Habib-ur-Rahman Hakimyar Compares Taliban to Medieval Political Systems
Habib-ur-Rahman Hakimyar, son of Gulbuddin Hakimyar and a prominent figure in the Islamic Party, compared the Taliban’s administration to medieval political systems in Europe in a message posted on the social media platform X. He stated that the group derives its legitimacy from what it claims to be divine will and equates obedience to the ruler with obedience to God.
In his message, he wrote that throughout history, many rulers have considered themselves representatives of God on earth or held divine status. According to him, the Emperor of Japan was regarded as the direct descendant of the sun goddess, the Chinese ruler was called the “Son of Heaven,” the Pharaohs of Egypt were seen as embodiments of God, and in Rome, Julius Caesar was worshipped as a deity after his death.
Hakimyar added that the Taliban resemble medieval European political systems more than any other historical example—a period in which kings claimed to be chosen by God to govern and opposition to them was considered a religious sin. He believes that this type of political rhetoric, which was abandoned in Europe centuries ago in favor of the principle of popular consent, is now being promoted by the Taliban administration in Afghanistan.
He stated that the purpose of this approach is to strengthen public obedience and facilitate societal control but emphasized that imposing such a mindset today faces significant challenges. These remarks come as the Taliban administration continues to base its legitimacy on a specific interpretation of Islamic law while excluding electoral mechanisms and broad political participation—an issue widely criticized by many Afghan political and civil society activists.
Habib-ur-Rahman Hakimyar also identified the Taliban’s so-called “hostility towards knowledge and technology” as another similarity between the group and certain medieval religious movements. He said this approach stems from a fear of public awareness and enlightenment against their preferred narratives and added that despite efforts to maintain such policies, this approach will not succeed in the long term.
