Residents mourning during the Muharram ritual have issued a stern warning to the Taliban, urging them not to “test people’s patience any further” amid growing anger over new restrictions.
Mourners told Amu that the Taliban has imposed stringent limitations on their ritual ceremonies and, in some instances, disrespected the Ashura flags.
According to these mourners, the Alam (flag) raising ceremony on the seventh day of Muharram was confined to the interiors of mosques due to the restrictions.
In Herat, residents protested on Friday night against the Taliban’s imposition of these restrictions on their ritual practices. Afghan Shia citizens held the Alam raising ceremony inside a mosque, which included worship and chest-beating.
“The Taliban has removed mourning flags from homes and public places. This is deeply disrespectful to the Shia community and the people of Afghanistan,” said one Muharram mourner. Another Shia citizen warned, “The Taliban should not test people’s patience any further by imposing significant restrictions on the Shia community.”
Dozens of Herat residents took to the streets on Friday night to protest against these restrictions. Videos sent to Amu News showed protesters carrying Muharram flags and preventing the Taliban from removing them. The footage depicted protesters riding bikes and walking, visibly expressing their anger over the Taliban’s limitations on Muharram ceremonies.
On Friday, the Taliban’s head of the Information and Culture Department in Herat described the manner in which Ashura ceremonies are held as a political and foreign “bid’ah” (innovation). “We must avoid bid’ah, which originates from political sides. This way of holding Ashura does not exist in Islam. We must prevent foreign bid’ah,” he stressed.
Citizens criticized the Taliban’s treatment of the Muharram mourners and urged the regime to refrain from interfering in religious affairs. “The Taliban has restricted the religious values and long-standing culture of the Ashura ceremonies. This should not have been restricted,” said a resident of Herat.
“Recently, some groups have been trying to lower flags and stir up religious issues to create more division among the people of Afghanistan and threaten them,” a Kabul resident said, referring to the Taliban’s actions.
Earlier, a letter obtained by Amu News revealed that the Taliban had banned Muharram mourners from holding ritual ceremonies in public, denied the use of flags in public areas, and restricted the locations for ceremonies.
