The Taliban’s Ministry of Propagation, Hajj, and Religious Affairs has asked mosque imams across the country to discourage young people from using social media platforms during Friday sermons and to inform them about what it describes as the “destructive harms” of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Messenger, Google, and YouTube.
The ministry has designated the theme of the Friday sermon as “the responsibilities of religious scholars in reforming the youth” and has sent the relevant text in Pashto and Dari to mosques in the capital and provinces. The text claims that some social media platforms contribute to the “irreligion” of young people, and alleges that “atheists” use these networks to spread atheistic ideas, create doubts among Muslim youth, and threaten their religious beliefs.
According to the ministry, some social media pages promote “immorality and adultery,” while others encourage people to convert to Christianity. It also claims that certain online platforms incite people to “rebel against the legitimate religious authority,” which it says contributes to insecurity and instability in society.
The proposed sermon text states that many young people spend excessive amounts of time using mobile phones, viewing “obscene films, series, speeches, and propaganda images,” and communicating through mobile devices with women whom the ministry describes as “immodest.” The Taliban have characterized such activities as part of a “Western ideological war” and claim that young people are being encouraged toward various forms of “misguidance” through these channels.
The Taliban’s Ministry of Propagation, Hajj, and Religious Affairs has instructed imams to emphasize in their sermons that many young people lack sufficient knowledge of religious education, faith-based beliefs, Islamic rulings, ethics, and manners. It also claims that many young people do not perform the five daily prayers in congregation at mosques and do not observe Islamic moral principles.
The ministry has further alleged that the promotion of Western culture and efforts to distance Muslim children and youth from Islamic beliefs have become a “new weapon.” It has called on imams to establish separate educational circles in mosques for children, teenagers, and young people.
Writer:Saeed Sameer
