United Nations, New York, 12 July 2013 – Education activist Malala Yousafzai marks her 16th birthday, on Friday, 12 July 2013 at the United Nations by giving her first high-level public appearance and statement on the importance of education.
Malala became a public figure when she was shot by the Taliban while travelling to school last year in Pakistan — targeted because of her committed campaigning for the right of all girls to an education. Flown to the United Kingdom to recover, she is now back at school and continues to advocate for every child’s right to education.
In support of the UN Secretary-General’s Global Education First Initiative (GEFI), on 12 July — declared as “Malala Day” — the President of the UN General Assembly and the UN Special Envoy for Global Education with the support of A World at School initiative are organizing the UN Youth Assembly, where more than 500 young leaders from around the world will convene to accelerate the goal of getting all children, especially girls, in school and learning by 2015.
Safa / July 13, 2013
A stirring message delivered with courage and confidence. A example for many of our seniors and adults. Today our children in Sri Lanka are being subjected to attacks and violence. They are taught hatred of the other. They are denied a liberal education. Development is not in roads, hotels and casinos. Education is the biggest gift we can give our children.
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Asanka / July 13, 2013
She must apostate Islam to achieve her goals. Islam is the problem not Muslims.
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Jamal / July 13, 2013
@ Assanka as much as you and your ilk are the problem in SL not Buddhism.
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Native Vedda / July 13, 2013
Jamal
“@ Assanka as much as you and your ilk are the problem in SL not Buddhism.”
Hence the urgent need to liberate Buddhism from Sinhala/Buddhism and Asanka.
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Probono Publico / July 14, 2013
and fellows like Leela ( K A SUmansekera)
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kayal / July 14, 2013
And fellows like muliyawaikkal
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w.m.k.samarasekara / July 15, 2013
@Native Vedda
So why don’t you are trying to be a monk.
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Asanka / July 14, 2013
Why did Muhammad attack Persia ?, Muhammad permit war rape to his followers by right hands possess. That was how he encourage Muslims to war.
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Shezard / July 13, 2013
She hasnt and she wont, there is a reason why she is there where she is and you are on your PC spewing hatred.Get a life, prejudiced fool.
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Asanka / July 14, 2013
“She hasnt and she wont”
I wish one day she will be like Wafa Sultan
“There is a reason why she is there where she is and you are on your PC spewing hatred”
Yes reason is she was born in a Muslims country where real Muslims live and they follow Quran. United nation use her as puppet to change true muslim otherwise they have to face big problem of being muslim haters. If a non muslim gave the same speech entire muslim world will burn UN flags and insult that persons religion.
“Get a life”
I’ m a living being so I already have a life
“prejudiced fool”.
I don’t think so
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Muliyawaikkal / July 14, 2013
Well said.
Islam is a curse to mankind.
Malala, we salute your courage. Rid the world of Islam.
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Mohamed Marzook / July 17, 2013
What happened to Malala is an isolated or one of a few incidents. Islam and Muslims in general cannot be held responsible.
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PEACELOVER.. / July 20, 2013
LOWEST CASTE budhist LIKE asanka and like…., always write Reviling immorally about the DIVINE PROPHETS OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD , in abusing words instead of proving the BUDSISM AND BUDAH TEACHING IS DIVINE AND TRUE..
But here we find MUSLIMS NEVER EVER SCOLD or CASTE DIRTY ABUSIVE WORDS or REVILE on BUDHDA and JESAS at all ..
why MUSLIMS are behaving utmost respect to other Noble man like BUDHA – Sidhthartha who are made and believed as GOD ..??
The ALMIGHTY , THE SUPER INTELLIGENT who created sidhartha – Buddha and all human races and asanka and other racist uneducated Budhists, COMMAND in his last revelation , THE QUR’AAN ., in Chap 06. Verse 108..
