Not just in Kabul but across the country Afghan clerics have publicly condemned the ongoing brutalities and called for an end to the war. There have been meetings in Kabul, Kunar , Kunduz and Ghazni over the past few weeks.
Religious leaders who met at the Haji Abdul Rahman mosque in Kabul last week, endorsed the Imam-i- Kaaba Sheikh Khaled al-Ghamedi’s statement condemning the Taleban and the Islamic State’s brutal actions in the name of Islam. He had described Islam as a religion of “peace, brotherhood and compassion”, and condemned those who “misinterpret the holy Quran and apply Quranic verses about infidels on other Muslims and are quick to call Muslims non-believers as Khawarij”.
The Kabul gathering of more than1,500 clerics counted the war as “a political and internal war, also illegal”. They urged all parties everyone involved to leave their weapons at home, and “sit on a peace rug”. There was “no reason for the continuation of war”, said Mawlawi Abdul Baseer Haqani, head of the Kabul ulema council. “Through this session we raise our voice against the tyranny; the current trend of murders between Taleban and the government is a political war, the two sides must end war.”
According to him, since both sides were Muslims, the killing was illegal and must stop. “They should stop killing each other and civilians”. He urged the government to give the ulema the “authority so that we can speed up our efforts for peace”.
Azizullah Musleh, imam of the Shershah Suri mosque in Kabul, spoke for all present when he said everyone wants peace and supports the government. He called on Kabul to give religious scholars the authority to deal with the country’s problems. “The government should not ignore the role of religious authorities; the Taleban also should obey the orders of Islam for peace.”
Mawlawi Ataullah Faizani, an ulema council member, condemned the beheading of Afghan soldiers by the Taleban in Badakhshan and the suicide attack in Nangarhar. Incidents such as these are not acceptable anymore and the ulema stand strongly against them, he said. Mawlawi Faizani called on President Ashraf Ghani to release all political prisoners and review the structure of High Peace Council, and also give power to religious authorities to act in the peace process.
Ghazni
On May 3, clerics in Ghazni gathered in a well attended meeting to announce their support for the security forces. They wanted all sides to hold peace talks. Security officials who lost their lives in the line of duty had discharged their responsibility to protect the country, the head of the provincial ulema council said. Governor Musa Khan Akbarzada also praised the religious authorities for raising their voices against the war, and urged them to preach in mosques against the war and for peace.
Kunar
The province was at the centre of fighting since 2003. Religious authorities who gathered together last week announced their support for the government. Mawlawi Gul Ahmad Mubeen who addressed the meeting said it was time for peace, and the war must not be allowed to drag on. He also endorsed the Imam-i- Kaaba’s statement condemning the Taleban and the Islamic State’s brutal actions in the name of Islam.
Kunduz
Two hundred clerics gathered on April 23 at a meeting in the province. Mawlawi Ershad, the head of the haj and religious affairs department, urged the gathering to preach peace from pulpits of mosques. “Religious authorities can play an effective role. If they voice their support for peace from pulpits, it would have positive results,” he said.
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