Category Archives: Muslims and Islam
Hunger, Poverty Overshadow Ramadan In Afghanistan
By Faiza Ibrahimi and Sana Kakar Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty March 12, 2024 Ramadan is usually a time of compassion, charity, and celebration. But the Islamic holy month has been overshadowed in Afghanistan, the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, by rising hunger, poverty, and joblessness. As some in the Muslim world break their fast with nightly
Muslims Spot Ramadan Crescent Moon in Saudi Arabia
AP: DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES — Officials saw the crescent moon Sunday night in Saudi Arabia, home to the holiest sites in Islam, marking the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan for many of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims. The sacred month, which sees those observing abstain from food and water from sunrise
Taliban imposes Hanafi-only policy in Afghan private University Libraries
Khaama: In a concerning move, the Taliban’s Ministry of Higher Education has issued a directive to private universities in Afghanistan to purge their libraries of non-Hanafi Islamic texts, including Shia and other minority religious books. This mandate represents an intensification of the Taliban’s effort to enforce a singular Sunni Hanafi Islamic perspective across educational institutions.
Taliban’s Opposition to Islamic Sects; Nadeem: “All Afghans Are Followers of the Hanafi Denomination”
8am: Afghanistan is recognized for its diverse social, linguistic, and religious structure. The country encompasses multiple Islamic sects, various ethnic groups, and diverse languages, each with its believers and advocates. The religious freedoms of the Afghan people were officially acknowledged in the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. Still, since the Taliban’s return to
Islam Does Not Ban Girls’ Education. So Why Does The Taliban?
Abubakar Siddique Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty August 13, 2023 The education of girls and women is universally accepted in more than 200 countries and territories, including nearly 50 Muslim-majority nations. But Afghanistan’s hard-line Islamist Taliban rulers have banned teenage girls from attending school after the sixth grade since they returned to power two years ago.
Concerns Over Taliban’s Religious Restrictions: Shia Muslims at Risk of ‘Slow’ Genocide
8am: The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) urgently calls for coordinated international action to protect the Shia and Hazara communities in Afghanistan. In their statement, the organization highlights that the Afghan Shia, primarily comprising Hazaras, face systematic discrimination, targeted attacks, marginalization, harassment, and severe restrictions under the Taliban’s rule. The report reveals
The Ismailis in Afghanistan
8am: Recently, a video has been circulating on social media depicting the Taliban coercing Ismaili Muslims to declare their allegiance to Sunni Islam by saying Shahada. This implies that these individuals were not considered true Muslims until now and must reaffirm their faith to be accepted back into the Islamic community. This incident has caused
Ashura Observance: The Taliban Beat up Shiite Mourners
8am: Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, Shiites have encountered restrictions and numerous threats during the observance of the tenth day of Muharram, known as Ashura. In the past, suicide attacks targeted Muharram mourning gatherings on several occasions. This year, the Taliban imposed limitations on these religious ceremonies, forbidding Shiites from holding street gatherings, performing
Shi’ite Scholars Ask Mourners To Tone Down Muharram Observance After Taliban Imposed Restrictions
By RFE/RL’s Radio Azadi July 27, 2023 The Council of Shi’ite Scholars of Afghanistan on July 26 published a declaration calling on mourners to scale back their activities during ceremonies to mark the start of Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. The council’s declaration called on mourners to refrain from programs and street processions