Najaf Mazari is the main character and narrator of his autobiography. Born and raised in the country of Afghanistan centred around warfare, he progresses his life through hardships and peril, eventually reaching Australia as an asylum seeker. Najaf's values, religious beliefs and family were key supporters of Najaf's daily struggle, which in conjunction with the war and constant danger surrounding him, created the master rug-maker that is Najaf in the present. After reading his autobiography, the reader will truly understand how an asylum seeker can blossom even after all of their hardships.
Najaf Mazari embarked on the difficult search for asylum beginning in the mountains of Shar Shar as a shepherd boy, through torture and near death by the Taliban. As a boy, Najaf learnt to work hard for the ultimate outcome which in Afghanistan, was refuge. In Shar Shar, Najaf and his family truly believed that their home built from sweat, mud bricks and bare hands was a paradise away from the war. Later in Najaf's autobiography, he mentions that his home was blown in to pieces by Taliban rockets.  Though, his older brother Gorg Ali always said to never complain, as there may be harder challenges later down the road (page 99). This event tainted Najaf's memory and he never forgot what it meant to never complain, which is visualised by his struggles to learn the Australian culture in the later chapters of his autobiography when he is a grown man.
Those who are born in Afghanistan develop the skills necessary to survive the harsh country. Growing up Najaf had adapted to situations such as when Taliban scouts were looking for teenagers and instinctively Najaf would run. Other times Najaf would pray to God that his day would not be composed of running and hiding from scouts. Eventually Najaf became a man of faith and hope. Even in the refugee camp, other Afghanis looked up to Najaf because of his keen amount of faith and hope.