Ziauddin Yousafzai says he is proud to be known through his daughter Malala, the Nobel Prize-winning activist whose advocacy for girls' right to education gained worldwide attention when she and two friends were shot aboard a school bus by Pakistani Taliban militants on October 9, 2012.
“In patriarchal societies, women and girls are known by their male relatives, even on their gravestones, you will see zawjat [wife of] Abdullah or daughter of this person,” Mr Yousafzai, 53, told The National.
“So I wanted a daughter that would be known by her own name, identity and freedom and I didn't know that a day will come when I will be known by her. This is great, and I am so proud.”
In an interview before the 10th anniversary of the day militants shot and severely injured Malala, now 25, on her way home from school, Mr Yousafzai said he was “ashamed” of the response by men in Afghanistan to the Afghan Taliban closing secondary schools for girls.
“You'll hardly see Afghan fathers on the streets. It's as if they are compatible with the Taliban, too. It's a shame,” he said.
“Fathers and brothers should raise their voice for the right of education for their daughters and sisters. They must stand with them. This is the real test of being a father, of being a man, for me. This is the real manhood.”
He said the Afghan Taliban, who are separate from the Pakistani Taliban but follow the same hardline ideology, had shown that their thinking remained largely the same since they last ruled the country 20 years ago, even though Afghanistan had changed.
While Afghanistan under western-backed governments was “a poor democracy that had little transparency and many issues, women and girls had the freedom to go to schools and universities and enter different sectors of life”, Mr Yousafzai said.
“Now, they're on the streets, raising their slogan: Food, Work, Freedom. Education gives you a voice, it empowers.
“The Afghanistan you see now is because of the education that prevailed over the last 20 years.”
Repeating history
The Taliban took over Kabul again on August 15, 2021 in a swift operation as US and other foreign forces pulled out of the country.
“In just over a year that Afghanistan has been under their control, the Taliban has taken Afghanistan 20 years back.”
Mr Yousafzai pointed out the Taliban's commitments to allowing the education of women and girls to continue under their rule.
“They had promised that they're Taliban 2.0, and they're a different Taliban — but in the last year, they proved that they have the same ideology that's oppressive to women, girls and minorities.”
One of the Taliban's first acts after seizing power was to abolish the Ministry of Women's Affairs and establish the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.
The group founded the new ministry in the building that once housed the Ministry of Women's Affairs in a move that Human Rights Watch said “adds insult to injury”.
“This vice and virtue ministry is used for oppressing women and girls. It's all about issuing verdicts that a woman should not go out of her house or take long trips without a male relative,” Mr Yousafzai said.
Open challenge
He said he has “openly challenged” the Taliban to prove the existence of a verse in the Quran or a teaching of the Prophet Mohammed that bans girls' education.
“If such a thing exists, let me know, and I'll quit my mission and my campaign for women and girls' education, because I'm also a Muslim.”
He instead pointed to the role that women play in Islam.
“It's a shame that extremist groups are portraying Islam as a misogynistic faith but they are also misrepresenting Islam as something that gives no rights to women and girls.
“If you look at the history of Islam … women were independent individuals. They were not confined in four walls. They had a role. They were even fighting wars.”
Parenting by gender
Mr Yousafzai, who was bullied at school for his stammer, said that his early childhood showed him the contrast between the ways men and women were treated.
“I grew up with five sisters and I could see two sets of parenting: one for girls and one for boys. I was treated favourably because of my gender. I was served tea with cream for breakfast while my sisters were not. I had more pairs of shoes and better clothes, while my sisters did not.
“While I was pursuing my big dreams in school, my five sisters stayed home.”
Despite this, Mr Yousafzai did not put the blame solely on his parents.
“I will not just blame my parents for that because there were hardly any schools for girls, because patriarchal societies have patriarchal governments.”
In those types of societies, he said, “women die as if they were never born”.
Mr Yousafzai said receiving a proper education transformed him.
“Education made my inner being beautiful. It gave me values of love, respect, freedom and empathy and accepting the otherness of others irrespective of caste, creed, colour or ethnicity,” he said.
“The Prophet Mohammed says that a good Muslim loves for others what he or she loves for himself or herself.”
Turning tides
Mr Yousafzai said one of his early acts of feminism was decades before he learnt what the word meant.
“My cousin brought me the family tree two weeks after Malala was born. I looked at the family tree and it was all men: fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers. I drew a line from my name and wrote Malala.
“My cousin had a grimace on his face, but I just smiled.”
Now, some of the people who opposed some of his methods are his biggest supporters, he said.
