Kabul’s Takia Khana Chandawul: 87 Years of Religious and Cultural Resistance for Afghan Shias

The Public Takia Khana Chandawul in Kabul, a major center for Afghanistan’s Shia community, has endured for 87 years as a symbol of religious and cultural resistance against governmental suppression and crackdowns.

Established in 1938 by Ayatollah Mir Ali Ahmad Hojjat, a prominent Shia cleric, the center is one of the country’s oldest and most important Shia institutions. The complex is a two-story building that includes a mosque, a religious seminary, a library, and a washing facility for the deceased, offering services to both men and women. The takia’s dome is adorned with the flags of Imam Hussein.

Throughout the eras of various oppressive regimes, Takia Khana Chandawul served as a vital sanctuary for preserving the religious and cultural identity of the Shia community. At times when mourning ceremonies for Muharram and Ashura were forced to be held secretly in private homes, the center openly organized and championed these religious events, with Ashura serving as its central focus.

The article highlights that even under the four years of Taliban rule, the Takia Khana remained active, with Shia Muslims and followers of the Prophet’s family continuing to frequent it. Despite multiple attempts by Taliban forces to close the center, they were unsuccessful. Historically, takias and mosques in Afghanistan have functioned as centers of social and cultural resistance in addition to their religious roles, helping to institutionalize the culture of Ashura. The tradition has become a shared experience among various ethnic groups in Afghanistan, with even Sunni Muslims now participating by distributing charitable food.

As a result, Takia Khana Chandawul continues to be not only a religious hub but a powerful symbol of the cultural perseverance and resistance of Afghanistan’s Shia community against suppression and governmental attempts to silence religious centers.