“” And do not insult those they invoke other than The Almighty GOD (in Arabic – Allaah ) lest they insult The Almighty GOD in enmity without knowledge. Thus We have made pleasing to every community their deeds. Then to their Lord -The Almighty GOD ,is their return, and The Almighty will inform them about what they used to do.””
This command is fully obeyed by Muslims in the World so that Muslims always behave utmost respectable way to other man made GODS
only DEBATE with knowledge is welcomed by these Muslims which also a COMMAND from the ALMIGHTY GOD who created human beings and make them to live and die in this world. .
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essie / July 13, 2013
What I see and hear is the future; and a potential president of Pakistan.
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Amarasiri / July 13, 2013
Dearest Malala Yousafzai,
Thank you, Thank You, and Thank You for standing up against the Taliban Terrorist, who are against education, and they do not know is inside the books, as you stated.
May God Bless you for all your efforts and courage.
In Sri Lanka we have our own Terrorists, who are state sponsored and protected and protected and go by names such as BBS, Sinhala Ravaya etc. so that they cab maintain their Monk Hegemony order the people.
Again, God Bless you. Keep fighting, courageous teenager!
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Asanka / July 13, 2013
Talibans are not Terrorist, please don’t Insult them they are true followers of Islam.
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Point of View / July 13, 2013
Like BBS, Ravana Balaya, Bebadu Gnansara are not Buddhist ? Don’t insult the Buddha !
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Native Vedda / July 13, 2013
Asanka
“Talibans are not Terrorist, please don’t Insult them they are true followers of Islam.”
Now as the the terrorism expert you have given a clean sheet to Taliban, hence we must encourage Muslims in this island to join this organisation.
Could we rely on you to found a Taliban branch of Sri Lanka.
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Point of View / July 14, 2013
That would be the day – all you have to say ‘thambiyah enawa’ (instead of Koti enawa) and the bebadu Gnanasara will be hiding in the temple lavatory !
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Asanka / July 17, 2013
if it is so Sinhala Buddhist will defeat Thambiyas. We cant forget that Muslims ran awy from LTTE with fear. if there was no Sinhala Buddhist Army still your allah is hiding behind clouds.
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Point of View / July 18, 2013
If not for the Muslim nations, you will be still hiding from the Tigers !
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kayal / July 14, 2013
Well said Amarasiri!
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Piranha / July 13, 2013
Muslim women have a lot of hurdles in front of them, imposed in the name of their religion. Malala’s experience is a fact of daily life for women in most muslim countries. Her call for muslim women to fight for their rights is something that will not be possible for these women as long as men use the religion as an excuse to subjugate, abuse and murder them. The recent reversal of legal rights of women in Afghanistan under Mohamed Karzai tells us how far the religion, interpreted for their own benefit by men, has a hold on muslim women’s rights. A terrible shame.
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Lanka Muslim, UK / July 17, 2013
A proper study of ‘Womens Rights in Islam’ would show the true picture that Islam provides women absolute rights. The hurdles widely talked about are due false or partial understanding of Islamic concepts. Islam began with the words ‘Learn’.
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indrajith / July 13, 2013
Its not the speech, nor her presence at the UN assembly both of which are not her own, its what others lured her to perform. What really inspires is who she is and what she stood for. I really doubt she understands what she is getting into. This presence will only endanger her own life no matter what people say or what many want to see happen. Its best that she was not brought to this lime light for her own safety. Its an unpredictable insane world that she has to be protected from. A tall order indeed. I feel utterly frustrated that she was exposed once more to even bigger risk because others wanted her to do something that they themselves have not been successful. She is a brave child , and will be a great human being soon, she needs to be protected not exposed her to risk in a different manner. Politicising of this nature is only good for the west, whereas she will be chased after by those who are against the western ideals. She has done her bit in the highest possible manner, why again, Isn’t it to show the bankruptcy of those powerful? ???
