Fazl Ahmad Manawi, the former Minister of Justice of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, has said in response to a new directive issued by Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada that the Taliban have introduced administrative punishments in the name of “Sharia.”
Manawi wrote on his X account on Saturday that dismissing government employees for trimming their beards, not wearing a cap or turban, or failing to attend congregational prayers raises serious questions about the distinction between religious rulings and the administrative authority of the ruler.
He said that although there are differing views in Islamic jurisprudence regarding the obligation to grow a beard and perform prayers in congregation, this cannot be taken to mean that the government should reduce or withhold people’s salaries, lower their official ranks, or dismiss them from their positions.
Manawi stressed that wearing a cap or turban cannot be made a general religious requirement for employment in, or continued service within, government positions.
According to him, Sharia should serve as a means of reforming and improving individuals, rather than as a tool for humiliating, intimidating, and socially controlling people.
Manawi added that a ruler’s decree, even when issued in the name of religion, cannot replace clear religious texts, valid scholarly consensus, or established principles of Sharia.
He also described using people’s outward appearance and the manner in which they perform religious worship as criteria for employment and salary as interference in matters of individual freedom and religious conscience.
The former Afghan justice minister warned that if new restrictions are imposed on people every day in the name of “Sharia,” it would not only undermine citizens’ fundamental freedoms but also damage the name and credibility of Sharia itself.
He said the Taliban may be able to force people into silence through coercion and punishment, but “faith cannot be created by decree, piety cannot be cultivated by cutting salaries, and a religious society cannot be built by lowering people’s job ranks.”
Writer:Saeed Sameer
