Confessions of a Mullah Warrior [Paperback]

Masood Farivar (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2010

Masood Farivar was ten years old when his childhood in peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan was shattered by the Soviet invasion in 1979. Farivar, who was born into a long line of religious and political leaders who have shaped his nation’s history for centuries, fled to Pakistan with his family and came of age in refugee schools. At eighteen, he defied his parents and returned home to join the jihad, fighting beside not only the Afghan mujahideen but also Arab and Pakistani volunteers. When the Soviets withdrew, Farivar moved to America and attended the prestigious Lawrenceville School, Harvard, and ultimately became a journalist in New York. In this dramatic and timely memoir, Farivar draws on his unique experience as a native Afghan, a former mujahideen fighter, and a longtime U.S. resident to provide unprecedented insight into the recent collision between Islam and the West. He paints a vibrant portrait of his family and his nation’s history, exposes the world of militant Islam by taking us deep inside the madrassas, vividly recounts his experiences on the battlefield at Tora Bora and elsewhere, and movingly conveys the culture shock of a Muslim living in contemporary America.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this earnest bildungsroman, Farivar tells the remarkable tale of how he went from Afghan refugee to resistance fighter to Harvard University student. Fleeing the increasing violence and political instability in Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation, the author and his family escaped to Pakistan—and the hardships and alienation of refugee life. The young Farivar entered a madrassa where he studied the Koran intensively and became a devout Muslim. Eventually deciding he had a duty to return to Afghanistan to fight, he left his family to embrace jihad against the occupying Soviet troops. While serving on the front lines, Farivar continued brushing up on [his] Pythagorean theorems, among other things in preparation for the SAT and made his way to an American prep school and later, Harvard. While Farivar's account is indisputably unique and fascinating, the narrative tension frequently slackens as the author relies too heavily on the action alone to drive his story forward. Still, the book succeeds in its in-depth exploration of the radicalization of young Muslim men in the 1980s—and Farivar's path away from extremism. (Mar.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Farivar, an Afghan mujahideen before going to Harvard, here narrates the trajectory of his life. A child when the Soviets invaded, Farivar fled with his parents to Pakistan, where he was schooled in madrassas and fantasized about returning to Afghanistan to join the jihad against the occupiers. Against his parents’ wishes, he followed his dreams and trained at Tora Bora; eventually, he saw combat alongside more fanatical recruits from outside Afghanistan. After the Soviets withdrew, the warlords turned against each other, and the author found his way to the elite Lawrenceville School and then Harvard. Farivar’s transition from mortars and AK-47s to the Spee Club and Campus Republicans would be a fascinating tale of cultural adaptation under any circumstances. Given Afghanistan’s recent history, however, his story becomes a testimony of sorts, a glimpse at the historical context and cultural values that led an Afghan refugee to take up arms (but eventually choose to set them down again). This selection ends with a question mark, as Farivar returns to Afghanistan to face an ambiguous future. --Brendan Driscoll --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Grove Press (February 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802144543
• ISBN-13: 978-0802144546
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,619,319 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, February 21, 2009

By 

Loyd E. Eskildson "Pragmatist" (Phoenix, AZ.) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Confessions of a Mullah Warrior (Hardcover)

Masood Farivar's book tells of his upbringing in Afghanistan, refugee life in Pakistan, service in the mujahideen, education in the U.S., and ultimate return to Afghanistan. It's main value is serving as a window into another culture.

One particularly interesting point was his observation that Afghans saw their struggle vs. the Russians as a jihad (holy war) fought to liberate their country. Arabs, on the other hand, were seen by Afghans as war tourists who had bought their way into the country, saw the Afghans as lesser Muslims, and were seeking heavenly rewards (martyrdom). Some would even have themselves tied to trees in bombarded areas in hopes of being killed.

Another particularly interesting segment covered his finding a family manuscript that begins in 1582 - fighting to convert the last non-Muslim pocket of Afghanistan. Then in continues on to 20th century fighting in defense of the king, his predecessors attending madrassahs (originally developed during the 11th century, two centuries before European counterparts that eventually evolved into secular institutions of higher learning), the conflict in Afghanistan between secular and religious education in the mid-1950s.

Masood's father was a Soviet-educated petroleum engineer, and only a mild observer of Islam - thus, the forays and "culture shock" later experienced by Masood were far less than likely for others, and the opportunities greater. For example, 95% of the Afghan population in the mid-1970s was illiterate.

Communists took over Afghanistan in 1978 - it first it was benign, then people began disappearing and a reign of terror followed, with parents spying on children, etc. Resistance developed, followed by a Russian invasion. In the third year of the occupation (1982), resistance fighters again formed - the mujahideen.

Masood and his family escaped to Pakistan, where he was introduced to Islamic fundamentalism by a relative living in Pakistan, and Masood became a devout Muslim and attended an Arab-funded (Saudi Arabia) madrassah. While much stricter than Afghan traditions, it was not as strict as Wahhabism. Besides studying the Koran, Masood learned Arabic grammar - key to understanding the Koran and its phraseology.

At 18 Masood left to join the mujahideen in Tora Bora, despite his parents objections. The tide of battle had already turned, thanks to Stinger missiles. Masood learned how to fire AK-47s, etc., and the importance of good relations with villagers by patrolling their homes, spending nights in their mosques, and giving them a sense of security. Return benefits included food, shelter, and intelligence. Often competing mujahideen groups fought over territory, creating greater suffering for the populace.

Masood's group had foreign-supplied mortars, heavy machine guns, rocket launchers, and American Stingers. By chance, Masood met both Ahmad Masood (famed guerilla leader) and a Harvard graduate and Islam convert from London that had become involved in supporting the jihad. The latter individual recommended Masood's being admitted to Harvard, his +ultimate acceptance (after a year of preparation at Lawrenceville School), and eventual graduation. Culture shocks included seeing so many "unclothed" (casual shorts, t-shirts, dresses, etc.), having to greet females, realizing that men holding hands had a homosexual aspect in America (friendship in Afghanistan), and seeing that not all of the U.S. was pristine as depicted in the photos he had seen.

After graduating and wandering the U.S., Masood missed his family and returned. However, he found that neither he nor his family fit in with the new Taliban rule, and returned to New York City. Ultimately, Masood returned to Afghanistan to stay where he now operates a national radio program.

Masood believes the U.S. should have taken over Afghanistan from the warlords after the initial "victory," and that failing to follow-through on Bush's promised rebuilding was another mistake.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great, enjoyable read for anyone looking to understand a misunderstood part of the world, September 12, 2009

By 

Provawnce (DC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Confessions of a Mullah Warrior (Hardcover)

Masood Farivar provides an enjoyable and digestible first hand account of a complicated region and nation. His upbringing at the crossroads of tribal life and what was then the closest thing in Afghanistan to 'suburbia' life, combined with his journey to becoming a warrior fighting communism in the 1980s would serve well for any literature. Yet, Masood adds the cherry on top; he left Afghanistan for a Harvard education in the 1990s, and then returned to his country a couple years ago. As such, he applies a unique lens that provides a viewing angle for "western" readers. The outcome is a great read!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding Afghans, June 28, 2009

By 

Ralph A. Miller - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Confessions of a Mullah Warrior (Audio CD)

This book has given me a new understanding of Afghans, their faith, motivations, and family life. Second, it is a necessary primer on recent Afghan political history, without which it is impossible to make sense out of current events in that romote land.