Those who shave their beards in Afghanistan are being detained

The Taliban, which holds power in Afghanistan, has tightened its practices regarding beard length. According to NTV's report citing AFP, it has been stated that action can be taken against barbers on the grounds that men are cutting their beards "too short," and many shopkeepers say they work in fear of detention.

Last month, the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice made it a binding rule that a beard must be at least one fist-length long. Minister Khalid Hanafi stated that the government has a "responsibility to guide the nation toward an appearance consistent with Sharia."

Teams affiliated with the ministry conduct regular patrols in cities to check whether the rules are being followed.

"FEAR IS A PART OF DAILY LIFE"

A 30-year-old barber living in the southeastern province of Ghazni recounted that one of his employees was held in detention for three nights after giving a Western-style haircut.

"We were first kept in a cold hall. When I insisted on being released, they transferred me to a cold container," said the barber, who stated he was released without any charges being filed. However, he added that they hide inside the shop with their customers during patrols.

"No one can argue or ask questions. Everyone is afraid of them," the barber said, noting that in some cases, they are detained along with their customers.

According to a United Nations report, three barbers in Kunar province were sentenced to between three and five months in prison last year for failing to comply with the rules.

BEARD SHAVING DECLARED A "MAJOR SIN"

With the intensification of inspections, the Ministry of Religious Affairs has also issued new and stricter instructions. In an eight-page guide prepared for imams in November, it was requested that beard shaving be defined as a "major sin" in sermons.

The ministry also claimed that men who shave their beards are "trying to resemble women."

INSTRUCTIONS EXTENDED TO CAMPUSES

The practices have also been reflected in universities, where female students have been excluded from education and only men are present.

A 22-year-old student studying at Kabul University reported that instructors warned that "the grades of those who do not have an appropriate Islamic appearance, including beards and head coverings, will be lowered."

"THIS IS A PERSONAL MATTER"

A 25-year-old barber in the capital, Kabul, expressed that despite young people preferring short beards, they are facing increasing restrictions.

"Barbers are private businesses. Beards and hair are a personal matter. People should be able to cut them however they want," said the barber, a sentiment that Minister Hanafi opposed.

Hanafi argued that "telling men to grow beards in accordance with Sharia" cannot be seen as an infringement on personal space.

LIVELIHOOD CONCERNS GROWING

Although the majority of society in Afghanistan consists of religious Muslims, there was a more flexible environment regarding appearance, especially in large cities, before the Taliban regained power in 2021.

The 25-year-old barber in Kabul stated that the number of customers preferring a close shave has decreased significantly and his earnings have fallen. "For example, civil servants used to get their hair done several times a week. Now most have grown beards; there are those who haven't come for a month," he said.

"ISLAMIC HAIR, NOT BRITISH HAIR"

Another 50-year-old barber in the capital explained that morality patrols inspect their shops almost every day.

Recounting a recent incident where an official entered the shop and asked, "Why did you cut the hair like this?", the barber summarized the situation with the words: "We tried to explain that the child was small. But he said, 'No, do an Islamic haircut, not a British one.'"

News Source: 12punto