As the month of Muharram approaches, the “Shia Scholars Council of Afghanistan” has stated that it expects the security officials of the caretaker government to create a safe environment for the mourning ceremonies of Muharram and Ashura.
In a statement released the council emphasized that the current government should pay attention to the religious rights of all citizens.
This request comes at a time when the current government has imposed restrictions on Shia mourning rituals during the month of Muharram in recent years.
In previous years, these ceremonies have faced security threats and have often been targeted by deadly attacks. Attacks against Shias in Afghanistan are primarily claimed by the ISIS group.
The council stated: “We expect the security officials of the country to provide a grand and secure environment for the observance of Muharram and Ashura and to respect the religious rights of all citizens.”
Additionally, the council has urged organizers and mourning groups to fully cooperate with security officials to ensure that mourning ceremonies are held in a calm, secure, and unrestricted atmosphere.
The Shia Scholars Council of Afghanistan has also called on speakers at mourning ceremonies to refrain from discussing topics that could cause division among the Muslim residents of the country.
The council stated: “We urge esteemed speakers, preachers, and reciters to educate the youth about the true goals and messages of Ashura—namely justice-seeking, accountability, and defense of Islamic values—with care and a sense of responsibility, and to avoid presenting any content or statements that could create divisions among the Muslim residents of the country.”
In the past five years, severe restrictions have been imposed on Shias.
The caretaker government has removed the official recognition of Ja’fari jurisprudence, personal status laws for Shia individuals, and Ja’fari legal subjects from Afghanistan’s educational system.