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sea / July 14, 2013
Well said, I was wondering if anyone was going to come up with the unsaid – with a critique of this whole show to facilitate a political/politicised objective. The ideals, objectives, principles in question warrant the unconditional support of all sane human beings, but what is worthy of a critique is the strategy chosen by western powers involved to communicate them….
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Point of View / July 14, 2013
I do agree with you 100%.
However, she is some you cannot expect to keep quiet. Women are brave no matter where they come from ! Little as she is, she knows what she wants. I realised this when she was interviewed by the CNN long before she was shot. Her father is an Educationist. She knows the importance of education. She has a lot of support from the Muslim world. For her own safety, she may not be able to set foot in Pakistan for a very long time though !
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Right Vision / July 14, 2013
Indrajith you’re a wise man.
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Mohamed Marzook / July 18, 2013
Exactly, using her at the highest level for political objectives causes further risks to the innocent girl’s life.
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Dancing Lights of Abraham / July 13, 2013
Well Done My Child -One day you will lead your People ,change their way of thinking & Make Pakistan another successful secular country with freedom of speech & Freedom of worship for all people.
In This Holy Month you have our Blessings.. do not give Up.
Crush every single Bigot & Terrorist not caring what brand he wears as religion.
May The Good Lord bless you & keep you in his tender loving care.
I Bow my head humbly in respect to you Young brave Lady!
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Senguttuvan / July 14, 2013
Like the rest of the civilised world, I felt mortified when I learnt of the savage shooting of Malala. I prayed for her recover in that British hospital. I looked forward to her speech at the UN yesterday – that she delivered masterly. But what horrified me later was when Mishal Hussain of the BBC brought in the Urdu broadcaster, the man said Malala has been writing a Weekly Diary for the Urdu service for some years now. Most of which, unfortunately for her, did not go well with the Taliban. Her father, a school Principal I am told, should have advised her not to take on the Taliban – a medieval outfit chanting religion all the time. That too in a country like Pakistan where the law of the jungle has been on the fore for a long time. The BBC also said yesterday more than 80% of the Urdu Tweets they received from Pakistan criticised the child for lending herself to the machinations of others. Pity. Reader Indrajith here and I might earn the wrath of some others for bringing this to the fore.
Senguttuvan
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shankar / July 14, 2013
One of the greatest speeches i have ever heard in my life.That it could be delivered by only a 16 year old who came back nearly from the dead is mindboggling and certainly is gods work.
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Native Vedda / July 14, 2013
shankar
“One of the greatest speeches i have ever heard in my life.”
How would the Taliban view this speech?
Treacherous.
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priya / July 22, 2013
Yes- her speech was fabulous. But I wish she has added a sentence about the number of Pakistan and Afghan children who lost their lives due to the attacks by the Western forces and also children who died in the war against Iraq for Weapons of mass Destruction which did not exist.
Long live Malala and her courage to fight the Talibans but be careful Malala- Do not be bought over.
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Safa / July 14, 2013
It is well known that this child and the parents had been campaigning for education long before this in Swat. This is only serves to enhance her stature an puts lie to the claim that she is being used by anyone after the attack. Her actions have been consistently pro education for girls in a society where girls education is discouraged.
Just shows how small minds can get when they read ulterior motives even into the speech of a 16 year old child who has experienced first hand the ravages of terrorism. Neither has she abandoned her faith of Islam which she asserts is a religon of peace begining in the name of God Most Benificient Most Merciful.
On the other hand the fans and supporters of the BBS Taliban are quick to find fault even though they have nothing positive to show on their own accord. How many of these keyboard critics have done anything for the education of children in Sri Lanka is a good question? Schools are being closed, undergrads are being teargassed and remanded but the the laptop journalists cheer on.
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Senguttuvan / July 18, 2013
The networks report today Taliban had expressed regrets for the shooting of this child and insisted she was used by others to continuously denigrate the Taliban for a long time.
