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On March 8, 2024, Hizb-ut-Tahrir Afghanistan released a Dari-language article criticizing the U.S. State Department for holding a meeting on Afghan women's economic empowerment and calling it a disguise for American interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.
Arguing that the West's concern for Afghan women is insincere and driven by a political agenda, the writer accuses the West of exploiting Afghan women to further the West's interests, and calls for a focus, rooted in Islamic values, on the genuine empowerment of women to resist colonialist influence.
Following are excerpts from the article, as translated from Dari:
"America Knows Very Well That, Considering The Current Situation Of Women In Afghanistan, It Can Gain Influence Within The Largest Segment Of Society And Use It To Put Pressure On The [Taliban] Government And Weaken It"
"On February 27 of this year [2024]... the U.S. State Department held a meeting under the title 'Economic Empowerment of Afghan Women.' The presence of Antony Blinken, Rina Amiri [U.S. Special Envoy for Afghan Women], Thomas West [U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan], and other officials of the U.S. State Department in this meeting made it more important. Three parts of different institutions participated in this meeting. The institutions of the U.S. State Department, private and international non-governmental organizations, and civil society organizations were said to be the three active participants in the meeting.
"During the nearly two years of the current [Taliban] government's rule, after the humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan, the United States is forming the necessary tools and pressures to achieve its interests in Afghanistan, based on the policy of informal and indirect engagement. As it turns out, America is trying to influence and interfere in Afghanistan in many ways, including the issue of women. As Antony Blinken's speech in this meeting clearly pointed out, he said: 'Our benefits are provided by the economic empowerment of women.'
"The support of America and the West and their regret for the situation of women in Afghanistan is like the tears of a crocodile, which clearly smells of enmity. It should not be forgotten that women in Western and American thought are nothing more than a commodity to be used in politics and economy to secure the evil interests of Western and American states. With this idea, America seeks to separate the support of women from the current [Taliban] government of Afghanistan."
The article continues: "America knows very well that, considering the current situation of women in Afghanistan, it can gain influence within the largest segment of the society and use it to put pressure on the government and weaken it. It should be kept in mind that such American meetings and actions under the title of women's economic empowerment were not, and are not, aimed at improving the economic situation of all women in Afghanistan. These programs are like a trap that leads some women to expect economic and livelihood improvement from this western colonialist, and fall into the deceptive trap of this pharaoh of the age.
"But we must not forget that unfortunately, the reality of Muslim women in Afghanistan is not in the right state, according to their real experience, from the point of view of Islam. From the point of view of Islam, a special position has been defined for women, which must be given to them both legally and in terms of responsibility, and the ground for doing it should be created..."
"Meetings, Conferences, And Programs That Can Show The High Value Of Women In Islam To The Enemies Of Islam And Please Allah... Should Be Held Regarding The Muslim Women Of Afghanistan"
"In the internal policy of the ruling system in Afghanistan, in order to present the rights and duties of women in the right form in terms of shari'a and [to prevent] their current situation [from] becoming an excuse for the intervention of colonialist governments like America – it is necessary to give utmost attention to women.
"For their growth in all the human spheres that Allah has made it their right in His shari'a, the ground and planning should be done. Meetings, conferences, and programs that can show the high value of women in Islam to the enemies of Islam and please Allah, and so as never to give an excuse to the enemies to take advantage of the weak status of women in Afghanistan, should be held regarding the Muslim women of Afghanistan."
The article noted: "Another important thing is the separation of women's rights between the custom of society and Islam. Women's rights are usually a set of tribal habits and customs that are shared among some people throughout history. But the rights and duties of a woman in Islam are solely from Allah, and no one or anything has the right to interfere in it – whether it is an emir, or a custom, or habit of the tribes.
"Unfortunately, the situation of Muslim women in Afghanistan is more affected by the customs and habits of the society than the original rights and duties that are intended for them in dear Islam. Such a situation forces the enemies and colonizers to secure their interests and put the current government under pressure and media propaganda.
"Until the government grasps the whole system [Islamic solutions] in life, including governance, economy, society, education, culture, foreign policy, etc., as a complete package of life and governance, and does not pay serious attention to the rights and responsibilities of half of the Afghan society [women], it cannot cut off the hands of the infidel colonists from this land."
Source: X.com/HTAFMediaOffice (Afghanistan), March 8, 2024.
