In a directive issued by the head of “Islamic Emirate (IE)”, the Talibanis have been restricted from having more than one wife, “unless necessary”. The chief of Afghan Talibanis (IE) has reportedly received complaints accusing many Talibani officials of frequently seeking money from the militant organisation, for marriages.
Taliban chief Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada wrote in the directive dated January 9, “We instruct officials of the Islamic Emirate, in accordance with Islamic Sharia (Islamic jurisprudence), to avoid second, third, and fourth marriage if there is no need.” While Islam allows a mna to marry four times, Hibatullah has been appraised by his subordinates that the Talibani officials frequently sought finance from superiors in the group, to pay the dowry or the “bride price”- as the Talibanis call it.
According to a custom followed by a few Pashtun families in Afghanistan, bride price is money paid by the groom to the bride’s family, during marriage. The IE was alarmed about the situation after the press in Afghanistan had reported some Talibani weddings and termed them to be “extravagant affairs”. The directive raises serious concerns over the preachings of the Sunni Islamic fundamentalist political movement, that intends to protect its members from “accusation and disgrace”, the statement intended.
“Up-to two million Afghanis (nearly $26,000) are paid for dowry in some parts of Afghanistan and the Taliban officials would seek this money for their second marriage,” a source was quoted as saying by Voice of America. The directive further warns Talibanis against involvement in multiple marriages so they can be protected from committing any white collar crimes like seeking money from the ‘Bait-ul-Maal (public treasury)’. Hibatullah conveyed that such earnings will bring bad reputation to the movement and wrote that, “Taliban officials will not be allowed to use the movement’s money for personal gains.”
When the spokesperson of Taliban Zabihullah Mujahid was asked, he said that he is still “probing the matter”. However, he did not deny the existence of such a message that escalated to the Taliban chief.
Meanwhile, the directive clarified that it does not apply to those Talibanis who could not bear a child from their first marriage. It also omits those who marry more than once, on their own expense, however they have to produce the details of their earnings, the statement in Pashtun language read.
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