Senguttuvan
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Safa / July 22, 2013
@Senguttuvan
Taliban are a terrorist outfit who do not represent muslims in general. TTP or Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan was a creation of the US and Pakistan Govt to fight the Russian occupation of Afghanistan. The have now turned their guns on the general public who are branded as infidels. Their expression of regret cannot be taken seriously.
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I am a Muslim / July 15, 2013
It seems, Malala has read only parts of the Quran. She should read the Quran fully and understand the status of women in Islam before advising other girls of their rights for pens and books.
Talking about inheritance, Quran 4:11 says; “The male shall have the equal of the portion of two females.” On wife-to-husband ratio, Quran 4:3 says a Muslim man can marry as man as four women, He can also have sexual relations with an unspecified number of slaves as well. Count them, Muhammad had eleven wives at one time.
The Hadith are rife as well with accounts of women planted in the ground on Muhammad’s command and pelted to death with stones for sexual immorality – yet the prophet of Islam actually encouraged his own men to rape women captured in battle (Abu Dawood 2150, Muslim 3433) and did not punish them for killing non-Muslim women (as Khalid ibn Walid did on several occasions – see Ibn Ishaq 838 and 856). These and many Quran verses mean, Islam teach that a woman is worth less than a man.
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Safa / July 16, 2013
As you say it is good if we consider the full context instead of the sentence quoted by you. The Quran gives a comprehensive guide to muslims on the subject of inheritance. The relevant verses are as follows.
4-8
And when [other] relatives and orphans and the needy are present at the [time of] division, then provide for them [something] out of the estate and speak to them words of appropriate kindness.
4-9
And let those [executors and guardians] fear [injustice] as if they [themselves] had left weak offspring behind and feared for them. So let them fear Allah and speak words of appropriate justice.
4-10
Indeed, those who devour the property of orphans unjustly are only consuming into their bellies fire. And they will be burned in a Blaze.
4-11
Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, two or more, for them is two thirds of one’s estate. And if there is only one, for her is half. And for one’s parents, to each one of them is a sixth of his estate if he left children. But if he had no children and the parents [alone] inherit from him, then for his mother is one third. And if he had brothers [or sisters], for his mother is a sixth, after any bequest he [may have] made or debt. Your parents or your children – you know not which of them are nearest to you in benefit. [These shares are] an obligation [imposed] by Allah . Indeed, Allah is ever Knowing and Wise.
4-12
And for you is half of what your wives leave if they have no child. But if they have a child, for you is one fourth of what they leave, after any bequest they [may have] made or debt. And for the wives is one fourth if you leave no child. But if you leave a child, then for them is an eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you [may have] made or debt. And if a man or woman leaves neither ascendants nor descendants but has a brother or a sister, then for each one of them is a sixth. But if they are more than two, they share a third, after any bequest which was made or debt, as long as there is no detriment [caused]. [This is] an ordinance from Allah , and Allah is Knowing and Forbearing.
4-13
These are the limits [set by] Allah , and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted by Him to gardens [in Paradise] under which rivers flow, abiding eternally therein; and that is the great attainment.
The claim that in Islam, the share given from the inheritance to a woman is less than the man, is invalid. Indeed, there are four cases in connection with inheritance where the female’s share is equal to or even greater than the male’s:
1. The first case: When the woman’s share is equal to the man’s, as it is in the (half) brothers and sisters from the side of the mother, each of whom takes one-sixth, whether they are male or a female, and a group (of more than two) share the third equally, in which the female’s share is like the male’s.
2. The second case: When only the female is the heir, and a cause of preventing the male from inheritance. A typical example is a man/woman who dies and leaves a daughter, a full sister, and a half-brother from the side of the father. The daughter takes half the inheritance, and the full sister the other half, and nothing is given to the half-brother from the side of the father, since he is prevented by the existence of a full sister, although he is a male and she is a female.
