Taliban Forces Herat University Students to Pledge Allegiance to Hanafi Sect
Sources at Herat University report that the Taliban administration has distributed a pledge form requiring students to officially commit to following the Hanafi school of thought and obeying the Taliban’s directives. According to these sources, signing this form is mandatory.
The form was distributed among students on the morning of Saturday, April 18. Part of the document states that the signatory promises to comply with the Taliban administration’s orders and rulings.
Clause six of the pledge, a copy of which has been obtained by media outlets, reads: “Given that the people of Afghanistan are Sunni Muslims and followers of the Hanafi school founded by Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him), I too pledge to follow this school in order to maintain unity and harmony.”
Universities are traditionally recognized as centers of intellectual and academic diversity. The recent move by the Taliban administration to condition continued education on accepting a specific religious interpretation and pledging obedience to its orders has raised concerns about restrictions on students’ academic and personal freedoms.
