Taliban Spokesman Mohammad Naeem: It Is Unreasonable To Deny Afghanistan Of Foreign Aid If The Taliban Implements The Shari'a – Islam Is The Faith Of The People

Mohammad Naeem, the Spokesman for the Taliban's Political Bureau and a member of its negotiations delegation in Qatar referred to a quote by German Foreign Minister stating that Germany would deny Afghanistan of aid if the Taliban implements the Islamic shari'a in the country, saying that this was "unreasonable." He made his remarks in an interview that aired on Russia Today TV on August 12, 2021. Naeem said that Islam is the "faith of the people" and that even according to international principles and democracy, the rule should be compatible with the will and values of the people.

Journalist: "[The German FM] said: 'If the Taliban takes over and implements the Islamic shar'ia, we will not give Afghanistan a single cent.' Will the Taliban insist in implementing the Islamic shari'a, even if it leads to the denial of international aid, and to international boycott and isolation?"

Mohammad Naeem: "I think that a high-ranking official must not say such things. It is not certain whether he said this or not. In any case, this is unreasonable, because Islam is the faith of the people. It is the most important principle of the Afghan people, of whom, more than 99% are Muslims. Even if we examine international principles... Take democracy, which they advocate – shouldn't the rule be compatible with the people's will and values?

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"It is like refusing to help a certain country unless its people renounce their faith, their will, and their identity. This is not something that a reasonable person would say."