In the Name of God

Considering the sad feelings of thousands of the Afghan high school and university girls, with their eyes full of tears, after denial of access to education and its psychological impact, under the Taliban ruling in Afghanistan needs to be examined from an Islamic point of view.

Many verses of Quran, the holy and divine book of Muslims, call upon both men and women, on an equal basis, to observe their duties and responsibilities before God. For example, in Chapter 33 (Ahzab) Verse 35, Allah’s forgiveness and rewards have been promised to the Muslims and true believers, male and female with no distinction between them. It is important to note that according to many authentic narrations from the Holy Prophet of Islam, acquiring knowledge is compulsory to every Muslim man and woman. During his lifetime, the Prophet had a lot of respect for women and expressed his opposition to the cruel and discriminatory belief and practice of the People of Ignorance of his time (Jahiliah) towards women. Therefore, the justification by the Taliban Minister of Higher Education to ban almost 50 percent of the Afghan population from their God-given right to education according to the so-called “Islamic Sharia” does not have the approval of the true Islamic teachings and the Muslim scholars throughout the world.

The Islamic Research and Information Center (IRIC), as a Religious NGO registered with a Consultative Status at the United Nations Economic and Social Council, joins the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and all other like-minded intellectuals, Muslim and non-Muslim, in expressing deep concern and dismay with the recent decision of the Taliban in preventing the Afghan girls and women to exercise their right to have access to education. Clearly, such ruling is against the teachings of the Holy Quarn, narrations, practice and behavior of Prophet Muhammad and his progeny and the religious scholars and teachings of all divine religions of God.

In conclusion, IRIC urges all authors, researchers, academia, media activists and other individuals who are concerned about such vivid discrimination against the Afghan girls and women to express their opposition and demand corrective and urgent action in this regard.

Islamic Research & Information Center
10 January 2023
www.iric.org