“My nephew was very critical of Malala's public speeches when she was 12 and 13 years-old, (he) used to tell us that people in the village are speaking ill of the family because of this.”
“Now, he is now running one of the biggest projects for girls' education in Pakistan, for 650 girls who are the first generation in their families to receive an education.”
Mr Yousafzai said that for him, real social change only began when he looked inward.
“When you stand for change in social norms, the first person you come across is you. But when you defeat your own self, then you are able to spread the message. When you are brave enough to swim against the tide, then a time comes when the tides go in your direction and the flow becomes very smooth.”
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Leaderboard
64 - Gavin Green (MAL), Graeme McDowell (NIR)
65 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Sebastian Soderberg (SWE), Adri Arnaus (ESP), Victor Perez (FRA), Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
66 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Tom Lewis (ENG), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Ross Fisher (ENG), Aaron Rai (ENG), Ryan Fox (NZL)
67 - Dustin Johnson (USA), Sebastian Garcia Rodriguez (ESP), Lucas Herbert (AUS), Francesco Laporta (ITA), Joost Luiten (NED), Soren Kjeldsen (DEN), Marcus Kinhult (SWE)
68 - Alexander Bjork (SWE), Matthieu Pavon (FRA), Adrian Meronk (POL), David Howell (ENG), Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Fabrizio Zanotti (PAR), Sean Crocker (USA), Scott Hend (AUS), Justin Harding (RSA), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Shubhankar Sharma (IND), Renato Paratore (ITA)
RESULTS
Catchweight 82kg
Piotr Kuberski (POL) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ) by decision.
Women’s bantamweight
Corinne Laframboise (CAN) beat Cornelia Holm (SWE) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Omar Hussein (PAL) beat Vitalii Stoian (UKR) by unanimous decision.
Welterweight
Josh Togo (LEB) beat Ali Dyusenov (UZB) by unanimous decision.
Flyweight
Isaac Pimentel (BRA) beat Delfin Nawen (PHI) TKO round-3.
Catchweight 80kg
Seb Eubank (GBR) beat Emad Hanbali (SYR) KO round 1.
Lightweight
Mohammad Yahya (UAE) beat Ramadan Noaman (EGY) TKO round 2.
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) beat Reydon Romero (PHI) submission 1.
Welterweight
Juho Valamaa (FIN) beat Ahmed Labban (LEB) by unanimous decision.
Featherweight
Elias Boudegzdame (ALG) beat Austin Arnett (USA) by unanimous decision.
Super heavyweight
Maciej Sosnowski (POL) beat Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) by submission round 1.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m. Winner: Rio Angie, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Trenchard, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Mulfit, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 1,200m. Winner: Waady, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 2,000m. Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm:Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m. Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group B
Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Eriksen 80')
Inter Milan 0
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Read more from Johann Chacko
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20HyveGeo%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abdulaziz%20bin%20Redha%2C%20Dr%20Samsurin%20Welch%2C%20Eva%20Morales%20and%20Dr%20Harjit%20Singh%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECambridge%20and%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESustainability%20%26amp%3B%20Environment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%24200%2C000%20plus%20undisclosed%20grant%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVenture%20capital%20and%20government%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
The lowdown
Badla
Rating: 2.5/5
Produced by: Red Chillies, Azure Entertainment
Director: Sujoy Ghosh
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan, Taapsee Pannu, Amrita Singh, Tony Luke
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GROUPS
Group Gustavo Kuerten
Novak Djokovic (x1)
Alexander Zverev (x3)
Marin Cilic (x5)
John Isner (x8)
Group Lleyton Hewitt
Roger Federer (x2)
Kevin Anderson (x4)
Dominic Thiem (x6)
Kei Nishikori (x7)
2.0
Director: S Shankar
Producer: Lyca Productions; presented by Dharma Films
Cast: Rajnikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Rankings
ATP: 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 10,955 pts; 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 8,320; 3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 6,475 ( 1); 5. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 5,060 ( 1); 6. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4,845 ( 1); 6. Roger Federer (SUI) 4,600 (-3); 7. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,110 ( 2); 8. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3,960; 9. John Isner (USA) 3,155 ( 1); 10. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3,140 (-3)
WTA: 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7,030 pts ( 3); 2. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6,290 ( 4); 3. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,582 (-2); 4. Sloane Stephens (USA) 5,307 ( 1); 5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,100 ( 3); 6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4,965 (-4); 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,940; 8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,430 ( 1); 9. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3,566 (-6); 10. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,485 ( 1)
'Laal Kaptaan'
Director: Navdeep Singh
Stars: Saif Ali Khan, Manav Vij, Deepak Dobriyal, Zoya Hussain
Rating: 2/5
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
