Taliban Imposes New Restrictions on Shia Practices Regarding Celebration of Muharram
Taliban have ordered the Shia community members to refrain from celebrating the month of Muharram and Ashura ceremony outside mosques and religious centers.
Taliban have ordered the Shia community members to refrain from celebrating the month of Muharram and Ashura ceremony outside mosques and religious centers.
The ban is also imposed on raising flags on Muharram and opening cabins for volunteer distribution of food and water.
In the past twenty years, Afghanistan witnessed the celebration of Muharram and Ashura openly by the Shia community members.
Meanwhile, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson, stressed that the Taliban will ensure the security during the Muharram ceremony in the coming weeks.
Mujahid said that last year there was no security incident during Muharram and the group will make sure that security remains tight during the Shia religious ceremony.
After the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021, and despite the group’s emphasis on respect of the rights of Shia citizens of Afghanistan, the leaders of the Shia sect of Islam have complained of discrimination against members of the community.
Last year, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs of the Taliban removed the holiday of Ashura from the Afghan calendar. This decision of the Taliban faced harsh criticism from Afghan citizens, especially Shia citizens.
Afghan Shia leaders have repeatedly asked the Taliban to recognise Jafari's jurisprudence, however, the group has not yet officially expressed its opinion on this issue.
In one case, the Ministry of Higher Education of the Taliban rejected the request of the Council of Shiite Scholars to include Jafari jurisprudence in the university curriculum.
