Afghanistan: Taliban burn musical instruments
Afghanistan: Taliban burn musical instruments
The Taliban burned musical instruments they said could misguide the youth and destroy society. The militant group banned music when they were last in power, in the late 1990s.
Taliban's religious police reportedly burned a number of musical instruments in the western province of Herat, according to a Sunday report by the state-run news agency Bakhtar.
Sheikh Aziz al-Rahman al-Muhajir, the provincial head of the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, said music led to "misguidance of the youth and the destruction of society," according to the report.
People could be corrupted, according to the official. The Taliban banned nonreligious music the last time it ruled the country in the 1990s.
Pictures show officials gathered around a fire with musical instruments, including guitars, harmoniums and speakers. A pile of musical instruments burn as the Taliban imposes new restrictions on music
Afghanistan has a strong musical tradition, influenced by Iranian and Indian classical music.
It also has a thriving pop music scene, adding electronic instruments and dance beats to more traditional rhythms.
Both flourished in the past 20 years before the Taliban stormed to power in 2021.
But the Taliban has imposed harsh measures since seizing control of Afghanistan in August 2021 as US and NATO forces withdrew.
Students and teachers of the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, which was once famous for its inclusiveness, have not returned to classes since the Taliban takeover. Many musicians have also fled the country.
Taliban's crackdown on women's rights
The Taliban promised a more moderate rule than that of their previous time in power in the 1990s. They had promised to allow for women's and minority rights. But instead, they reintroduced harsh measures in line with their strict interpretation of Islamic law, or Sharia.
They have carried out public executions, banned education for girls beyond the sixth grade and also banned women from most forms of employment.
Earlier this week, the Taliban announced that all beauty salons ought to be closed because they offered services forbidden by Islam and caused economic hardship for the families of grooms during wedding festivities.
Let's stop for a minute and think. If their version of god an religion were true, would you really like to worship an asshole god who hates music or anything fun?
Might as well go to hell. At least they'd have music.
I know. Not really about god, but about control.
I really wonder if people like this have a playbook, like have they read history and put together a step by step guide at this point for maximizing assholery, or does behavior like this sort of emerge naturally as the assholes take control? Like why do we see this over and over in authoritarian regimes, is it natural or are they copycats?
Sidebar: today I learned the word assholery is a real word, I thought I just made it up lol
It has nothing to do with being an asshole, it's an attempt to enforce your will on people. That's why the actions always look identical, everyone is attempting the exact same thing, to control the behavior of all citizens under their rule until it conforms with whatever standard the government wishes.
Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice
Better known as the Anti-Fun Police.
Deeply un-Islamic. The history of Arab and Islamic music goes back right to the birth of the religion and the life of Muhammad himself.
As with all religious stuff, that's just your opinion. The sahih bukhari suggests otherwise, putting music in the same vein as 'illegal sexual intercourse' (and wearing silk, cuz why not lmao)
I agree but can you share more history or a source? I work in a school and some members of my community opt out of music for religious reasons which I think is BS and a totally extreme view. I don't think it is in the Quran bit someone told me it is in the hadith.
Thatāll teach them, stoopid noise makin tings
But burn a Koran and they'll hunt you down
This is the society Afghans want. They were given 20 years to build a foundation against a re-emergence of Taliban. They choose corruption and paper soldiers.
Never have a so large army been beaten to fast with so few bullets fired.
If they want to live in a religious hellhole. Let them.
I have buddies that served in Afghanistan and what I'll share will sound shitty, but reality sometimes is simply shitty.
The country is just full of uneducated superstitious, goat herders. There isn't real allegiance to "Afghanistan" as a country, so building a unified democracy is/was pretty much impossible.
They were training Afghan troops but would never turn their backs on them lol, they said they'd frequently try to pull shit and the concept of discipline, leadership that you need for a stable military / police simply isn't in the culture.
People were hoping for post ww2 Germany, but Germany was a country filled with educated people with a history of order Afghanistan has just been tribes at war for decades.... There was no way to make it work.
That's not to say that Afghanistan doesn't have good people in it that just want peace feed their family and live, but at its current state it's not going to be anything but a theocratic hell hole.
There isnāt real allegiance to āAfghanistanā as a country, so building a unified democracy is/was pretty much impossible.
That's the core of the matter. There is no "Afghanistan". There are just many, many tribes. Until the tribal mindset goes away, nothing will change.
This is a problem in many countries. it's in part a consequence of the haphazardly manner in which the border were drawn, and maybe of a lack of exposure to more than a few valleys.
