Afghanistan Peace CampaignThe religious clerics said that modern education is essential for girls and women.
Former US special envoy for Afghanistan’s reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad reacted on Twitter to the Islamic Emirate leader’s statement at the Eid ceremony “my order is valid when it is in accordance with Sharia; if it is opposed to it, then it is not obeyed.”
Khalilzad responded to his remarks as “excellent” and said: “here are two: not allowing women/girls to go to high school and universities; and not allowing women to work in UN and other offices.”
“Many Islamic scholars, including those who supported the Talibs such as Abdul Hamid of Zahedan, and countless others across the Islamic world, have said so. Sounds like a green light for women’s education and work!,” he said.
The religious clerics said that modern education is essential for girls and women.
“Education is obligatory for every Muslim. If we really consider women Muslim, knowledge is obligatory for them as well,” said Rahimullah Kashaf, a religious cleric.
“Islam obliged men and women to gain knowledge. As long as learning is obligatory for men, it is obligatory for women as well,” said Abdul Qadar Qannat, a religious cleric.
The political analysts said that if the schools and universities are not reopened for girls and women, the distance between the government and people will increase.
“The mainstream issues have become political. The government should try to separate these issues from the political mainstream and no longer allow that our sisters and Afghan girls, who have been victims of every (political change), be further victims,” said Abdul Sadiq Hameedzoi, a political analyst.
“I don’t think the Islamic Emirate will let themselves be imposed on so that the foreigners can recognize it. This situation affects the nation and if the nation knows it, the distance between the people and nation will rise,” said Kamran Aman, political analyst.
Earlier, Islamic Emirate spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid released audio attributed to the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate, Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, at Eid al-Fitr prayers, in which he mostly talked about the structure of the government of the Islamic Emirate.
The leader of the Islamic Emirate said “my order is valid when it is in accordance with Sharia; if it is opposed to it, then it is not obeyed.”
However, he did not comment on the education of girls, or women working.