Taliban Leader, Senior Official Release Shocking Statements Demanding “Obedience”
In his recent Eid al-Adha message, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada declared his absolute authority, emphasizing that obedience to his decrees is “obligatory” for all, aiming to consolidate their “Islamic system.” He called on clerics and intellectuals to support this vision and prevent “sedition.” Akhundzada further directed judges to base rulings strictly on the offense, not social standing, and instructed ministries to prioritize piety and the regime’s ideological foundations.
This comes amidst ongoing complaints about lack of services for returning Afghans and a warning against internal disputes among Taliban personnel. Since their 2021 takeover, Akhundzada has issued over 80 decrees, largely curtailing women and girls’ rights to education, employment, and public participation, drawing international condemnation. Critics within Afghanistan state the Taliban are imposing their extreme interpretation of Islam, with media watchdogs reporting detentions of journalists and religious scholars who oppose the group.
Further illustrating this draconian approach, the Taliban’s Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice asserted that humans are “slaves” whose sole duty is to obey God, the Prophet, and the “leader of the faithful” (referring to Akhundzada). He vehemently criticized modern education and societal freedoms, contrasting universities’ view of human freedom with what he claims is Islam’s demand for absolute submission. He explicitly linked the ongoing struggle to combat “human rights” and the demands for social freedoms, including dress codes for men and women.
This minister previously dismissed international criticism of the Taliban’s laws, declaring them outside their legitimate purview. Akhundzada himself has publicly advocated for stoning and flogging women, explicitly stating these acts are “against your democracy,” and has disparaged modern education as “knowledge for the stomach,” leading to the closure of schools and the removal of books on law, political science, and women’s studies from university curricula. The International Criminal Court (ICC) has even requested arrest warrants for Akhundzada and his Supreme Court head for crimes against humanity, specifically “widespread gender-based discrimination.”
This interpretation of Islam, enforced by the Taliban, fundamentally misrepresents the true spirit and teachings of the faith. The true Leader and Commander of the Believers, Amir al-Mo’mineen Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), was invested by the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his Pure Family) on the Day of Ghadeer and throughout his Divine Mission. His leadership, and that of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), exemplifies an Islam rooted in justice, compassion, intellectual pursuit, and respect for human dignity and rights, a stark contrast to the Taliban’s oppressive and deviant actions.
