Afghanistan Peace Campaign
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, the leader of Hizb-e-Islami, has stated that education should be equal for men and women, emphasizing the importance of gender equality in the educational sphere. He asserts that it is wrong to differentiate between men and women in the area of education.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hizb-e-Islami, believes education should be equal for men and women. He recently spoke in a virtual conference, emphasizing the importance of knowledge in Islam. He stated that Jihad, once prioritized, should now be complemented with progress in all aspects of life through education.
Hekmatyar asserts that Islam doesn’t differentiate between religious and worldly sciences.
“Islam has not made a distinction between religious and worldly sciences. All sciences are sacred and the acquiring of all sciences is obligatory for Muslims, both for men and women,” he said. “Anyone who differentiates between them is wrong. This is his personal opinion, we cannot find evidence for it in religion, nor can it be rationally justified.”
Hekmartyar advocates for Afghan citizens’ participation in national decision-making processes, including political system choice, territorial integrity, and foreign policy. He asserts these rights are bestowed by God and cannot be usurped.
“It is the inalienable right of the Afghan people to choose their political system. God and religion have given them this right… no one can take this right away from them. Islam has not given anyone the right to take away the rights that God has given to people,” He said.
Regarding the economic system, Hekmatyar criticizes the persistence of bank interest and taxes, advocating for the collection of zakat instead of taxes.
Hekmatyar, born in 1947 in Afghanistan, rose to prominence during the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s. Initially a member of the Islamist movement against the Soviet occupation, he later became a prominent warlord in the internal conflicts that followed the Soviet withdrawal.
From 1992 to 1996, Afghanistan plunged into a brutal civil war following the collapse of the Soviet-backed government. Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami was one of the factions vying for power, engaging in fierce battles with other Mujahideen groups and the emerging Taliban movement.
After years of conflict, Hekmatyar signed a landmark peace deal with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in 2016. This agreement marked a significant step towards reconciliation, with Hekmatyar agreeing to cease hostilities and join the political process, aiming to contribute to stability and peace in Afghanistan.