Taliban Minister Declares Jihad Mandatory Against Opponents of Afghanistan’s Ruling Structure
Khalid Hanafi, the Taliban’s Minister for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, has declared that waging jihad against any force attacking the current Taliban administration or Afghan territory is a religious obligation. Speaking at a gathering held at a school named “Jihadi” in Nuristan province, he stated that such a jihad is a ‘fard ayn’—a personal religious duty for all Muslims.
Hanafi claimed that his stance is based on a fatwa issued by hundreds of Islamic scholars who recently convened in Kabul. According to him, the participants in the meeting equated any attack against the Taliban’s governmental structure or Afghanistan’s territory with an attack on Islam itself.
These remarks come amid longstanding concerns over the use of religious language to justify violence and militarism, which has alarmed Afghan civil society groups and local residents. Critics argue that such positions may further restrict civic space and legitimize suppression under the guise of religious duty.
The statement is seen as part of the Taliban’s ongoing efforts to reinforce their specific interpretation of Islam, linking political and social opposition with religious defiance. This approach has raised significant questions about its implications for security, fundamental rights, and the future of coexistence in Afghanistan.
