Afghanistan Religion
II. Quotes By and About Women in Afghanistan
-- Qari Mullah Din Muhammad Hanif, Taliban Minister of Higher Education“If a woman wants to work away from her home and with men, then that is not allowed by our religion and our culture. If we force them to do this they may want to commit suicide.” ... [Read More]
Dr. Zalmay Khalilzad: Afghanistan's Milestone
The Afghan constitution also sets forth parallel commitments to Islam and to human rights. While embracing Islam as the state religion, the document provides broad religious freedom -- allowing adherents of other faiths to practice their religions and observe religious rites. The loya jirga increased the number of women in parliament to an average of two female representatives from each province and explicitly stated, "Citizens of Afghanistan -- whether men or women -- have equal rights and duties before the law." Accepting equality between men and women marks a revolutionary change in the roles women are able to play in Afghan government and society. ... [Read More]
Afghanistan
The country's official name, according to the Taliban, is the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan; according to the umbrella organization of various smaller, anti-Taliban groups, the Northern Alliance, it is the Islamic State of Afghanistan. These names reflect the desire of both factions to promote Islam as the state religion. Taliban leader Mullah Omar carries the title of Commander of the Faithful. Traditionally Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence has been the dominant religion. The Taliban also adheres to the Hanafi school of Sunni Islam, making it the current dominant religion in the country. ... [Read More]
Afghanistan
Freedom of religion was restricted severely. Due to the absence of a constitution and the ongoing civil war, religious freedom is determined primarily by the unofficial, unwritten, and evolving policies of the warring factions. For most of the year in most parts of the country, the Taliban vigorously enforced its extreme interpretation of Islamic law. Sunni Islam of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence traditionally has been the dominant religion, and the Taliban also nominally adhered to the Hanafi school. The Taliban claimed in mid-1999 that it was drafting a new constitution based on the sources of Islamic religious (Shari'a) law (the Koran, the Sunna, and Hanafi jurisprudence.) A Taliban spokesman stated that the new constitution would ensure the rights of all Muslims and of religious minorities; however, a constitution never was adopted. Custom and law required affiliation with some religion, and atheism was considered apostasy and was punishable by death. Licensing and registration ... [Read More]
International Religious Freedom Report 2002: Afghanistan
The country has a total area of 251,738 square miles and its population is approximately 26.8 million, according to UN agencies. Reliable data on the country's religious demography is not available; a census has not been taken in decades. However, observers estimate that 84 percent of the population is Sunni Muslim; approximately 15 percent is Shi'a Muslim; and other religions, including Sikhs, Hindus, and Jews make up less than 1 percent of the population. There also is a small, extremely low-profile Christian community, in addition to small numbers of adherents of other religions. The number of adherents to strains of conservative Islam is growing. ... [Read More]
Rebuilding Afghanistan
President Hamid Karzai and Afghanistan's leadership have a vision of their country as an effective partner with the international community. Presidents Bush and Karzai stand together for a new and better future for Afghanistan - a future free from terror, war, and want. In a joint statement on January 28, 2002, Presidents Bush and Karzai said: "We pledge our respect for the future and traditions of the different peoples of Afghanistan, and for the great religion of Islam, which has been tragically distorted and misused by the Taliban." ... [Read More]
Afghanistan
Article 34 of the Constitution provides for freedom of speech and of the press; however, some senior officials, particularly at the local level, attempted to intimidate journalists and influence their reporting. The 2002 Press Law contained an injunction against information that "could mean insult to the sacred religion of Islam and other religions." The ambiguity about offensive material offered the potential for abuse of this clause in order to restrict press freedom. On April 1, President Karzai signed an amended Press Law following its review by the Ministry of Information and Culture. The new law retains the broad and vague content restriction on "subjects that are contrary to principles of Islam and offensive to other religions and sects," but excludes any reference to Shari'a and created a government commission with powers to decide whether journalists accused of violating the law should face court prosecution or an administrative punishment, such as a fine. ... [Read More]
Afghanistan
Provisions, particularly Article 31, of the 1964 Constitution protect freedom of speech. A draft Afghan Press Law of February 2002 contained an injunction against information that "could mean insult to the sacred religion of Islam and other religions." This draft law was subsequently adopted in April 2002. The ambiguity surrounding what constitutes offensive material offers the potential for abuse of this clause in order to restrict press freedom and intimidate journalists. The Afghan Press Law does not require information to follow Shari'a law. However, the section on criminal rules states that if no punishment is prescribed in existing legal codes for crimes mentioned in the press law, then the punishment will be in accordance with Shari'a (Hanafi school). At the end of the period covered by this report, this Afghan Press Law was under review by the Ministry of Information and Culture. ... [Read More]
Afghanistan
The 1964 Constitution, in effect under the Bonn Agreement, states that Islam is the "sacred religion of Afghanistan" and states that religious rites of the state shall be performed according to the Hanafi doctrine. The Constitution also states that "non-Muslim citizens shall be free to perform their rituals within the limits determined by laws for public decency and public peace." The Government continued a policy of religious tolerance during the year; however, custom and law required affiliation with some religion. ... [Read More]
Afghanistan
Until January the country relied upon the Bonn Agreement and the 1964 Constitution. Since January 4, the new Constitution has been in effect; however, in practice, its provisions will only be fully enforceable once the long-term process of overhauling and reforming the government and judicial sector is completed. The June 2002 Loya Jirga declared that the official name of the government was the "Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan." The new Constitution declares the country to be an "Islamic Republic." As with the 1964 Constitution, the new Constitution proclaims that Islam is the "religion of the state"; however, it does not prohibit the practice of other religions. The new Constitution also declares "no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam." It also states that, "followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limit ... [Read More]
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