Afghanistan: Taliban burn musical instruments – DW – 07/30/2023
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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.

  • Mantis_Toboggan@lemm.eeEnglish
    21·
    1 year ago

    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.

    • solstice@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      1 year ago

      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

      • R0cket_M00se@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        1 year ago

        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.

  • QuasiMono@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    2·
    1 year ago

    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.

  • xptiger@lemmy.worldEnglish
    72·
    1 year ago

    Few months ago on another platform, I watched a video that same shitty kind of people who must be absolutely extinct at same situation just destroyed a vintage intricate musical instrument (very much heirloom—accordion/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.

  • xc2215x@lemmy.worldEnglish
    101·
    1 year ago

    I remember ISIS banning music for their members so this isn’t a huge shock.

    • Rinox@feddit.itEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Don’t they usually sing their prayers and hymns in islam tradition? At least that’s what I think they are broadcasting from the minarets.