3. The third case: When a female takes more than what the male takes, such as, when a person dies and leaves a full sister or a half-sister from the side of the father; a mother, a paternal uncle or a half-brother from the side of the mother. In this case, the full sister takes half of the inheritance, the mother the third and the remaining sixth is taken by the paternal uncle or the half-brother from the side of the mother. Although in this case both the sister and the mother are females, the share of each is greater than the male’s, i.e., that of the paternal uncle or the half-brother from the side of the mother.
4. The fourth case: When a female takes half of what the male takes; this happens in many instances, such as when the inheritors include a daughter along with a son; a son’s daughter along with a son’s son; a full sister along with a full brother; a half-sister from the side of the father along with a half-brother from the side of the father; the wife’s share compared with the husband’s: each female in those cases takes half of what the male takes.
What is the wisdom that lies behind this? Does this preference go back to gender or is there another reason lying behind the preferenceí In reply to these questions, let us say: This preference does not go back to gender, since there are some cases in which the female’s share of inheritance is equal to the male’s, and other cases in which her share is greater than the male’s, and many cases in which she prevents him from inheritance, as we have previously seen.
Whoever thinks that the shares of the male and female heirs in the Quran are established only on the basis of the difference of gender, i.e., masculinity and femininity, has indeed fallen short of understanding the Quran. That is because the Noble Quran has distributed the shares of heirs on the basis of three criteria:
1 The degree of kinship between the heirs — be they males or females — and the deceased person: The closer the relation between them, the greater the share of inheritance is, regardless of the gender of the heirs.
2 The position of the generation of heirs in the sequence of generations: The young generation, who are at the beginning of their life and getting ready to receive its burdens, have shares of inheritance that are greater than the older generations that are at the end of their life and getting ready to relieve themselves of its burdens, regardless of the gender of the heirs. The daughter of the deceased inherits more than his mother, and both are females; and the daughter inherits more than the deceased’s father (i.e., her grandfather), even if she is still an infant and has not seen her father, and even if the father (i.e., her grandfather) is the source of the wealth of the son (her father), from which the daughter alone takes the half. In a similar context, the son inherits more than the father, given that both are males.
3 The financial obligation enjoined by the Islamic Sharee‘ah (legislation) upon the heir: That is the only criterion which raises the difference of gender between the male and the female. However, this difference inflicts neither oppression nor injustice upon the female. On the contrary, it may be that the opposite is true. If the heirs are equal in the degree of kinship, and the position in the sequence of generations, e.g. the deceased’s children of males and females, the disparity of financial obligation often is responsible for the disparity of shares of inheritance.
This is why this disparity between the male and the female has not been made general to all the heirs (in all cases) in the Noble Quran, but just in some cases. The demands required of the son in life and under the system of Islam are more than those required of (the daughter who is) his sister. He is the one obliged, once he becomes mature, to spend on and maintain himself, pay the dowry to his wife, bear the marital expenditure, maintenance of children as regards education, medication, clothing, etc. but the female usually gets married and is not required to pay dowry or bear expenses, since her maintenance is obligatory for her husband.
Thus the Islamic system is a holistic view taking into account the responsibilities of the heirs and not merely gender based.
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Abdulla / July 16, 2013
Unfortunately EXTREME Muslims are the problem in this world. We muslims love to live peacefully with all. Unfortunately these EXTREME Guys are a pain and curse to the world.
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Observer / July 16, 2013
Well, I look around me and al I see is extremist Buddhist monks (some, not alll as there are pious and righteous monks I know) causing havoc and ridiculing the national image while playing party to dirty political master games. Why talk about Ladens and Talibans…after all they are getting what they deserved from the US…unfortunately our saffron kotiyas have not yet experienced the drones.
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Ravindra / July 16, 2013
I witnessed in 1983, when the army was ambushed Buddhist monks along with their thugs took to the streets, went house to house, searched and destroyed Tamil houses and all their belongings while killing and maiming some….every newspaper in existence in Sri Lanka then carried photos of all this. In instances, monks diiped their robes in CTB bus dule talnks and used them to set fire to public transport and property. How can such monks and people be worthy of respect. I would first feed the stray dog on the street before serving them! Moving on, what is up with this emerging Buddhist extremist problem??? Are not we cutting our own graves and setting our own fences?
