Malala Yousafzai quotes are thought-provoking, memorable and inspiring. From views on society and politics to thoughts on love and life, Malala Yousafzai has a lot to say. In this list we present the 76 best Malala Yousafzai quotes, in no particular order. Let yourself get inspired!
(And check out our page with Malala Yousafzai quotes per category if you only want to read quotes from a certain category, such as funny, life, love, politics, and more).
Malala Yousafzai quotes
Let us pick up our books and our pens, they are the most powerful weapons.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
Let us pick up our books and our pens, ” I said. “They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
Our men think earning money and ordering around others is where power lies. They don’t think power is in the hands of the woman who takes care of everyone all day long, and gives birth to their children.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
I raise up my voice-not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard…we cannot succeed when half of us are held back.
— Malala Yousafzai
Education is education. We should learn everything and then choose which path to follow.” Education is neither Eastern nor Western, it is human.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
The extremists are afraid of books and pens, the power of education frightens them. they are afraid of women.
— Malala Yousafzai
I don’t want revenge on the Taliban, I want education for sons and daughters of the Taliban.
— Malala Yousafzai
I started thinking about that, and I used to think that the Talib would come, and he would just kill me. But then I said, ‘If he comes, what would you do Malala?’ then I would reply to myself, ‘Malala, just take a shoe and hit him.’But then I said, ‘If you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there would be no difference between you and the Talib. You must not treat others with cruelty and that much harshly, you must fight others but through peace and through dialogue and through education.’Then I said I will tell him how important education is and that ‘I even want education for your children as well.’ And I will tell him, ‘That’s what I want to tell you, now do what you want.
— Malala Yousafzai
With guns you can kill terrorists, with education you can kill terrorism.
— Malala Yousafzai
He believed that lack of education was the root of all of Pakistan’s problems. Ignorance allowed politicians to fool people and bad administrators to be re-elected.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
THough we loved school, we hadn’t realized how important education was until the Taliban tried to stop us.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
I love my God. I thank my Allah. I talk to him all day. He is the greatest. By giving me this height to reach people, he has also given me great responsibilities. Peace in every home, every street, every village, every country – this is my dream. Education for every boy and every girl in the world. To sit down on a chair and read my books with all my friends at school is my right. To see each and every human being with a smile of happiness is my wish.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
We were learning to struggle. And we were learning how powerful we are when we speak.
— Malala Yousafzai
As we crossed the Malakand Pass I saw a young girl selling oranges. She was scratching marks on a scrap of paper with a nail to account for the oranges she had sold as she could not read or write. I took a photo of her and vowed I would do everything in my power to help educate girls just like her. This was the war I was going to fight.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
When the whole world is silent, Even one voice becomes powerful.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men. There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a third power stronger than both, that of women.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
I told myself, Malala, you have already faced death. This is your second life. Don’t be afraid — if you are afraid, you can’t move forward.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
We human beings don’t realize how great God is. He has given us an extraordinary brain and a sensitive loving heart. He has blessed us with two lips to talk and express our feelings, two eyes which see a world of colours and beauty, two feet which walk on the road of life, two hands to work for us, and two ears to hear the words of love. As I found with my ear, no one knows how much power they have in their each and every organ until they lose one.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
His sisters — my aunts — did not go to school at all, just like millions of girls in my country. Education had been a great gift for him. He believed that lack of education was the root of all of Pakistan’s problems. Ignorance allowed politicians to fool people and bad administrators to be re-elected. He believed schooling should be available for all, rich and poor, boys and girls. The school that my father dreamed of would have desks and a library, computers, bright posters on the walls and, most important, washrooms.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
We thought speaking in English meant you were more intelligent. We were wrong of course. It does not matter what language you choose, the important thing is the words you use to express yourself.
— Malala Yousafzai
I raise my voice not so that i can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard
— Malala Yousafzai
Though we loved school, we hadn’t realized how important education was until the Taliban tried to stop us. Going to school, reading and doing our homework wasn’t just a way of passing time, it was our future.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
Don’taccept good things from bad people.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
But God has also given us the power to forget, so that when the tragedy is over we carry on as normal.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
We Pashtuns love shoes but don’t love the cobbler; we love our scarves and blankets but do not respect the weaver. Manual workers made a great contribution to our society but received no recognition, and this is the reason so many of them joined the Taliban—to finally achieve status and power.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
I am convinced Socialism is the only answer and I urge all comrades to take this struggle to a victorious conclusion. Only this will free us from the chains of bigotry and exploitation.
— Malala Yousafzai
read thousands of books and I will power myself with knowledge. Pens and books are the weapons that defeat terrorism.
— Malala Yousafzai
I dreamed of going to the top of Mount Elum like Alexander the Great to touch Jupiter and even beyond the valley. But, as I watched my brother running across the roof, flying their kites and skillfully flicking the strings back and forth to cut each other’s down, I wondered hoe free a daughter could ever be.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
He laughed a lot, but as a boy he had been so self-conscious about being dark-skinned that he went to the fields to get buffalo milk to spread on his face, thinking it would make him lighter. It was only when he met my mother that he became comfortable in his own skin. Being loved by such a beautiful girl gave him confidence.
— Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
My story is the story of thousands of children from around the world. I hope it inspires others to stand up for their rights.
— Malala Yousafzai
In Kenya, I met wonderful girls; girls who wanted to help their communities. I was with them in their school, listening to their dreams. They still have hope. They want to be doctor and teachers and engineers.
