The Ministry of Vice and Virtue, Hajj, and Religious Affairs of the Taliban government has issued new restrictions on engagement and wedding ceremonies by publishing the text of a Friday prayer sermon. The text was released on Thursday, 1 Asad (July 23), and is expected to be recited by mosque preachers across Afghanistan for worshippers.
The sermon identifies several common Afghan wedding customs and traditions as being inconsistent with Islamic law. According to the directive, citizens have been urged to refrain from carrying out or participating in these practices and to organize marriage ceremonies in accordance with the guidelines outlined by the authorities.
The directive states that a man and woman should not meet or communicate with each other for the purpose of getting to know one another before a religious marriage contract has been concluded. It also declares the exchange of engagement rings religiously impermissible, describing the practice as originating from Christian culture.
The sermon further lists several wedding traditions and activities as prohibited, including henna ceremonies, playing music, dancing, fireworks, women wearing perfume, bridal makeup, the use of hair extensions, wearing tight or revealing clothing, and the mixing of men and women at wedding gatherings.
The directive also describes seating the bride and groom in a position elevated above guests as contrary to Islamic modesty and honor, and calls on family guardians to prevent such practices. The sermon includes religious criticism of guardians who permit these types of ceremonies to take place.
The announcement of these new restrictions comes as the Taliban, since returning to power, have introduced extensive regulations across various areas of social life. According to some citizens, the scope of these restrictions has expanded beyond education, employment, and women’s social participation to include cultural and family traditions, affecting the way wedding ceremonies are conducted in Afghanistan.
Writer:Salima Aryaei
