EDITORIAL: When the Afghan Taliban swept to power in August of last year, in his very first press conference their spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid announced that women’s rights would be respected within the confines of Sharia – Taliban version of it, of course. And that they will be free to pursue education up to university level.
That suggested this time round moderation rather than harsh, extremist policies of their 1996-2001 stint in power would characterise the Taliban rule. But they have gradually been returning to their old ways. Soon enough, girls’ secondary schools were shut and most women stopped from going to work.
Then came the order from the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice banning women from travelling long distances without being chaperoned by a male relative, and for public transport owners to deny rides to females not properly covered.
Posters went on display in Kabul what a proper Islamic covering should look like: burqas draping women from head to toe, with only a net place around the eyes to peer out. None of this has anything to do with Islam and everything about the medieval, misogynist worldview of the new rulers of Afghanistan. Steadily hardliners have been gaining the upper hand.
On Monday, the same spokesman announced Taliban supreme leader Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada’s edict ordering judges to carefully examine the files of thieves, kidnappers, and seditionists, and adulterers, and apostates, to implement Sharia [Islamic law]. “This”, he said, is the “ruling of Sharia, and my command, which is obligatory.”
Implementation entails extreme punishments, including public executions, stoning and flogging for adulterers as well as some other offenses, and amputation of hands for thieves. According to reports, social media has been awash for a year with videos and pictures of Taliban fighters carrying out floggings. As noted above, women have already lost the right to education, work and social freedoms.
A few days ago, the Taliban also banned them from entering parks, funfairs, gyms and public baths, although managed by females. All this is being done in the name of, but in negation of Sharia as the following examples illustrate.
The one tradition that has remained unchanged since the time of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is that of the dress code for the performance of Hajj or Umrah where women are required to cover their bodies with a white or black ihram, but their faces and hands are uncovered. Besides, there is no gender segregation as men and women perform the obligatory rituals walking side by side.
This shows Sharia does not require women to cover their faces, hands and feet while out in public. Also, the Holy Prophet’s wife, Hazrat Khadija (RA), a role model for Muslim women, was a leading business woman who controlled the region’s most important trading route. As for education, while Islam asks people to acquire knowledge there is nothing in it that forbids women to do the same.
Clearly, the restrictions the Taliban are putting on women emanate from regressive local customs and traditions still prevalent in some parts of the country, including in the Taliban’s home base in south-western Afghanistan. Mullah Akhunzada’s policy directives have no parallel in any other Islamic country. Rather than serving the cause of Islam they bring it a bad name.
Big international players, including the US, China and Russia have remained engaged with the Kabul government in hopes of persuading it to get rid of extremist groups endangering the peace and security of other nations.
Making things difficult has also been denial of education to girls and women. The window of discourse suggested that the Taliban did not become too extreme to gain something they strongly desire: diplomatic recognition by the international community.
That is to pave the way for the US to release (though only half) of Afghan central bank’s $7 billion reserves that lie frozen at the Federal Reserve Bank in New York that the Kabul government urgently needs to mitigate severe economic hardships of the people. Mullah Akhunzada’s new policy guidelines will further isolate his war-devastated country, increasing the chances of its implosion.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
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