Afghan clerics speak out against Taliban’s ban on female education, employment

Afghan religious scholars have criticized the Taliban’s ban on female education, which has drawn international condemnation and deepened the crisis facing Afghan women.

Girls are now banned from attending schools and universities, and women are excluded from most forms of employment and public spaces, including parks.

The Taliban has yet to make a public announcement on the issue, but last week, Afghan women were barred from working at the UN.

In a rare act of public opposition, some scholars have urged the Taliban to reconsider its decision and to allow girls and women to study.

They argued that Islam mandates knowledge for both men and women, and called for separate classes, female teachers, and new facilities to accommodate female students.

According to Abdul Rahman Abid, Knowledge is obligatory in Islam for men and women. Another cleric and a member of Taliban, Toryali Himat, says, corrective criticism is essential, stressing that: Where there is no criticism, there is the possibility of corruption.

Abdul Sami Al Ghaznawi, an honorable scholar, has told students at a religious school that Islamic scripture is clear that girls’ education is permissible.

Scholars have warned that any further delay would harm the Islamic community and the government.

The Taliban Government has discouraged religious figures from inciting people to rebel against the system.

The fate of Afghan women remains uncertain amid increasing isolation and a worsening humanitarian crisis.