Taliban and Turkey Emphasize Strengthening Religious Cooperation
In a recent meeting between the Taliban’s Minister of Guidance, Hajj and Religious Affairs and a delegation from Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs, both sides underscored the importance of enhancing bilateral cooperation in religious, cultural, and educational fields.
The session, attended by Mawlawi Noor Mohammad Saqib, the Taliban’s Minister of Guidance, Hajj and Religious Affairs, and Ansari Yenturk, Head of International Relations at Turkey’s Directorate of Religious Affairs, focused on the historical and religious ties between Afghanistan and Turkey.
Saqib praised Turkey’s efforts in the Islamic world and cited the Ottoman Caliphate as a civilizational model in service of the Muslim ummah. He described Turkey as a key partner in advancing Hanafi jurisprudence and highlighted the longstanding cultural and religious connections between the two nations, noting that shared religious values create opportunities for deeper collaboration.
For his part, Yenturk expressed support for the Afghan people, emphasized the religious and civilizational commonalities between the two countries, and noted the scientific and social progress made by Afghans in recent difficult years. He pledged that Turkey would share its experiences in areas such as Hajj management, religious endowments, orphanages, and other religious affairs with the Taliban administration.
While the Taliban have used such engagements to gain international legitimacy, there are growing concerns about their exclusionary approach, hardline religious policies, and the sidelining of minority groups in governance. International observers and human rights organizations have repeatedly called for Afghanistan’s foreign relations under the Taliban’s rule to be based on inclusivity and human rights, rather than solely on religious affinity.
