Photo: TOLO News

Wearing necktie is against the Sharia, senior Taliban official declares

A senior Taliban official has declared that neckties are symbols of Christianity and should not be worn by people in Afghanistan.

Mohammad Hashim Shaheed Wror, the group’s General Director of the Directorate of Invitation and Guidance, said in a speech on Wednesday, that neckties are originated from the Christian cross. The Sharia, he stated, orders the cross to be broken and eliminated.

“The history of (the necktie) is obvious in Islam. What is a tie? It is the cross. It is ordered in Shariah that you should break it and eliminate it,” he said. 

The Taliban’s Directorate of Invitation of Guidance is responsible for formulating the group’s religious policies.

According to TOLO News, Wror also said only religious education is obligatory, rejecting modern education being a must.

Before the Taliban’s takeover the Afghanistan in August 2021, wearing suits and ties were common practice for in all sectors of society. But the group has since enforced restrictions on how people dress, especially women.

Women are required to wear burqas, and men must grow beards. Additionally, government employees are obliged to wear hats and traditional clothing at work.