Taliban Cleric Says Girls’ Education Is Prohibited

A senior Taliban cleric in Kabul has declared that education for women and girls beyond limited religious instruction is “forbidden,” arguing that females should be restricted to learning subjects related to marriage, child-rearing, and household responsibilities.

The remarks were made by Din Mohammad, head of the Taliban’s Council of Ulema in Kabul, in an audio recording that circulated widely on social media in recent days. His comments have sparked criticism from religious scholars, educators, and human rights advocates, who argue that such views contradict both Islamic teachings and the educational needs of Afghan society.

In the recording, Din Mohammad asserted that women and girls should study only selected religious subjects and dismissed modern academic disciplines, including science, technology, medicine, and other fields, as unnecessary for them.

“We are talking about religious sciences, while they are talking about schools,” he said. “Such matters are not necessary for women. What they need are the sciences related to their obligations, such as issues of menstruation, childbirth, the rights of husbands, the rights of children, and household duties.”

According to the cleric, women may pursue additional religious studies only under strict conditions. These include wearing what he described as proper Islamic dress, obtaining permission from their husbands or male guardians, and avoiding contact with unrelated men.

“If these conditions are not met, then even attending a madrasa is not permissible,” he said. “As for other forms of education, they are impermissible regardless.”

Religious Scholars Reject the Claim

The comments were met with strong opposition from several Islamic scholars, who argued that Islam encourages the pursuit of knowledge for both men and women.

Issa Mohammadi, a religious scholar, rejected the notion that women should be denied access to education.

“Declaring knowledge forbidden for women is hostility toward Muslims, their progress, and society,” he said. “Throughout Islamic history, women have played important roles as scholars, teachers, and transmitters of religious knowledge. There is no legitimate basis for denying them education.”

Other scholars have similarly pointed to numerous Islamic texts and historical precedents that emphasize the importance of seeking knowledge regardless of gender.

Human Rights Advocates Voice Concern

Human rights advocates warned that the continued exclusion of women and girls from education is inflicting long-term social and economic damage on Afghanistan.

“These restrictions have no logical, religious, or rational foundation,” said Hussain Anoush, a human rights activist. “Preventing half of the population from accessing education undermines the country’s development and deprives future generations of opportunity.”

Advocates argue that the bans not only violate fundamental human rights but also contribute to rising poverty, reduced access to healthcare, and a worsening shortage of qualified professionals, particularly female teachers, nurses, and doctors.

Taliban Restrictions Continue

The remarks come as the Taliban continue to enforce sweeping restrictions on women’s rights nearly five years after returning to power in August 2021.

Since regaining control of Afghanistan, Taliban authorities have barred girls from attending secondary schools, suspended women’s access to universities, and closed most medical training programs for women. The restrictions have affected millions of Afghan girls and women across the country, making Afghanistan the only country in the world where girls are systematically banned from education beyond the primary level.

International organizations, including the United Nations, have repeatedly condemned the measures. UN officials have described the bans as a form of institutionalized gender discrimination unprecedented in the modern era.

According to UN estimates, more than one million Afghan girls have been denied access to secondary education since the Taliban’s return to power. Education experts warn that the number continues to grow with each passing academic year.

Growing International Pressure

Despite sustained pressure from the United Nations, Muslim-majority countries, international human rights organizations, and Afghan civil society groups, Taliban leaders have shown little indication that they intend to reverse the policy.

Senior Taliban officials have frequently justified the restrictions on religious grounds. However, a growing number of Islamic scholars both inside and outside Afghanistan have challenged those interpretations, arguing that they are inconsistent with Islamic principles and historical practice.

Critics say the latest remarks by Din Mohammad reflect the ideological foundation behind the Taliban’s education policies and underscore the continuing struggle over women’s rights and access to education in Afghanistan.

As Afghanistan remains isolated over its treatment of women and girls, many observers warn that the country’s future development, stability, and prosperity will be severely constrained if millions of its citizens continue to be denied access to education.

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