Taliban minister links defying top leader’s orders to disobeying God

Taliban Minister of Higher Education Neda Mohammad Nadim has stated that disobeying orders from the group’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, is equivalent to defying “the will of God”, Afghan Amu news outlet reported Tuesday.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony in Kabul, Nadim declared that it is impermissible under Islam to neglect Akhundzada’s directives. “The leader’s orders are God’s commands,” he asserted.

The remarks have sparked debate among Afghan citizens and Islamic scholars, with some challenging the legitimacy of equating Akhundzada’s decrees with divine commands. Critics argue that many of the Taliban’s policies contradict Islamic principles, including restrictions on women’s education, employment, and public participation.

Religious scholars stated that policies based on personal or ethnic views cannot be considered religious obligations. The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has also urged the Taliban to reverse their restrictions on women, though the group has so far resisted calls for reform.