Addressing hundreds of women in the western areas of Kabul recently, prominent Afghan Shi'ite Hazara religious scholar Sayyed Esa Hussaini Mazari accused America and others of launching various forms of cultural attack against the Islamic identity of Afghan women and defended the Afghan Taliban's Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice for enforcing the banishment of women from public life and strict enforcement of shari'a.
"I have repeatedly stated that if the Republican government had continued for another ten years, nothing of the Islamic identity of Afghan Muslim women would have remained... Westerners organized various forms of attacks, especially cultural and media invasions, from the ground and air... There was a huge promotion of corruption and prostitution on the television channels of the Republican period," Sayyed Esa Hussaini Mazari said.
"For the power of Afghanistan, the women of the country must be revolutionaries," he said, adding: "All praise be to Allah, with the arrival of the Islamic Emirate and the blessings of jihad of our mujahideen on the cultural and military arenas, America was defeated and left Afghanistan, and we were at least relieved of their overt evil."
Sayyed Esa Hussaini Mazari addressing women in Kabul, most of whom are Shi'ite.
Following are translated excerpts of his speech, published in a Dari-language report by the Afghan Voice Agency (AVA).
"Our Enemies Are Attempting To Divert Women From Their Primary Duties; This Strategy And Conspiracy Of The Enemy Has Existed Since The Dawn Of History, Particularly Since The Advent Of Islam"
"Women played both direct and indirect roles in the history of Afghan jihad. In Afghanistan, if men created a surprise against the British, if men played a role in the 14-year history of jihad [four years against Great Britain and 10 years against former USSR] and stood against the greatest power of that time and laid the groundwork for the collapse and defeat of the former Soviet Union, and if our jihadists during the 20-year occupation of Afghanistan by Americans were present in the scene and waged jihad, all of these were born and raised from the bosom of pious Muslim revolutionary mothers...
"It is possible that women were not on the front line of the jihad front, but behind the front as mothers, wives, or sisters, they were next to the men...
"Our enemies are attempting to divert women from their primary duties. This strategy and conspiracy of the enemy has existed since the dawn of history, particularly since the advent of Islam. When we study it, we see what efforts have been made to divert women from their primary roles of bearing and raising children, managing the household, and upholding family responsibilities, and instead, pushing them toward other pursuits or even the opposite... We have many women who were positive role players in the society, and we also have women who were and play a negative role.
"During the 20 years [2001-2021] of the Republic... we became aware what plans and programs and conspiracies the Westerners had regarding Afghan women. By the way, the focus of Westerners' work during the American occupation of Afghanistan was on Afghan women. A significant portion of funds was allocated to Afghan women, and many centers and organizations were established for their guidance...
"Rula Ghani [wife of former President Ashraf Ghani] was responsible for a program called Empowering Afghan Women, and I believe that in the final year of the Republic, she allocated a budget of 179 million dollars to use for the purpose of misleading and defaming Afghan women and girls, and to influence this population...
"Alongside this program, there were dozens of other organizations affiliated with the presidency, ministries, directorates, and administrations in Kabul and other provinces, all working to influence women in society and divert them from their primary duties. They aimed to turn our women into a mere object of desire, dressed or semi-dressed, to satisfy the lustful desires of men, and in this way provide the ground... for the arrogant domination of America and other Western countries over the people of Afghanistan...
"Did these conspiracies and efforts of the enemy have an impact? Not to say they had no impact, but rather, they had such a significant impact that the enemy's plans led to the suffering and turmoil of the Afghan people, prolonging our struggle and jihad for 20 years..."
"All Praise Be To Allah, With The Arrival Of The Islamic Emirate And The Blessings Of Jihad Of Our Mujahideen On The Cultural And Military Arenas, America Was Defeated And Left Afghanistan, And We Were At Least Relieved Of Their Overt Evil"
"These were the grounds and factors that the enemies of Afghan people exploited, inflicting countless atrocities, including serious harm to our women. In various speeches, I have repeatedly stated that if the Republican government had continued for another ten years, nothing of the Islamic identity of Afghan Muslim women would have remained... Westerners organized various forms of attacks, especially cultural and media invasions, from the ground and air... There was a huge promotion of corruption and prostitution on the television channels of the Republican period.
"For the power of Afghanistan, the women of the country must be revolutionaries. The Americans were implementing these plans to bring us down, and they struck us. But all praise be to Allah, with the arrival of the Islamic Emirate and the blessings of jihad of our mujahideen on the cultural and military arenas, America was defeated and left Afghanistan, and we were at least relieved of their overt evil. However, now that we are free, we must take action to ensure that we do not fall into these traps in the future and fight against this damage...
"Western media is looking for negative role models for our women. What are our duties and what should we do...? A general movement to support women should be formed... The primary factor is the general public, who must fulfill their duties in supporting women. Women cannot achieve anything on their own... There must be a general movement formed to support women...
"We defend the performance of the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in the matter of moral anomalies. During recent years, there have been slanderous attacks against the actions of this ministry, and unpleasant and poisonous propaganda, both from within and outside the country. I consider these to be propaganda carried out either by the enemy or by the enemy elements within the country, or by misled people.
"Since the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice fights against the manifestations of corruption and moral anomalies, rumors have spread claiming that Afghan women are being arrested from east of Kabul and west of Kabul and from elsewhere."
Women Should Adhere To The Islamic Hijab Prescribed By The Quran And Hadith – They Should Not Fall Under The Influence Of The Enemy"
"If the anomalies are not fought, the conditions will not be different from the Republic. Some time ago, a group came here to our office and complained that one of our women was arrested by the Islamic Emirate and you should cooperate to get her released. A colleague of ours went to follow up why this lady was arrested. It became clear that she had a moral case, and she was arrested from a house...with several youth! So, should such women in such a country be arrested or not? If there is no fight against corruption and no action taken against such a lady, gentleman, or network, the conditions will be the same as those under the Republic, and there will be no difference.
"America has not withdrawn its hand from us and is seeking to lead the country into corruption.
"Do not think that the Americans have withdrawn their hand from us and have become indifferent to us. No, in the current circumstances, they are trying to work in different neighborhoods by using poverty and ignorance of the people, dragging them into networks of debauchery and prostitution. Even women from abroad call our women inside the country and direct that you go and do something to make a case for [finding asylum in] Europe or money and any other issue.
"Some women fall for these deceptions and make mistakes, causing headaches for both society and the government. In any case, we truly support the actions of the Ministry of Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice...
"Women should adhere to the Islamic hijab prescribed by the Quran and hadith. They should not fall under the influence of the enemy. Women should follow the instructions of Islam because it is wajib [required] shari'a."
Source: Avapress.com (Afghanistan), March 3, 2024.
