Bamyan Education Dispute Over Jafari Fiqh Continues Amid Conflicting Claims

DID Press: Uncertainty persists in Bamyan over the status of Jafari jurisprudence instruction in schools and religious institutions following conflicting statements from local authorities and the Taliban.

The Shia Ulema Council of Bamyan said a recent meeting with education officials from the Taliban administration reached an agreement allowing Jafari fiqh to be taught in Shia-majority areas, Hanafi jurisprudence in Sunni-majority regions, and both curricula in mixed classrooms.

However, an official statement from the Taliban-run education authorities made no reference to such an agreement, instead emphasizing administrative coordination and improvements in teaching quality.

Local sources said the April 9 meeting produced no new decision regarding the religious curriculum, and that current teaching arrangements remain unchanged.

Since the Taliban takeover, Ja’fari fiqh instruction has continued largely due to delays in issuing a revised national curriculum. An earlier attempt in 2024 to remove related textbooks was suspended following public reaction.

Reports indicate that newly delivered curriculum materials to Bamyan do not include Ja’fari fiqh content. Final decisions are expected to be made at the level of the Ministry of Education (Afghanistan), which has not formally recognized Ja’fari jurisprudence.

Previous administrative changes also included the removal of dedicated Ja’fari fiqh departments and their reclassification under broader legal studies.

Overall, the lack of clarity highlights ongoing tensions between local religious representatives and central authorities over educational content, with broader implications for sectarian relations in Afghanistan.