The Consequences of War on an Afghan Woman’s life

This is the short motivating and inspiring story of an Afghan woman, Muzhgan Masoomi

Narrated by Muzhgan Masoomi to Mahabahu

Masoomi is a 32 year-old Afghan woman living alone in Germany. Following is her life story, as narrated by her to Mahabahu:

While I was in 2nd standard in 1996 at School, the Taliban occupied Afghanistan for the first time and women were deprived from their most fundamental rights, the right that Islam allows them to get, Prophet Muhammad P.B.H said:

“Acquisition of Knowledge is binding on all Muslims, male and female.”
“Seek knowledge, from the cradle to the Grave.”
“Acquire knowledge, even if you have to go to China for it.”
The person who goes forth in Search of Knowledge is striving hard in the way of Allah, until his/her return.”

As per the views of the Taliban theirs was/is the Islamic Ideology; however Islam is the religion of kindness, sympathy, equality, and respects. Thus, they are the darkest stain or faces in Islam. Who suffered from their irrational and rubbished Ideology?

I, my family, most of our society (women), a country (Afghanistan) and the world suffered.

Moreover, women were not allowed to work out of home, the level of unemployment rose, the illogical retractions was in every minor issue, started from Beard of man, to white boots or dressing up of women …etc.

My parents were worried about the education of me and my 3 sisters, hence we moved and become refugees in Pakistan for 5 years, where my sister and I continued our education in Pakistan Schools, until the Taliban left Afghanistan. After the Taliban’s departure, we shifted back to our home country (Afghanistan) and continued our education and graduated from High School. Issued in Kankor (University Entrance Exam) and did my 2 years specialization in accounting. I started my first job as Finance Assistant in Afghanistan Peace and Reintegration Program (APRP). Where I was responsibility to arrange contracts of reintegrated Taliban to government, process special allowance as salary for them and making the documentation… etc.

One early morning at March 20, 2012, my sister and I were on the way to work when a man wielding a large knife attacked us. My sister received minor stab wound, but I took the brunt of the attack – 14 Knife injuries in all my body. There was no hope left, we lost all our optimism, my physical ability and my dreams. Fortunately, our intrinsic motivation was alive and pushed us to struggle. It was extremely hard, painful and unbearable, but we struggled and stood back up with more success and achievement. I was not able to properly walk, we grew scared and wary of people, as we were girls who had experienced a near-death event.

Nonetheless, even through the suffering, we bravely worked and changed our lives. My sister continued her job. While I was not able to walk, I applied for Scholarship at the Top University of Afghanistan (American University of Afghanistan) and completed my bachelor degree in field of Law. During my study, I was involved in many voluntarily activities as well, I was female hostel representative, mentoring female students; the only girl from Afghanistan participated in Asia Rule of Law Regional Conference, which was held in Thailand. Further, I attended the “Center for Gender and Refugee Studies” on Empowering Displaced Women in Afghanistan and Tajikistan, attended fellowship hold by Max Planck Foundation for International Peace and Rule of law in Afghanistan and Pakistan and participated in Anti Sexual Harassment Seminar from Modern Organization for Development of Education.

I had several health problems, but with brave struggle and a strong mission for human rights for education, I stand against violation, take involvement on developing a sustainable and progressive Afghanistan for future generation especially for women. I started my official job as Procurement Legal Expert in Administrative Office of President. With my official job, I was involved in many voluntarily activities. I was female representative in leading 50 members in a group of females in our office. I was member of Board of Directors in Community Center for Disables. I received governmental scholarship and completed my Master degree in the field of Economic Policy at University of Central Asia, Kerqesistan.

Afghan woman, Muzhgan Masoomi — **Muzhgan Masoomi**

Yes! This was hard, but courage inspired me and my life journey. While writing my own story I was thinking about all the hard situation and the unknown mental, physical, verbal and virtual traumas and pain that I had and I have which I can’t explain here.

This story is a testament to how a strong woman, with 14 knife injuries and severe pain in different parts of her body, ignoring countless discouragements in a male-dominated society, I stood straight and made my career and continued my education. Even though I always had thoughts like “who will kill me and when?” I promised myself that to the last moments of my life I should stand and struggle.

Unfortunately, since the return of Taliban in Afghanistan from 16 Aug 2021, as per their illogical and rubbish rule girls are deprived of education from Schools, Universities, and working jobs out of their houses. Again, the history of 1996 repeats in Afghanistan.

Islam doesn’t deny Woman Education, so why does the Taliban?

The Quran Commands all Muslims, regardless of gender, to read, think, contemplate and pursue knowledge, and the Prophet Mohammad encouraged Education as a religious duty for both males and female. “Acquisition of Knowledge is binding on all Muslims (both men and woman without any discrimination.)

These are the words of a 14 year-old girl with tears in her eyes, “What is our crime for being barred from continuing education?” She is crying for her fundamental right while Afghanistan is one of the earliest members of United Nations (UN). YES! Where were our rights, what happened with all my hardest struggles, my scarifications after 14 knife injuries, I was struggled back to make my country better, but today where is my country? Who can respond to these questions? UN, International community… or who?

I am safe and secure in Germany. Everything is good, but mentally I am struggling with the hardest trauma. I am feeling selfish, what will happen to my country, with those girls who are crying for their schools, with the group of active women I was leading who are now at home – all their skills and capacity is getting lost, with groups of Disabled with no job and no minor facilities.

In conclusion, I would like to call all who reading my story – trust and accept that women are always an important part of society. Let us extend our humanitarian support and make a unified hashtag with this words #OpenSchoolforAfghanGirls. #StopWar! ItDestroysOurFuture. #DearPoliticians is the world to be your fabrication? & Are people your products to play with?

My voice is not the only voice of Afghan girls, but voice of many Iraqis, Syrian, and Ukraine girls. So, let’s make a unified human community with peace, freedom and victory; and prevent politicians to make us products and play with our future. Since the coming of Taliban in Afghanistan and my own family continuing their life in lockdown, I feel selfish that I am safe and secure here, but my family and the women who are in contact with me from academic or official networks are suffering from this situation. Involvement of women in the community is totally stopped. Please stand with Afghanistan.

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