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Jayantha / July 18, 2013
This is the new type of State and corporate sponsored terrorism been waged, spreading hatered against other Religious communities for their own Power grab.
All these Taliban,Al Queda,Al Nusra front,Wahabis, Salafis are funded by the Rich Gulf Petro Dollar Sheiks and big corporates and Big Banks.
This is a new type of war been waged in the world by Multi Billion Dollad rich Arab Kings, Western corporates and intelligence services to control wealth in the world.
BBS, Rawaya and Rawana are also funded by the Government and by big Foreign corporates to help them to grab power and to incite violance among all other communities.
We saw Taliban and Tamil Suicide bombers and BBS self emulate Monk in Kandy. All have the same agenda which is hared, violance and destruction against their own human brothers and sisters.
Using uneducated and poor youth, teaching hatred in madrasas and in Buddhist Temples from their tiny ages, they mend these religious Racist fanatics for their own purposes and BBS, Rawana Balaya, Rawaya are doing same today.
In Sri Lanka the tiny seven year old monks are been brainwashed to be used as future Terrorists and suicide bombers in Sri Lanka. The seeds ofr hatred are already been planted while taking them on Riot processions, Protests and Protest marches.
That’s why we need to educate all children so they cannot be brainwashed by these Radical Religious, extrimists, fanatical terrorists. All types of extreme radical fanaticism must be stopped.
They should be issued international warrents and banned from travelling and subsequently should be Jailed for life.
We need more of Malalas to solve this crisis.
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Amarasiri / July 21, 2013
Jayantha,
Well Said.
The Modern East India company Shareholders, the Arabs, the British, the French and others. East India Company was a private Corporation funded by the British Govt. to Exploit India. It had its own Army and Navy, the forerunner to the British occupation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_India_Company
The East India Company (EIC), originally chartered as the Governor and Company of Merchants of London trading into the East Indies, and more properly called the Honourable East India Company, was an English and later (from 1707)[1] British joint-stock company[2] formed for pursuing trade with the East Indies but which ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent, North-west frontier province and Balochistan.
“All these Taliban,Al Queda,Al Nusra front,Wahabis, Salafis are funded by the Rich Gulf Petro Dollar Sheiks and big corporates and Big Banks.
This is a new type of war been waged in the world by Multi Billion Dollad rich Arab Kings, Western corporates and intelligence services to control wealth in the world.
BBS, Rawaya and Rawana are also funded by the Government and by big Foreign corporates to help them to grab power and to incite violance among all other communities.”
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Zaneera Farook / July 22, 2013
“He is the one obliged, once he becomes mature, to spend on and maintain himself, pay the dowry to his wife, bear the marital expenditure, maintenance of children as regards education, medication, clothing, etc. but the female usually gets married and is not required to pay dowry or bear expenses, since her maintenance is obligatory for her husband.”
Islam expects the males to look after the females, look after the children, medication, clothing etc.
In the real world today particularly in Sri Lanka women are earning and in some cases men are idling too. Look at the exodus to Middle East, this is to fend for the family. Women have taken most of the responsibilities that was originally intend to be men’s responsibilities. How many women are compelled to work. What about the female headed households(FHH) where none of the family members are able to help these FHH.
Please do not paint a rosy picture, where the man earns and looks after the family. This is true of Muslims and non Muslims alike. Prophet(SAL) envisaged a society where men will do their duties, but unfortunately it is not happening now. We cannot change this culture to suit Islam.
In fact women are going to the Middle East to support families, build houses and give their children in marriage. Very very few women would go to an unknown territory for pleasure. It is hard work there. Often men send them to earn. Men have not taken the responsibility to look after the children while she is away ie the problem. Roles are reversed and men are not performing the role in looking after the children.
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