Group Oral Report 2.0

1
Topic Question

• What quotes from the Qur'an are used by the
  Taliban to enforce their view of a righteous
  Muslim society on Afghanistan?

2
Who are the Taliban?

• Taliban students (Pashto)
• Islam based religious extremist group who
  governed 90 of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001
• Islamic scholars are critical of the Talibans
  interpretation of Islamic Law (Quran)

3
Islamic Law

1. Creed (Shahadah) There is no god but Allah and
   Muhammad is his messenger.
2. Prayer (Salat) I witness that there is no God
   but Allah, I witness that Muhammad is the
   messenger of Allah, hasten to prayer.
3. Charity to the Poor (Zakat)
4. Fasting during Ramadan (Sawm)
5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Haji)

4
Quran

• Quran recitation
• Quran is divine in origin, Gods words revealed
  to the Prophet Muhammad
• Contains 114 chapters (suras)
• Gives practical lessons to everyday life
  property rights, money, inheritance, marriage,
  divorce

5
Music

• And there are among men those who purchase idle
  talk in order to mislead others from Allah's path
  without knowledge, and those who throw ridicule
  on it. For such there will be a humiliating
  punishment (316)
• This quote is commonly used by the Taliban to
  justify their ban on music which they saw as a
  vice
• In this case "idle talk" is interpreted to mean
  music

6
Use of Violence to Spread Islam

• Quotes are often taken out of context and used by
  religious extremist groups to justify the use of
  violence to spread Islam
• "Slay enemies wherever you find them
  (489)
• That line seems to clearly state that the Qur'an
  advocates religious purging

7
Violence (cont.)

• but in fact the text goes on to explain the
  context under which violence is used
• "...Thus if they let you be, and do not make war
  on you, and offer you peace, God does not allow
  you to harm them." (490)

8

• It is important to understand the historical
  context behind this quote.
• Muhammad lived in a time of constant warfare and
  the newly established religion of Islam was under
  the constant threat of extermination by enemies
  of the new religion (such as Mecca).

9
Clothing

• Say to the believing women that they should
  lower their gaze and guard their modesty that
  they should not display their beauty except what
  must appear (2431)
• Prophet! Tell your wives and daughters and all
  Muslim women to draw cloaks and veils all over
  their bodies. That will be better. (3359)

10
Clothing (cont.)

• The Quran demands that women must not display
  their beauty and ornaments except what most
  ordinarily appear there of.
• However the Quran does not specify what beauty
  and ornaments mean and it doesnt demand the
  veiling of a womans head or face.

11
View of Women

• Allah directs you in regard of your childrens
  inheritance to the male, a portion equal to
  that of two femalesThese are the settled
  portions ordained by Allah. (411)
• And get two witnesses out of your own men. And
  if there are not two men, then a man and two
  woman (2282)

12
View of Woman (cont.)

• These quotes have been interpreted to mean that
  the intrinsic value of one man is equal to the
  intrinsic value of the sum of two woman.
• This view has led to the successful oppression of
  womens rights because according to the Quran
  men have authority over women because God has
  made the one superior to the other.

13
Five Classifications of Human Acts

• Obligatory (Wajib) The Five Pillars
• Recommended (Mustahab) Extra prayers and
  selfless acts
• Permitted (Muhab) Neutral acts that change
  depending on intention
• Disapproved (Makruh) i.e. Smoking tobacco
• Forbidden (Haram) Alcohol or gambling

14
Alcohol/Gambling

• O you who believe, do not observe the contact
  prayers while intoxicated, so that you know what
  you are saying. (443)
• O you who believe, intoxicants, and gambling,
  and the alters of idols, and the games of chance
  are abominations of the devil you shall avoid
  them, that you may succeed. (590)

15
Alcohol/Gambling (cont.)

• Khamr is an Arabic wine and is defined as
  something that obscures the mind from the
  remembrance of Allah.
• Acts that are believed to prevent those from
  reciting their 5 prayers to Allah each day
  (gambling, consuming intoxicants) are forbidden.

16
Alcohol/Gambling (cont.)

• Whoever takes Khamr must wait 40 days in order
  for their prayer of repentance to be forgiven by
  Allah.
• Everyone can be forgiven for giving into the
  Devils temptations 3 times only after this they
  are to be killed and will be made to drink from
  the river of impurities by Allahs will.