Taliban prohibit barbers from cutting their clients’ beards

The taliban on Monday banned barber shops in a southern province of Afghanistan shave or trim their clients’ beards, claiming that their edict is in line with sharia, or Islamic religious law.

The order in Helmand province was issued by the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice of the Taliban provincial government to the barbers of Lashkar Gah, the capital of Helmand.

“Since I found out about this ban, my heart has been broken”Said Bilal Ahmad, a resident of Lashkar Gah. “This is the city and everyone has a lifestyle, so you have to let them do what they want.”

During his previous government of Afghanistan, the taliban they adhered to an uncompromising interpretation of Islam. Ever since they took Kabul on August 15 and took control of the country again, the world has been on the lookout for whether they will recreate their strict rule of the late 1990s.

On Saturday, the fighters taliban They killed four suspected kidnappers and then hung their bodies in public squares in the western city of Herat.

“If someone violates the rule, he will be sanctioned and no one has the right to complain”, said the order issued to the barbers.

It was unclear what penalties barbers could face if they failed to adhere to the rule of not shaving or trimming the beard.

During the previous Taliban rule, conservative Islamists demanded that men leave their beards.to. Since they were ousted from power following the US-led invasion in 2001, shaved or trimmed beards have become popular in the country.

Barbershop owner Jalaluddin, who like many Afghans only has one name, said he hoped the Taliban will reconsider your demands.

“I ask our Taliban brothers to give people freedom to live as they want, if they decide to trim their beards or hair,” said. “Now we have few clients; They are afraid to come with us, they do not want to cut their hair or beard, so I ask them to let the citizens be free, so that we can keep our business and they can come without problems ”.

Another barbershop owner, Sher Afzal, also said the decree hurts profits. “If someone comes to cut their hair, it will come back to us after 40 or 45 days, so it is affecting our business like any other”, said.

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