Taliban Introduce New Restrictions on Wedding Customs, Declare Makeup and Perfume Un-Islamic
Kabul: Afghanistan’s Taliban-led Ministry of Hajj and Religious Affairs has introduced new restrictions on wedding and engagement ceremonies, declaring several traditional practices to be contrary to Islamic Sharia.
The ministry has issued a 10-page document titled “Avoiding Sinful Acts and Customs Contrary to Islamic Sharia in Wedding Ceremonies.” Religious leaders across the country have been instructed to raise awareness of these guidelines during Friday sermons.
According to the document, the exchange of engagement rings, mehndi (henna) ceremonies, fireworks, firecrackers, bridal makeup, women wearing perfume outside the home, tight or body-revealing clothing, music at weddings, and mixed-gender dancing have all been declared inconsistent with Islamic teachings.
The Taliban has urged Afghan citizens to organize weddings, engagement ceremonies, and celebrations following Hajj and Umrah in accordance with what it describes as Islamic principles, while avoiding customs the ministry considers un-Islamic.
The document states that exchanging rings or applying henna during engagements includes practices that are religiously impermissible. It also describes fireworks and firecrackers as dangerous, saying that causing fear or inconvenience to Muslims or neighbors is unacceptable.
The ministry further objected to bridal makeup, eyebrow shaping, facial hair removal, the use of prominent cosmetics, and wearing transparent or tight-fitting clothing, claiming such practices involve deception and violate Islamic values.
The new directives also discourage women from wearing perfume outside their homes and describe music and mixed-gender dancing at weddings as serious forms of moral misconduct.
The document concludes by urging Afghan women to avoid imitating Western culture and foreign traditions and to conduct their celebrations in accordance with the ministry’s interpretation of Islamic teachings.
