Taliban Top Dog Insists Women Have it Great in Afghanistan
Hey, at least he has a sense of humor.
[Editor’s note: Make sure to read Robert Spencer’s masterpiece contributions in Jamie Glazov’s new book: Barack Obama’s True Legacy: How He Transformed America.]
Hibatullah Akhundzada, the supreme leader of the Taliban, turns out to be an Afghan Chris Rock. On Sunday, he released a message asserting, contrary to all appearances, that his government is working to improve the condition of women in Afghanistan. The very fact that the condition of women in Afghanistan needs improving is all the evidence we need to establish that Akhundzada is not being entirely honest since the condition of women in Afghanistan is largely due to the actions of the Taliban. Akhundzada is apparently trying to capitalize upon the ignorance of Westerners in order to keep the foreign aid flowing, and given European and American officials’ eagerness to be fooled, it just might work.
The Associated Press reported Sunday that Akundzada’s message claimed “that his government has taken the necessary steps for the betterment of women’s lives in Afghanistan,” regardless of the fact that “women are banned from public life and work and girls’ education is severely curtailed.”
The shadowy Akhundzada, whom AP says is “an Islamic scholar” who “rarely appears in public or leaves the Taliban heartland in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province” and who “surrounds himself with other religious scholars and allies who oppose education and work for women,” said in his message for the upcoming Islamic feast of Eid al-Adha that under Taliban rule, women have been freed from “many traditional oppressions, including forced marriages, ‘and their Shariah rights have been protected.’”
That’s cold comfort. Under Sharia, men are superior to women and should beat those from whom they “fear disobedience” (Qur’an 4:34). Sharia also stipulates that a woman’s testimony is worth half that of a man (Qur’an 2:282). It allows men to marry up to four wives and have sex with slave girls also (Qur’an 4:3, 4:24, 23:1-6, 33:50, 70:30). Women have no equivalent right.
Sharia also rules that a son’s inheritance should be twice the size of that of a daughter (Qur’an 4:11). It even allows for marriage to pre-pubescent girls, stipulating that Islamic divorce procedures “shall apply to those who have not yet menstruated” (Qur’an 65:4). Islamic law devalues women to the extent that it says a man’s prayer is annulled if a dog or a woman passes in front of him as he is praying. (Sahih Bukhari 1.9.490).
As the Taliban adheres strictly to Sharia, being barred from getting an education and holding a job is the least of their worries. Akhundzada, however, insists in his Eid letter that “necessary steps have been taken for the betterment of women as half of society in order to provide them with a comfortable and prosperous life according to the Islamic Shariah.”
A comfortable and prosperous life? Really? Akhundzada “appears to have taken a stronger hand in directing domestic policy, banning girls’ education after the sixth grade and barring Afghan women from public life and work, especially for nongovernmental organizations and the United Nations.” These bans are viciously enforced: one Afghan earlier this month registered his disapproval of girls getting even a primary school education by poisoning eighty girls at two schools in a northern Afghan province.
Even before they were fully ensconced in power, the Taliban made their opposition to women working quite clear. Last May, Khatera Hashmi, a woman who briefly served as an Afghan police officer, recounted her ordeal at the hands of the Taliban, “I made the decision to join the Afghan police. The Taliban started calling and threatening me due to their opposition to a woman being police personnel. The incident happened in the early months of 2020 when the Taliban were rapidly advancing to take over Afghanistan. I was pregnant at that time. One day, when I was walking home from the police station, they attacked me. My body was struck by 9 bullets, in addition to 10 knife stabs. They also cut out my eyes after I passed out. When I awoke five days later, everything was pitch black. I had absolutely no vision. I was only able to work as a police officer for three months, and I wasn’t even able to view my first paycheck.”
Banking on your not knowing about such incidents, Akhundzada declared, “The status of women as a free and dignified human being has been restored and all institutions have been obliged to help women in securing marriage, inheritance and other rights.” Akhundzada has some job security: if for whatever reason his Taliban gig falls through, he can always hit the comedy club circuit. But what he’s really trying to do is keep the aid money flowing in.
The UN just cut a billion dollars from the humanitarian aid it sends to Afghanistan, and with good reason since most aid money sent there ends up in the hands of the Taliban. Old Joe Biden and his henchmen, however, are still sending hundreds of millions of our money to Kabul. With a man as dedicated to human rights as Hibatullah Akhundzada in charge, what could possibly go wrong?
Robert Spencer
Robert Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch and a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. He is author of 26 books including many bestsellers, such as The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades), The Truth About Muhammad and The History of Jihad. His latest books are The Critical Qur’an and The Sumter Gambit. Follow him on Twitter here. Like him on Facebook here.
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Islamist Cleric Who Called for Beheading of Non-Believers Hosted by Labour Party Councillor
An Islamist cleric who called for the beheading of non-Muslims and praised the September 11th terrorists was hosted by a Labour Party councillor in Northampton.
According to an investigation from GB News, Bangladeshi Islamist hate preacher Enayutullah Abbasi was given a tour of Northampton Guildhall by Labour Party councillor Enam Haque of the West Northamptonshire council.
According to the broadcaster, Abbasi has previously expressed support for Osama Bin Laden and called the September 11th terrorists “brave lions”. The cleric has also called for the death of non-Muslims as well as those belonging to the Indian Ahamdi sect of Islam.
“If anybody dares to criticise our Prophet (Mohammed) that person should be declared as a disbeliever and hence his/her head should be chopped off,” the hate preacher allegedly declared.
Abbasi had reportedly planned on an extensive speaking tour throughout the UK, however, however, the venues all cancelled their events following the GB News investigation and the cleric has since returned to Bangladesh.
Yet, prior to his departure from the country, he was hosted by Labour Party councillor Enam Haque on June 16, during which they were filmed touring around Northampton. Haque, an elected Labour official since 2021, even went on to describe Abbasi as a “highly respected and prominent Islamic scholar”.
Responding to the investigation, Councillor Haque said: “I was completely unaware of Enayutullah Abbasi’s abhorrent views and I condemn them in the strongest possible terms. As local councillors, we are often asked to meet with international visitors as representatives of Northampton.
“I received a late call from Enayutullah Abbasi’s representative requesting to see the civic side of our town, which I accepted in good faith. Had I known of his views, I would never have agreed.”
“I apologise profusely for my actions and any offence caused.”
Councillor Enam Haque, West Northamptonshire Council
A spokesman for the West Northamptonshire Council denied that the council had any involvement with the event, adding: “It is an important part of our democratic engagement that meetings are open to the public, and we don’t deny access to these areas unless we believe there is a security risk.”
Upon returning to Banladesh, Abbasi claimed that GB News presenter and Brexit champ Nigel Farage used political pressure to force his removal from Britain.
“[Farage] is the one who opposed me and he used the entire Jewish lobby to conspire against me,” the Islamist said.
Responding to the outlandish claim, Mr Farage said: “I’ve been accused of many things before but working with the so-called ‘Jewish lobby’ has not in the past been one of them…
“But my thought is how did the Home Office give this man a visa?”
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