The Taliban’s Ministry of Justice has announced the publication of a new law regulating religious preachers following approval by Hibatullah Akhundzada.
Under the law, religious preachers in Afghanistan must adhere to the Hanafi school of Islam, and preaching activities must be conducted exclusively within that framework.
The regulation explicitly restricts individuals from other sects or religious traditions from operating in this sphere.
The law also bans the use of media featuring “live images” for religious outreach, while allowing preaching through speech, radio, magazines, and books.
Additional provisions limit the involvement of women and minors in preaching activities and assign preachers responsibilities in areas such as prayer education, the virtues of jihad, women’s rights, and women’s dress codes.
The Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has been designated as the primary enforcement body.
The new regulation is likely to intensify debate over religious freedom, sectarian diversity, media limitations, and the broader role of women within Afghanistan’s evolving social and legal structure.
