8am: Five years after the Taliban’s takeover, members of the Ismaili community in Badakhshan say they are facing a wave of religious, educational and social restrictions. According to the findings of this report, at least 10 jamaat khanas (Ismaili prayer and community centers) belonging to Ismailis have been closed in several districts of this province,
Ariana: Afghanistan marked the 10th of Muharram, the Day of Ashura, with religious ceremonies held across Kabul and several other provinces, as thousands of mourners gathered to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Ashura commemorates one of the most significant events in Islamic history, when Imam Hussain (RA)
Afghanistan International: Taliban Deputy Minister of Urban Development and Housing Sheikh Madar Ali Karimi said the orders of the group’s prime minister, Mullah Mohammad Hassan Akhund, are being ignored. He criticised the Taliban’s treatment of Shia Muslims, particularly during Muharram. Click here to read more (external link). Related Sources: Taliban justice minister detained about 20
8am: Several Shia Muslims in Afghanistan say that nearly five years into Taliban rule, religious restrictions on their community have gradually intensified. According to them, these restrictions now extend beyond Muharram mourning ceremonies and have come to encompass shrines, religious rituals, and even certain matters of jurisprudence. These Shia Muslims add that the Taliban impose
Afghanistan International: According to the sources, the arrests were carried out on the orders of Abdul Hakim Sharei, the Taliban’s justice minister. They said those detained are being held in a private detention facility operated by the minister within the Ministry of Justice compound. Click here to read more (external link).
Afghanistan International: 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
Afghanistan International: Mohammad Mohaqiq, leader of the People’s Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan, said the Taliban have stripped the Jaafari jurisprudence of official recognition and imposed widespread pressure on the religious practices of Shia Muslims. In a post on Facebook, Mohaqiq said the measures included insults, beatings of Shia clerics and interference in matters related
DW: An attack on a Shiite place of worship in Herat killed least 11 people. While the Taliban have pledged protection, a sense of structural vulnerability is growing within the Shiite community. “The Taliban’s ultra-conservative Sunni interpretation of Islam labels Shiite Muslims as heretics. This characterization contributes to their vulnerability and increases their exposure to
Afghanistan International: Local sources told Afghanistan International that the Taliban prevented Shia Muslims from holding Eid al-Fitr prayers in some areas of Kabul. According to the sources, most Shia Muslims observed Eid on Saturday, but Taliban forces were deployed at the entrances of Shia mosques, including in western Kabul, to block the prayers. Click here