How does the Taliban's practice of Islam compare with mainstream Islam?
1 Answer
Taliban is a group of locals based in Afghanistan holding power over most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. There is a myth according to which Taliban were created by USA against Russia. This is a myth because the Taliban came into existence after the withdrawal of Soviets from Afghanistan - they are a distinct group from the Mujahideen who fought against the Russians supported by Pakistan, Saudi and the Americans during the cold war. They emerged in 1994 as a prominent factions in the Afghan Civil War comprising students (talib) from Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan having been educated in traditional Islamic schools. Now coming to the question that seeks to understand the difference between mainstream Islam and the Islam that Taliban practice. Taliban are Sunni Hanafis. There is no difference between their practice of Islam and any other Hanafi Muslim around the globe. The only difference is that they fight against the invaders (US and the NATO). For those Muslims that call them terrorists, one must remember the US doesn't negotiate with terrorists. We see they currently are negotiating with the Taliban. So they are mistaken - they are not terrorists.
Taliban is a group of locals based in Afghanistan holding power over most of Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. There is a myth according to which Taliban were created by USA against Russia. This is a myth because the Taliban came into existence after the withdrawal of Soviets from Afghanistan - they are a distinct group from the Mujahideen who fought against the Russians supported by Pakistan, Saudi and the Americans during the cold war. They emerged in 1994 as a prominent factions in the Afghan Civil War comprising students (talib) from Pashtun areas of eastern and southern Afghanistan having been educated in traditional Islamic schools. Now coming to the question that seeks to understand the difference between mainstream Islam and the Islam that Taliban practice. Taliban are Sunni Hanafis. There is no difference between their practice of Islam and any other Hanafi Muslim around the globe. The only difference is that they fight against the invaders (US and the NATO). For those Muslims that call them terrorists, one must remember the US doesn't negotiate with terrorists. We see they currently are negotiating with the Taliban. So they are mistaken - they are not terrorists.