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In a recent report, Rukhsana Media, a media outlet focused on the rights of Afghan women, noted that Afghan Taliban rulers have established radio stations that broadcast programs that promote jihadi thinking and suppression of women in the home.
The report, “New Herat Radio Stations Fill Airwaves With Taliban’s Ideological Extremism,” is written by Muzhda Mohammadi, who reviewed broadcasts by Huriat, a Taliban-run radio station. Some programs aired recently said that mothers should whisper jihadi lullabies to infants so that they become familiar with the struggle of a jihadi life.
According to the report, such radio programs broadcast by Huriat include Adabi Marghalari, Da Tarano Dali, Tarbiyat Fikri, Da Wolas Paigham, Quran Education, Baghcha-e-Ahadith, Porsesh Huriat, and news updates.
Following are excerpts from the report:
Islamic Scholar On Radio Broadcast: “The Mother Is The School (Al-Umm Al-Madrasa); A Mother Who Raises Salahuddin [Who Conquered Jerusalem] And Umar Ibn Abd Al-Aziz … And A Mother Who Trains The Mujahideen”
“One of Huriat’s programs is called Holy Family Laws, which focuses on the role of male guardianship in the family. The man’s responsibility is more frequently cast as one that requires women to obey, serve, and bear children. It is also his responsibility to ensure women adhere to this role.
“On May 7, a program presented the idea that a man is responsible for dictating all the behaviors of his wife and daughters, and if not, he will suffer for eternity. ‘A man’s responsibility is as far as the Almighty God says: save yourself and your family from the fire,’ the speaker on the program said.
“In a broadcast on May 15, a religious scholar said a woman is the center of human creation who should focus on childbirth and childrearing. ‘The mother is the school (al-umm al-madrasa). A mother who raises Salahuddin [who conquered Jerusalem] and Umar ibn Abd Al-Aziz … and a mother who trains mujahideen. If a woman is corrupt, the children will be corrupt, and if the children are corrupt, society will be corrupt,’ he said.
“In a discussion about the interpretation of the concept of dayooth based on a hadith on May 8, men were encouraged to control women. ‘A dayooth is someone indifferent toward his family’s honor,’ a religious scholar said on the program.”
Taliban-Supporting Cleric Mawlawi Salahuddin Omar To Men: “Why Do You Commute With Women And Not Let Them Wear The Hijab? If Seeing Them Is Enjoyable For You, Let Them Cover Their Faces – Your Heart Is Not Pure, Your Tongue Is Not Pure, And You Are Not Pure”
“The Taliban’s views on women has been enshrined in decrees that have sought to restrict women’s lives to the point they have little autonomy to thrive. Women are banned from high schools and universities, banned from most workplaces, banned from recreational sport and many other activities such as national parks, amusement parks and garden restaurants, banned from travelling without a male chaperone, and subjected to dozens of other restrictive directives.
“Threats, abuse, and arbitrary arrests for minor transgressions ensure these decrees are mostly followed, and in this way, the Taliban enforce a society where women stay at home, are subservient, and almost entirely dependent on the men in their households.
“The Taliban have also imposed the rules on Afghan men to uphold these decrees by punishing them if women in their families do not obey the de facto laws. For example, under the Taliban’s strict hijab directive, it states that if a woman violates it by wearing something the Taliban deem inappropriate, her male guardian will be dismissed from any government job he holds or even imprisoned.
“In Huriat’s program Understanding the Quran, a Taliban-supporting religious scholar Mawlawi Salahuddin Omar cast those who question the hijab directive as merely immoral people with impure tendencies. ‘Why do you commute with women and not let them wear the hijab? If seeing them is enjoyable for you, let them cover their faces. Your heart is not pure, your tongue is not pure, and you are not pure. You just want to turn the faith of a believing Muslim into disbelief through this doubt,’ he said.”
“The Religious Scholar [Mawlawi Omar] Continued To Outline His Meaning For Jihad, Saying That Every Society Needs Specialists In Bomb-Making, Grenades, Frontline Warfare, And Tank Manufacturing, Just As Much As It Needs Specialists In Politics, Medicine, Agriculture”
“Absolute adherence to the Taliban-aligned Islamic teachings is heavily promoted on the programs. Questioning anything is shamed. ‘Under shari’a law, asking questions is not appropriate and brings a person closer to disbelief,’ Mawlawi Omar said in one program.
“Other forms of extremism including terrorism are also promoted. On May 23, a religious scholar instructed women to whisper jihadist phrases to their children instead of singing lullabies ‘so they become familiar with jihad.’
“‘The mothers of our nation should whisper words like ‘Allahu Akbar,’ ‘Long live the mujahid,’ and similar phrases into their children’s ears instead of lullabies, so that in their mother’s arms they become familiar with the name of jihad and the arduous path in the way of religion,’ the religious scholar said.
“The religious scholar continued to outline his meaning for jihad, saying that every society needs specialists in bomb-making, grenades, frontline warfare, and tank manufacturing, just as much as it needs specialists in politics, medicine, and agriculture. He underlined a need for people willing to die for the cause, which could be a veiled reference to suicide bombers. ‘Some people must burn themselves so that others can benefit from their light,’ he said”
Guest On Radio Program: “America Has Left; I Want To Tell Their Slaves, Puppets, Democracy Advocates That The Gates Are Open, Go; The Occupation Of Afghanistan Is Over; The Trash Must Leave As Well”
“The Taliban [regime] also broadcasts content about controversial decrees that are rarely addressed by the group’s leaders. For example, the banning of girls’ education above the grade six at school has been unpopular across the country. On the rare occasions the Taliban leadership discuss it, they say it is still under consideration.
“But on Huriat Radio, guests have explained what they see as solid reasons for banning it. On one program, a guest labelled the establishment of universities as a scheme aimed at ‘producing an irreligious generation’ and welcomed women being banned from it. ‘They (Islam’s enemies) have stayed awake and sleepless to devise their programs and have planned universities according to their minds for the destruction of Islam – see the examples of young people being educated there,’ the guest said. ‘The magic of Western civilization has been debunked in the same way and can no longer deceive the eyes and captivate the minds.’
“The Taliban’s leaders and supporters have often attributed the victory in the war against the Americans and the Afghan National Security Forces to their suicide units. It is a topic often covered by the radio programs.
“In a program called Intellectual Training which aired on May 14, a Taliban religious scholar proudly referenced suicide bombers as those to whom the country is founded on. ‘This government is neither a democracy nor has it been established through the Bonn Conference, and blind-faith slaves have not settled here to establish this government at the behest of Europe. Instead, it has been created with the blood of martyrs, scholars, and Quran memorizers,’ he said.
“‘America has left. I want to tell their slaves, puppets, democracy advocates that the gates are open, go. The occupation of Afghanistan is over. The trash must leave as well,’ he said. He went on to threaten those who criticize the Taliban: ‘Some people have evil propaganda, or they are sick. This government will go after those who are sick and have ill motives.'”
Source: Rukhsana, June 11, 2024. The original English of the report has been lightly edited for clarity and standardization.
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