The podcast Through line episode 199 and 200 covers this pretty good. Episode 199 is called Afghanistan: the center of the world.
Great listen.
I have to admit, it kind of shocks me that so few people in Afghanistan were unwilling to fight the Taliban when they knew just how bad they were/could be. People were desperate enough to try clinging to the exterior of planes when western forces were leaving, but not desperate enough to fight back. I don't know, it's tragic and confusing at the same time.
Uh, they've been in war like state most of the time since 1970s. Wars caused by outsiders. I'm pretty sure that at this point, most people just want to live in peace, no matter how shitty that peace is.
This is in part where the Taliban's strength stems from: at least they are domestic oppressors, not troops from abroad.
Let them.
Their children will suffer. And not all Afghans are like that.
The main problem, as with many things, is a severe lack of education.
Sure. But burning musical instruments? That is just idiotic. What level of fear is that serving? I don't get it.
Christians also had this for time, until they figured out how to use music for marketing Christianity.
The whole point of those monotonous songs in churches is that they're not exciting, not titillating.
To be fair, the first Christians were instructed to pull their eyes out to prevent seeing something that leads to sinful thoughts.
Some historical quotes to get a sense of it: https://www.bible.ca/H-music.htm
Someone should really defeat those guys in a war and teach them a lesson.
We did. As soon as we left they went right back to their old ways.
Kick yo ass den we gonna come home
Idiots
Assholes
(continuing the headline)... And Produce Some Sweet Album Cover Art
How easy is for an afghan citizen to flee the country? Is it a north-korea-like situation? I'm not well informed about this topic!
Depends who you are, I guess. For women, leaving alone is very difficult if not impossible as you would need a male guardian to escort you.
As a man it it's easier but comes down to the money. Most people there are very poor and in a country where family an tribal ties are really important, it is very difficult to pack up your things and leave.
Also, poor Afgan refugees are not received very well by other countries. They are also afraid of the lunacy of the fundamentalist religious movement spreading.
Like any country Afganistan has wealthy people too and for them leaving is probably the easiest.
On general note, Afganistan is a prime example of what a fundamentalist leadership and religion can lead to. Can happen in other countries and outside of Islam too. We should be aware of this.
On general note, Afganistan is a prime example of what a fundamentalist leadership and religion can lead to. Can happen in other countries and outside of Islam too. We should be aware of this.
Thank you for adding that paragraph.
Nobody should be complacent thinking "it can't happen here".
It can. Religious zealots will always try to chip away at secular freeoms, arrogantly confident that they're doing their God's work.
That's so depressing... (thank you for the elaborated reply)
Somebody's brought a Yamaha cp80 to Afghanistan only to have it burned. I suppose this somehow helps allah
Maybe he made them do that, so he can finally fulfil his dream of leading his own big band.
Few months ago on another platform, I watched a video that same
shittykind of peoplewho must be absolutely extinctat same situation just destroyed a vintage intricate musical instrument (very much heirloomāaccordion/keyboard?) as if they were proudly doing right; as if it was how they, humans, are supposed to live (life without music TF to them).Just as I said long ago (I deleted it as I left the platform),
I dare, and I will never ever be born and live in an unmelodious and inharmonious world that they're desperately creating (through their absurd malevolent passionate principles), an invibrant and soulless world that nobody who's gratefully listened and forever enjoyed music and other wonderful things will never ever wish.
Another shitty propaganda cause they know instinctively how great does music affect everyone's minds to realize wider and better and never worse I believe. Annihilating music is as same as burning the books and suppressing any media.Hilariously enough the right will read this go "barbarians!" and then scamper off to a book burning without seeing the resemblance.
Neanderthals
Nah, I think there is evidence that Neandertals appreciated the arts. These people are just jerks.
Hey at least we'll get some more dank nasheeds on YouTube out of this
Theyāre so obsessed with their religion, Iād argue it is their vice.
theyāre gonna have to burn all the computers too. Is ASIO and Core Audio haram too?
Remaking the classic, this Footloose: Taliban is going to be freaking fire!
Is there any flights to Afghanistan?
I get it. It's lit. I used to burn cd's, but they go straight to the source. So deep, such akbar. Respect the religion of love, you guys. Dont burn the holy book, light up every thing else though.
Afghanistan is not a savable place. Just embargo them and revoke their rights to travel anywhere. And if they step foot outside their borders kill them or bring them to the west if they are a civilian.