RASC News Agency: In the face of mounting domestic and international criticism of the Taliban’s newly ratified laws, Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada, the Taliban’s supreme leader, has proclaimed that a woman’s face is a “source of temptation” and therefore must be covered. This declaration has sparked backlash, particularly among Sunni scholars in Afghanistan, who argue that, according to the Hanafi school of thought, a woman’s face, hands up to the wrists, and feet up to the ankles are not considered part of her ‘awrah (parts of the body that must be covered). These scholars denounce the Taliban’s interpretation as an extreme and misguided application of Islamic law and Hanafi jurisprudence.
During a meeting with Taliban officials in Kunduz Province, Akhundzada announced that Afghanistan would now see the “complete implementation of Sharia law.” Under the newly imposed regulations, titled the “Law of Promoting Virtue and Preventing Vice,” the Taliban have ruled that a woman’s face and voice are considered ‘awrah. Public exposure of a woman’s face or voice in spaces where men are present has been declared impermissible. The law has been met with fierce resistance both within the country and abroad. The German Foreign Minister has condemned the legislation, describing it as a “manifesto of misogyny and hate.”
Furthermore, Akhundzada expressed dissatisfaction with the public and even some Taliban members, criticizing their lack of adherence to the mandatory five daily prayers in congregation. He claimed that many Afghanistanis do not “properly” perform the prayers and are unaware of the necessary conditions and guidelines. This comment has offended many citizens, who argue that they have been devout Muslims long before the Taliban came to power and have always observed their religious duties correctly.
Although the exact date of Akhundzada’s speech remains uncertain, the Taliban-controlled presidential office released an audio recording of the meeting on their official YouTube channel on the evening of Tuesday, September 24.
