love, Malala appeared embarrassed and horrified; only to later address the subject with concerns any young adult would raise about long-term relationships. Questioning the reasons behind marriage, Malala inquires, “Thinking about relationships, you know, on social media, everyone’s sharing their relationship stories, and you get worried…If you can trust someone or not, [and] how can you be sure.”
She goes on, “I still don’t understand why people have to get married. If you want to have a person in your life, why do you have to sign marriage papers, why can’t it just be a partnership?” Like all desis, she assures that her mother keeps telling her about the beauty of marriage too. She also reveals that her father gets emails from suitors who flex their land and money to get him to marry their daughter to them.
Malala then reveals that her biggest fear, is failing the voiceless girls who rely on her; the girls whose parents save their money to send their brothers to school, the girls who are married off to men much older than them, the girls who can’t read. Malala thinks about these girls all the time.
Malala’s thoughts on marriage are circulating all over the internet, some are in favor while the rest are criticizing her. By having an association or belonging with a society or community one has to obey the norms or the tradition of it and respect it. Bening Muslim we are ordered to get married because Islam is a Deen and it covers all the aspects including personal and collective life and Islam denies the concept of living relationships or lets put it this way that none of the religions allows the concept of living relationships.
Many before have said and done the same what Malala has thought of and the internet is full of such real-life stories, of couples getting into a living relationship and how they end up in. If Islam told its followers to get married there must be wisdom behind it and if one thinks of its a nonsense he/she needs to search over the internet or just go on youtube and there are enough documentaries of well-known Tv channels like VICE news, etc.
We all know the nature of the male gender, and being honest when it comes to living relationships the male gender “some of them” will always support this idea of it. and in the past, many cases happened they would get into a living relationship and after 2 to 5 years they just end the relationship and the women are the ones that suffer because in many cases they bear a child or two. And then they have to pay the rents, bills, child’s education fee and many more. So somehow we can say marriage or signing a marriage paper is pro-women.
So even those women who are thinking of taking any such step must see the life of those who have done this mistake and now they suffer. there is a lot of content over the internet nothing is concealed.
She also relays how carrying a dupatta, for her, is a symbolic representation of empowered Pashtun women, as opposed to women who are oppressed or forced to cover themselves. “It’s a cultural symbol for us Pashtuns, so it represents where I come from. But when we Muslim, Pashtun, or Pakistani girls follow our traditional dress, we’re considered to be oppressed, or voiceless, or living under patriarchy. I want to tell everyone that you can have your own voice within your culture. And you can have equality in your culture.”
Though the above statement from her interview highlights women empowerment and one should feel proud about it but; Those women who have thoughts about living relationships, follow your religious norms and it will always bring good. Moreover, Islam is the religion the protects women’s dignity, and if you are a woman of dignity then the teachings of Islam will serve your purpose.