Senior clerics and influential religious figures in Afghanistan appear to be withholding support from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, despite direct appeals from the ministry’s leadership.
During a recent visit to Herat province, Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, urged local clerics and community leaders to cooperate in the enforcement of the group's interpretation of Islamic law. He emphasised that without their assistance, the ministry would struggle to curb what it considers immoral behaviour.
Hanafi, whose ministry has implemented some of the Taliban’s most stringent measures particularly those targeting women, asserted that all regulations introduced are rooted in Islamic rulings, Hadiths, and Hanafi jurisprudence. He invited scholars and religious leaders from across the Islamic world to scrutinise these measures and offer feedback, stating the group is prepared to “respond” to any concerns raised.
Since August of last year, the ministry has introduced a series of increasingly strict regulations, drawing widespread criticism from both domestic and international observers. These include enhanced restrictions on women’s freedoms and prohibitions on the publication of images depicting living beings, which have affected media, advertising, and cultural expressions.
Hanafi’s remarks in Herat suggest a noticeable reluctance among Afghan clerics to endorse or actively support the ministry's controversial policies, highlighting potential internal divisions within the broader religious community over the Taliban’s approach to governance and moral enforcement.