— Malala Yousafzai
We should all consider each other as human beings, and we should respect each other.
— Malala Yousafzai
In countries other than Pakistan – I won’t necessarily call them ‘Western’ – people support me. This is because people there respect others. They don’t do this because I am a Pashtun or a Punjabi, a Pakistani, or an Iranian, they do it because of one’s words and character. This is why I am being respected and supported there.
— Malala Yousafzai
Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.
— Malala Yousafzai
Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.
— Malala Yousafzai
I want to make this world perfect.
— Malala Yousafzai
Benazir Bhutto was an inspirational leader and an inspirational woman.
— Malala Yousafzai
In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan, terrorism, war and conflict stop children to go to their schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering.
— Malala Yousafzai
The best way to solve problems and to fight against war is through dialogue.
— Malala Yousafzai
I discovered Deborah Ellis’s books in the school library after my head teacher encouraged me to go beyond the school curriculum and look for books I might enjoy.
— Malala Yousafzai
In Swat, there are two jobs a woman’s going to do: a teacher or a doctor. If not, then become a housewife.
— Malala Yousafzai
The terrorists thought they would change my aims and stop my ambitions, but nothing changed in my life except this: weakness, fear and hopelessness died. Strength, power and courage were born.
— Malala Yousafzai
I speak not for myself but for those without voice… those who have fought for their rights… their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated.
— Malala Yousafzai
There should be no discrimination against languages people speak, skin color, or religion.
— Malala Yousafzai
Nelson Mandela is physically separated from us, but his soul and spirit will never die. He belongs to the whole world because he is an icon of equality, freedom and love, the values we need all the time everywhere.
— Malala Yousafzai
We must tell girls their voices are important.
— Malala Yousafzai
When God created man and woman, he was thinking, ‘Who shall I give the power to, to give birth to the next human being?’ And God chose woman. And this is the big evidence that women are powerful.
— Malala Yousafzai
People say Malala’s voice is being sold to the world. But I see it as Malala’s voice reaching the world and resonating globally. You should think about what is behind Malala’s voice. What is she saying? I am only talking about education, women’s rights, and peace.
— Malala Yousafzai
Honor your daughters. They are honorable.
— Malala Yousafzai
What is interesting is the power and the impact of social media… So we must try to use social media in a good way.
— Malala Yousafzai
When someone tells me about Malala, the girl who was shot by the Taliban – that’s my definition for her – I don’t think she’s me. Now I don’t even feel as if I was shot. Even my life in Swat feels like a part of history or a movie I watched. Things change. God has given us a brain and a heart which tell us how to live.
— Malala Yousafzai
I believe the gun has no power at all.
— Malala Yousafzai
For my brothers it was easy to think about the future. They can be anything they want. But for me it was hard and for that reason I wanted to become educated and empower myself with knowledge.
— Malala Yousafzai
I say I am stronger than fear.
— Malala Yousafzai
I distracted myself from the fear and terrorism by thinking about things like how the universe began and whether time travel is possible.
— Malala Yousafzai
I fully support U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in his Global Education First Initiative and the work of U.N. Special Envoy for Global Education Gordon Brown and the respectful president of the U.N. General Assembly Vuk Jeremic. I thank them for the leadership they continue to give.
— Malala Yousafzai
Pakistanis can’t trust. They’ve seen in history that people, particularly politicians, are corrupt. And they’re misguided by people in the name of Islam. They’re told: ‘Malala is not a Muslim, she’s not in purdah, she’s working for America.’
— Malala Yousafzai
It is very important to know who you are. To make decisions. To show who you are.
— Malala Yousafzai
In some parts of the world, students are going to school every day. It’s their normal life. But in other part of the world, we are starving for education… it’s like a precious gift. It’s like a diamond.
— Malala Yousafzai
There are many problems, but I think there is a solution to all these problems; it’s just one, and it’s education.
— Malala Yousafzai
All I want is an education, and I am afraid of no one.
— Malala Yousafzai
I need to complete my homework on time.
— Malala Yousafzai
If you hit a Talib with your shoe, then there would be no difference between you and the Talib. You must not treat others with cruelty and that much harshly, you must fight others but through peace and through dialogue and through education.
— Malala Yousafzai
I will get my education – if it is in home, school, or anyplace.
— Malala Yousafzai
The important thing to note is that it is not important whether Malala was shot or not – Malala is not asking for personal favors or support. She is asking for support with girls’ education and women’s rights. So don’t support Malala, support her campaign for girls’ education and women’s rights.
— Malala Yousafzai
Some parents do not send their children to school because they don’t know its importance at all.
— Malala Yousafzai
Education is neither eastern nor western.
— Malala Yousafzai
Even we schoolchildren know that ordinary diplomats don’t drive around in unmarked cars carrying Glock pistols.
— Malala Yousafzai
Islam means peace.
— Malala Yousafzai
I believe in peace. I believe in mercy.
— Malala Yousafzai
If you go anywhere, even paradise, you will miss your home.
— Malala Yousafzai
There’s no place like home. And I do miss my home.
— Malala Yousafzai
My father always said, ‘Malala will be free as a bird.’
— Malala Yousafzai
I think I have a right to live my life the way I like.
— Malala Yousafzai
If you don’t focus on the future generation, it means you are destroying your country.
— Malala Yousafzai
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish