Music; The Taliban’s Haram That Becomes Halal for a Price

Image: Elise Blanchard for The Washington Post

Citizens: The Taliban allow us music at weddings in exchange for money

While the Taliban have declared music “haram” (forbidden), citizens in several provinces say members of the group issue “religious permits” for playing music at events in exchange for bribes.

Noorullah, a resident of Nimroz province who recently held his wedding ceremony, told Zan News that agents from the Taliban’s Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice demanded 45,000 Afghanis from him to allow music to be played at his celebration.

He said: “The Taliban told me that if there is music at the ceremony, both the food and the wedding will be haram. But then they said there is one way, if you pay, you get a permit, and your music becomes halal.”

This practice is not limited to Nimroz. In Ghor province, Wahid, another resident, said the Taliban demanded 25,000 Afghanis from him to allow four hours of music during his event.

Wahid told Zan News: “At first they said music is haram and threatened me not to play it. But later, with a smile, they said if I pay 25,000, it becomes halal. After I gave them the money, they said I was free to play it.”

Meanwhile, religious scholars and citizens say the Taliban have turned religion, pressure, and fear into a personal source of income.

An independent cleric in Kabul, speaking anonymously to Zan News, said: “The Taliban use religion for their own benefit. When halal and haram are tied to money, it is no longer religion; it is business.”

Since returning to power, the Taliban have banned music performances at events, restaurants, and media outlets, detaining or beating dozens of people for playing music.

However, widespread complaints from various provinces reveal that what the Taliban call “haram” can easily become “halal” with money; a phenomenon people now refer to as “religious trade.”