The idea of admitting me into a Madrassa has come to my father’s mind after he returned from his four month Tabligh, a missionary tour. I had learned the Holy Koran during his missionary tour and he was excited very much on hearing this news. On the very same day, he announced that he will admit me into a Madrassa for religious education.

The next day he told my uncle about the decision and said, “Now it is your duty to find a Madrassa for him”. My uncle, also a missionary, was living near a city called Temargara which was my favourite place. I was fifteen years old and it was always my pleasure to go to new places.

Then came the day I left home and went with my uncle. My mother bid me farewell and gave me everything she thought I was needed. Reaching my uncle’s home, my grandmother gleefully received me as always. She baked special breads for me, bought me new clothes and gave me extra money when we left for Madrassa.

Although I had not attended any school, yet I was able to read Pashto books and sign boards because of my fluency in the Holy Koran and that my father had taught me how to read and write letters and join them to make words of. Thus my uncle and family were proud of me.

The Madrassa was some 70 kilo meters away from my uncle’s. It was located on a hill top where hundreds of religious students were coming and going. We went straight to the office of the in-charge where we learned the name of the Madrassa and other details. The name was Madrassa Le Isha’at-e-Tawheed Wa Sunnaha (Seminary to teach and preach the belief of oneness of God and Sayings of the Prophet).

The in-charge told us that I had to accommodate at a mosque as hundreds of the students were staying at the mosques of the near villages. According to him, the Madrassa could afford to provide accommodation to only 50 students. And they had given admission to more than six hundred students. The remaining students had to live at the mosques of the near villages where they would collect their food from houses and, in return, the senior student of every mosque had had responsibility to lead the five times a day, every Friday, funeral and other prayers. Some times people of the villages would give money and their products to the Madrassa and the students.

My uncle requested for a place in the Madrassa but the in-charge firmly said that there was no place remained. It confused him. I learned later that he was confused due to my young age. Then he inquired about the mosque I was supposed to live in. The in-charge checked his register and then gave us address of the mosque. It was called Tanki Mosque. We visited it the same day and found out that nearly twenty other students were living there. We met the senior student of the mosque who was now acting as the head and Imam.

This mosque was built on another hill top in centre of the village. Between the Madrassa and Tanki Mosque and its village was laid a road, flew a river and populated two other villages.

We stayed at the mosque that night and went again to the Madrassa next morning. On the way to the Madrassa, my uncle had decided to admit himself, too, for one year. The main aim of this decision was to be as guard with me but he pretended to study some important books. Anyway, the in-charge gave us admission and then told us the strict rules.

“Never play or anything with village’s boys, never bath in the river, never come late to your lessons, never disrespect elder students and teachers and never go anywhere without pre-permission of the head of the mosque” he warned.

It disappointed me. I had made many plans in my heart for having bath in the river, playing with village’s boys and particularly to have runs on the swinging bridge which was built over the river.