Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has reportedly ordered a ban on girls receiving religious education in madrasas, in addition to the existing prohibition on their schooling.
According to Afghanistan media, two Taliban ministers revealed that in a cabinet meeting held two weeks ago, the Taliban chief declared that it was not permissible under Sharia for women to attend madrasas for religious studies.
They added that Akhundzada justified his stance by claiming that even during the era of the third caliphate, women were not allowed to attend mosques, and therefore, such practice could not be considered correct.
Another minister confirmed that many cabinet members were deeply disappointed by the statement but did not dare to openly disagree. A source from Kandahar told Afghanistan International that so far no minister has challenged the Taliban chief’s position.
Several Taliban leaders and clerics had been expecting girls’ schools to reopen this year, but now even religious education is being deemed unacceptable.
One minister argued that the Taliban chief’s stance contradicts the clear teachings of the Quran and Sunnah, stressing that religious education is obligatory for all Muslims, both men and women. Another Taliban official warned that continued restrictions on women could once again turn Afghanistan into a battlefield of warlords.
The Taliban government has not yet confirmed or denied this report, as details of the Taliban chief’s activities, such as presiding over cabinet meetings, are usually kept secret.
It is worth recalling that the Taliban seized power in mid-August 2021 after then-President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Since then, Afghan women and girls have been barred from secondary schools, universities, and private educational institutions.
Meanwhile, global powers have tied the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets and financial aid to ensuring women’s employment and access to education.
