Translated by Silvia Toro
Are
the Taliban Muslims?
The answer to this question is affirmative, but they are not
representative of Islam. They describe themselves as "defenders
of the real Islam", they
fight in the name of God by imposing fear and obedience behind the
sound of gunfires... but in whose name?
The
Taliban, who returned to power in August 2021, have been the subject
of criticism since their government first took office. They promote
an extremely conservative vision of society, based on the shariatic
rules of the Hanafita-Deobandi juridical
school. The influence of religion on the laws that are shaping Afghan
society has rekindled a crucial question: do
the Taliban truly interpret the Koran, or are they manipulators of
faith?
The Muslim world, in an attempt to give an answer to the question, has
split up into two parts. Some scholars, among whom Khaled
Abou El Fadi
stands
out, emphasize how repression, especially against women, arises from
a distorted
interpretation of the sacred text.
Among
the ventures promoted against the women is the choice to close
schools for children over 12, and this limits or prohibits adult
women from working. The Quran, however, is clear: knowledge
is a religious duty,
being it necessary for spiritual and cultural growth. An example is
the surah 96, "al-'Alaq" which
quotes:"Read! In the name of the
Lord who created, he created man from a clinging clot. Read! And your
Lord is the Most Generous, Who taught by the pen, taught humanity
what they knew not."
Known
for their brutality, they allowed themselves to commit abuses
and terror thanks to their interpretation of faith. Actions that
sometimes can evolve into flagellation, public death penalty and
stoning. El Fadi's opinions are aligned with those of a
notorious scholar, the Gran
Mufti
of
the Saudi Arabia Kindom, Abdulaziz
Al-Sheikh,
who points out that terrorism
and violence are not close characteristics of the Islamic faith.
In fact, Islam itself promotes free will, meaning every individual
can act in the name of either peace or destruction. In Surah 76, this
concept is expressed clearly: "Indeed,
We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him and We
made him hearing and seeing. We guided him to the way, be he grateful
or be he ungrateful."
For
this reason, although the Taliban are Muslims, they do not represent
Islam. An interesting declaration made by Reza
Aslan,
a Muslim intellectual, is, "Every religion
can be used as a shield or a sword. The Taliban chose the sword."
In conclusion, their faith is tailored for control, not compassion. It was not generated by Islam, but by its amputated, politicized, armed interpretation. As long as religion is used to extinguish freedom rather than enlighten it, the Quran will remain hostage. However, the culprits are not its enemies but those who wield it incorrectly.
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