Between 1996 and 2001, when the Taliban last controlled the country, they applied a harsh interpretation of Sharia: women could not study , go to the doctor, show their ankles and were forced to wear burqas ; talking, shaking hands, and laughing were sins punishable by whipping. What can happen now?
Sharia does list some specific crimes, such as theft and adultery. But it does not prohibit women from leaving home without a male companion, or from working the vast majority of jobs, something unthinkable for the Taliban for many years.
Sharia is the Islamic legal system. In Arabic, it literally means “the clear path to the water.” As a whole, it is a code of conduct that determines all aspects of the life of Muslims, with rules that affect everything from prayers to fasting or donations to the poor . It is based on the Koran, on the life stories of the Prophet Muhammad and the decisions of the religious.
Are you already aware of the latest news in the world? We invite you to see the latest international news in El Espectador .
Its application is the subject of dispute between conservative and liberal Muslims, since in practice, it is understood, interpreted and applied differently throughout the world; although some aspects are widely accepted, such as its application to the banking system. “When the Taliban say they are instituting Islamic law, that does not mean that they are doing it in a way that Islamic scholars or other Islamic authorities would agree with,” explained Daniel Victor of the New York Times.
Sharia and women in Afghanistan
Between 1996 and 2001, when the Taliban last controlled the country, they applied a harsh interpretation of Islamic law: women could not study , go to the doctor, show their ankles and were forced to wear burqas , the dress that covers them from head to toe; talking, shaking hands, and laughing were sins punishable by whipping. Those who violated the rules were publicly executed or stoned. In 1996, a Kabul woman had the tip of her thumb cut off for wearing nail polish, according to Amnesty International.
In fact, the Sharia does list some specific crimes, such as theft and adultery. But it does not prohibit women from leaving home without a male companion, or from working the vast majority of jobs, something unthinkable for the Taliban for many years.
What can happen now?
A Taliban spokesman said women would be allowed to work and study, the New York Times reported. And another official said that women should participate in government, indicating a possible moderation or break with past practices. However, on the outskirts of Kabul, the Taliban have closed some women’s clinics and girls’ schools ; a reality that is not current, since the takeover of the Taliban has been brewing for years.
