Two Shia Scholars Warn of Rising Religious Pressure and Social Consequences in Afghanistan

Two Shia Scholars Warn of Rising Religious Pressure and Social Consequences in Afghanistan
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Reports from Afghanistan indicate growing religious pressure on followers of the Jaafari school of thought and increasing concern over the state of religious freedom in the country.

Two prominent Shia scholars have recently warned about the continuation of this trend.

According to Afghanistan’s Hasht-e Subh newspaper, Ayatollah Ghulam Abbas Vaez-Zada Behsudi criticized Taliban actions during his Eid prayer sermon, saying people have been approaching religious scholars with tears in their eyes because of religious pressure.

He warned that the continuation of this situation could have serious social consequences and may lead to wider tensions.

The report said the Taliban has imposed strict policies in recent years in the fields of religion and education. It noted that students at public and private universities have reportedly been forced to sign commitments to follow Hanafi jurisprudence. Other reports have also pointed to educational and social restrictions against followers of other religious schools.

Ayatollah Sayyid Mohsen Hujjat, another prominent Shia scholar in Afghanistan, also said that forcing people to accept a specific school of thought in educational environments is not compatible with religious principles. He stressed that religious diversity must be respected and that different religious paths should not be restricted through coercion.