Taliban’s directorate of the supreme court in northern Balkh province has asked Shias in a statement to celebrate Eid al-Fitr on the same day as Sunnis, opposed to their usual celebration a day later.
“When the supreme court announces Eid day, Shiites shall also celebrate Eid on that day,” read a three-article statement on the issue.
The statement said the decision is part of an effort to ensure unity among Shiites and Sunnis and prevent division.
The statement also mentions that “Shiite scholars should advise Shiite women in observing the hijab so that a legitimate Sharia Hijab is observed with the same way all over Afghanistan.”
The Taliban court said the decision was made after consultations with the vice and virtue office, the hajj and religious affairs directorate and the police command as well as a number of Shiites.
It has explained in the statement that the decision was made during a meeting with Mohammad Gulab Farooqi, the newly appointed head of the appellate court in Balkh; with Mohammad Haidari, head of the vice and virtue office in Balkh; Sifuddin Azizi, head of Taliban’s hajj and religious affairs; Abdul Jalil Shaheedkhil, Taliban’s education director in Balkh; Abdullah Omar, Taliban’s intelligence chief in Balkh and other Taliban authorities.
This comes after the Taliban announced Eid al-Fitr one day ahead of Saudi Arabia’s decision, something that created confusion among the people, as some were still fasting that day.
