The Taliban have ordered shop owners in western Afghanistan to cut the heads off mannequins, insisting figures representing the human form violate Islamic law.
Shopkeepers in the western province of Herat in Afghanistan have been told to chop the heads off their mannequins after officials ruled the dummies were sinful “idols”. The worshipping of idols is considered a sin in Islam, which bans the worship of anyone or thing other than Allah.
The harsh ruling was published this week by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Herat, the body responsible for overseeing the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islam. The ministry initially ordered shopkeepers to remove the mannequins completely but the store owners hit back and said it would cause significant financial loss.
Since returning to power in August, the Taliban have increasingly imposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic law and severely curtailed freedoms — particularly those of women and girls. Most secondary schools for girls are shut, women are barred from government employment apart from select specialized areas, and last week new guidelines stated they cannot undertake long journeys unless accompanied by a male relative.
The Taliban have also stepped up raids on liquor sellers, rounded up drug addicts, and banned music.
Their takeover has devastated aid-dependent Afghanistan’s economy, with billions of dollars of assets frozen by the United States and international aid largely paused.
Shopkeepers in the western province of Herat in Afghanistan have been told to chop the heads off their mannequins after officials ruled the dummies were sinful “idols”. The worshipping of idols is considered a sin in Islam, which bans the worship of anyone or thing other than Allah.
The harsh ruling was published this week by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Herat, the body responsible for overseeing the Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islam. The ministry initially ordered shopkeepers to remove the mannequins completely but the store owners hit back and said it would cause significant financial loss.
Since returning to power in August, the Taliban have increasingly imposed a harsh interpretation of Islamic law and severely curtailed freedoms — particularly those of women and girls. Most secondary schools for girls are shut, women are barred from government employment apart from select specialized areas, and last week new guidelines stated they cannot undertake long journeys unless accompanied by a male relative.
The Taliban have also stepped up raids on liquor sellers, rounded up drug addicts, and banned music.
Their takeover has devastated aid-dependent Afghanistan’s economy, with billions of dollars of assets frozen by the United States and international aid largely paused.
