Islam a la Taliban

Khalid Hosseini, the renowned author of The Kite Runner, described Islamic practice as propounded by the Taliban in Afghanistan in his other novel A Thousand Splendid Suns as follows. This quote is quite extensive but it is worthwhile to read it in full.

“Our watan (country) is now known as the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. These are the laws that we will enforce and you will obey:

All citizens pray five times a day. If it is prayer time and you are caught doing something other, you will be beaten.
All men will grow their beards. The correct length is at least one clenched fist beneath the chin. If you do not abide by this, you will be beaten.
All boys will wear turbans. Boys in grade one through six will wear black turbans, higher grades will wear white. All boys will wear Islamic clothes. Shirt collars will be buttoned.
Singing is forbidden.
Dancing is forbidden.
Playing cards, playing chess, gambling, and kite flying are forbidden.
Writing books, watching films, and painting pictures are for bidden.
If you keep parakeets, you will be beaten. Your birds will be killed.
If you steal, your hands will be cut off at the wrist.
If you steal again, your foot will be cut off.
If you are not Muslim, do not worship where you can be seen by Muslims. If you do, you will be beaten and imprisoned. If you are caught trying to convert a Muslim to your faith, you will be executed.

Attention women:
You will stay inside your homes at all times. It is not proper for women to wander aimlessly about the streets. If you go outside, you must be accompanied by a mahram, a male relative. If you are caught alone on the street, you will be beaten and sent home.
You will cover with burqa when outside. If you do not, you will be severely beaten.
Cosmetics are forbidden.
Jewelry is forbidden.
You will not wear charming clothes.
You will not speak unless spoken to.
You will not make eye contact with men.
You will not laugh in public. If you do, you will be beaten.
You will not paint your nails. If you do, you will lose a finger.
Girls are forbidden from attending school. All schools for girls will be closed immediately.
Women are forbidden from working.
If you are found guilty of adultery, you will be stoned to death.

Listen. Listen well. Obey. Allah-u-akbar.” (A Thousand Splendid Suns, pp. 247-249).
Allah-u-akbar indeed.

What more can I write?

Islamic practice as propounded by the Taliban according to Hosseini, as noted above, is simply unbelievable. If writing books is forbidden, the question of reading them doesn’t arise. If no books are written, what could then one read?

There is an unverified anecdote about a Khalifah (one of the four Rashadeen) who had said that there was no need to read any book excepting the Quran. Because every thing that is worth reading already exists in the Quran. And if it is not there, it is not worth reading. Allah-u-akbar!

My dear Taliban, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge. You cannot set the clock back: nobody can. If Islam is indeed the religion of peace, you are disturbing it even in the Muslim world.