PBUH or Perish: Educators in Pakistan Ban Malala Yousafzai’s Book As Anti-Islamic

We have previously discussed the inspiring story of Malala Yousafzai, who has captivated the world in her struggle after being shot in the head by Muslim extremists for her advocacy of female education. It is a story that appears destined to be read around the world but not in Pakistan where various organizations have banned it from private schools. One educator objected that she referred to the Prophet Muhammad without using the abbreviation PBUH — “peace be upon him.” For that, she is viewed as a dangerous heretic not a heroine.

Malala Yousufzai, 14, is an incredibly brave girl who wrote about the atrocities against women and girls under Taliban rule — writing about conditions and crimes in the area. She was honored internationally for her advocacy. A Taliban gunman walked on to her bus as it was leaving her school and asked for her by name. Another girl pointed her out but Malala denied being the girl so the gunman shot both girls in the name of Allah.

Malala was shot in the head and neck but amazingly survived as did the other girl. The Taliban expressed nothing but pride over the crime. Calling her writings “obscenity,” Taliban spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan proclaimed “this was a new chapter of obscenity, and we have to finish this chapter. We have carried out this attack.”

Malala and her family had long been threatened by the Taliban ever since she started writing her blog — initially under a pseudonym for the BBC. She went public when the Taliban was pushed out of the Swat Valley.

Now, “educators” in Pakistan are lining up to ban her book because they view it as disrespectful to Islam and, because of the international outcry over her shooting, she will being portrayed as a tool of the West. Some are even saying that she and her Western allies staged the shooting to embarrass Islam.

Adeeb Javedani, president of the All Pakistan Private Schools Management Association, announced that his organization is banning the book for 40,000 affiliated schools and he is demanding a national ban on the book. Likewise, Kashif Mirza, chairman of the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation, banned the book among his schools. He notably said that she was a role model until she decided to write a book — a curious distinction. He noted that she was now to be suppressed because her book referred to the prophet Muhammad without using the abbreviation PBUH — “peace be upon him.” He also noted that the book defended the right of author Salman Rushdie to write his book “The Satanic Verses” (even though the book expresses Yousafzai’s father’s dislike for the book but also his support for free speech) and dares to mention the mistreatment of non-Muslims in Pakistan.

The fact that these are “educators” is chilling. They do not want students exposed to a book that defends free speech and condemns the abuse of people based on their religion. The fact that Javedani would cite the failure to add a PBUH is equally chilling.

Source: Washington Post