Ayatollah Waezzada Behsudi, a prominent and senior Shia emulation and cleric, says Taliban pressure on followers of the Ja'fari school has steadily increased over the past five years, adding that people approach religious scholars in tears to complain about mounting restrictions.
Speaking during Eid al-Adha prayers, Behsudi said that despite the Taliban’s claims of religious commitment and adherence to Islamic law, pressure on Shia communities has intensified day by day.
He said the growing restrictions have distanced people from the “government” and increased public dissatisfaction and grievances.
According to Behsudi, people come to clerics with “tearful eyes” to complain about the limitations and pressure imposed on them.
The senior Shia cleric warned that such treatment should not only be reduced but stopped entirely.
Warning Of Social Unrest
Ayatollah Waezzada stressed that continuing this situation is neither in the Taliban’s interest nor in the country’s interest, warning that it only fuels resentment, division and hostility.
“When pressure becomes excessive, an explosion becomes inevitable, and the Taliban should not push the situation to that point,” he said.
He also accused the Taliban of pressuring Shia university students to either adopt the Hanafi sect or abandon their studies.
According to him, even the dignity of clerics has not been respected, with some religious scholars reportedly summoned and forced to pledge not to conduct temporary marriages.
He said followers of Ja'fari jurisprudence consider themselves religiously obliged to practise their beliefs and traditions.
The cleric added that religion is a “red line” for people and neither negotiable nor something that can be ignored.
Waezzada said changing people’s beliefs through force and pressure is impossible and would only deepen divisions.
He asked: “If someone were to ban Taraweeh prayers, how difficult would that be for the Taliban to accept?”
Letter To Hibatullah Akhundzada
Ayatollah Waezzada also said Shia scholars have been unable to meet senior Taliban officials.
According to him, Shia religious scholars sent a 200-page letter to Hibatullah Akhundzada more than two years ago but have still received no response.
“We receive no reply to our letter, no meeting is granted, and at the same time we are told not to speak to the media,” he said.
Behsudi explained that he had remained silent publicly for the past two years, but rising pressure and repeated complaints from people forced him to break his silence.
The cleric also accused the Taliban of using weapons collection campaigns to pressure communities.
He said people initially handed over all state-owned weapons and later surrendered personal firearms, despite what he described as instructions from the Taliban leader against such measures.
According to him, a third phase has now begun in which lower-ranking Taliban members allegedly force people to pay money in exchange for weapons.
Support For Girls’ Education
Waezzada urged the Taliban to reopen schools and universities for girls, saying the Prophet of Islam never opposed girls’ education.
He argued that opposition to women’s education has no place in any religion or belief system.
Final Request To The Taliban
He said Shia scholars would no longer offer advice or recommendations to the Taliban, describing his remarks as their “final request”.
“Over these years we repeatedly advised, guided and counselled them, but the Taliban’s ears are deaf,” he said.
In another part of his speech, he referred to tensions in central Afghanistan and disputes involving Kuchi nomads.
He said pressure in these areas increases every year and described the Kuchis issue as a longstanding and controversial problem.
According to him, innocent people were killed last year during clashes between Kuchis and settled residents.
He urged the Taliban to implement an agreement signed three years ago between representatives of Kuchis and local residents in the presence of Ghazni officials, under which armed Kuchis were not supposed to enter residential areas.
Despite the agreement, he said, armed Kuchis still enter these regions.
The cleric also called for compensation payments or the implementation of Qisas, Principle of Retribution, punishments for victims of last year’s clashes between Kuchis and local residents.
