Review of Afghanistan Developments
Annually, with the arrival of March, the conversation regarding girls’ education in Afghanistan is revived, as this month signifies the initiation of school and university registration for the new academic year. It is clear that, in the next academic year, girls will not be permitted to continue their studies beyond the sixth grade.
In 2021, the Taliban government imposed a ban on girls’ education beyond the sixth grade, stating that this measure would remain in effect “until further notice,” without providing any justification. The prevailing assumption was that the ban might stem from insufficient space and suitable educational resources, or possibly from political motivations and external pressures from Western countries.
After three years of this situation, it became evident that the prohibition on girls’ education is rooted in ideological motivations, with the future of girls’ education being contingent upon the beliefs held by the Taliban government’s ideological spectrum. This article will explore some of the jurisprudential arguments presented by the Taliban government for the ban on girls’ education, without delving into the political implications or approaches.
Cultural norms and Local traditions
At the outset, the Taliban government indicated that the ban on girls’ education was a manifestation of the will and demands of the Afghan populace. This pronouncement by Taliban officials implied that the administration was yielding to traditional customs in the face of a conflict between the historical practices of Afghan society and the contemporary movement for girls’ education.
Responding to global advocacy for girls’ right to education, the Taliban government’s diplomatic officials have framed the ban on girls’ education as an internal concern, claiming it aligns with the will and expectations of the Afghan people.
The Taliban’s argument regarding community resistance to girls’ education did not achieve acceptance among the public. Historically, the struggle between modernization and traditionalism, particularly during the reign of Amanullah Khan and the opposition led by Habibullah Kalakani, saw certain Afghan tribes opposing girls’ education in a distinctive manner. However, during the transition from a republic to an emirate, there was no significant public opposition to girls’ education. The support for girls’ education, even in rural areas populated by Pashtuns, resulted in the gradual erosion of the Taliban’s traditionalist narrative, which was supplanted by a discourse focused on Islamic jurisprudence.
Blocking the means and inhibiting women’s social involvement
In the legal interpretations of the Taliban’s ideological faction, both a woman’s body and her voice are deemed private. The Taliban’s Law on Enjoining Right and Forbidding Wrong articulates that “A woman’s voice is private parts.” This definition suggests that these elements should be kept hidden from non-mahram men. In contrast, the moderate faction of the Taliban does not view the voice as a private aspect and asserts that some of the Prophet’s (PBUH) wives communicated hadiths and religious instructions to non-mahram men.
The Taliban’s ideological faction, which follows a serve and rigid version of Islamic principles, believes that the presence of women in public can lead to sedition and provoke anxiety among men. In his work “Al-Emaratul Islamiyya wa Nizamuha” (The Islamic Emirate and Systems), Maulvi Abdul Hakim Haqqani, the chief judge of the Taliban government, after reviewing various hadiths and jurisprudential interpretations, asserted that women and girls should remain at home to avoid the scrutiny of non-mahrams. He concluded his analysis with the following lines: “May the eyes of a woman be blind from strangers/May she be buried when she leaves the house!”.
The jurisprudential principles of the Deobandi School assert that the concept of “Blocking the means” serves as the basis for prohibiting interactions between non-mahram men and women. According to the interpretation of Deobandi scholars regarding the foundational evidence supporting this barrier, any permissible action that may lead to an impermissible act is deemed forbidden. Consequently, this jurisprudential reasoning has led the Taliban ideological framework to impose restrictions on the education of girls and women, as well as their participation in schools and universities, to avert the mixing of genders.
The reasoned dialogue and the fundamental need for the education of girls
A moderate discourse presented by the pragmatic faction of the Taliban, along with moderate societal leaders, asserts that the inclusion of girls and women in educational institutions does not constitute an inappropriate mingling of men and women. This perspective is based on the belief that it is feasible to establish separate educational facilities for girls and boys. Furthermore, the Islamic government has a responsibility to create a conducive environment that prevents the prohibited mixing of genders, rather than denying girls their right to education. This faction contends that denying girl’s access to education not only infringes upon their inherent human rights but also undermines the interests of the Islamic Ummah.
This faction of Taliban adherents and religious figures argues that the prohibition of girls’ education in an Islamic country is a key factor in the decline and helplessness of the Islamic society, representing a violation of Islamic honor. Furthermore, such a policy adversely affects the international community’s perception of Islamic law.
Final word
In light of the irreparable damage resulting from four years of educational exclusion for girls, the development of theoretical discussions regarding girls’ education among Taliban leaders illustrates a significant contrast between the earlier and the present-day Taliban.
The demands of the current era can compel or motivate social movements and trends to adapt or reconsider their positions. A case in point is the Taliban’s second incarnation, which, unlike its predecessor, has fragmented into two ideological and more moderate groups.
In light of this perspective, it is vital and fundamental that instead of giving in to external pressures related to the issue of girls being denied education, there should be a concerted effort to bolster theoretical and religious discourse within Afghanistan.
