Lucknow, Feb 23 (NationPress) Leading Muslim clerics in India have vehemently criticized the Taliban’s latest legal framework in Afghanistan, which allegedly legitimizes domestic abuse, deeming it a gross distortion of faith and a breach of Islamic teachings. This controversial legislation permits husbands to inflict physical harm on their wives “without inflicting bone fractures or open wounds” and imposes penalties on women who visit their families without spousal consent, igniting outrage among spiritual leaders and the broader community.

Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, President of the All India Muslim Jamaat, stated, “The Taliban has once again seized power in Afghanistan. Historically, their reputation has been one of fear. We have never recognized the Taliban, seeing them consistently involved in acts of terror. Even if they profess to have reformed their practices, violence and abuse are incompatible with Islamic teachings. The Taliban must refrain from issuing such harmful decrees that jeopardize personal relationships.”

Maulana Mohammad Mirza Yasoob Abbas, a cleric and speaker for the All-India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB), remarked, “It is deeply unfortunate that the Taliban misuses religion to create chaos. This new regulation is fundamentally wrong and warrants strong condemnation.”

Shia leader Maulana Saif Abbas also condemned the Taliban, asserting, “The Taliban operates with a double standard. They profess Islamic values while simultaneously enacting laws that permit the abuse of wives and children. Domestic violence is unjustifiable, and we categorically reject this Taliban law.”

Iqbal Ansari, a former litigant from the Babri Masjid case, voiced, “Violence is universally condemned, irrespective of religious beliefs. We, too, identify as Muslims and adhere to our faith, but violence is unacceptable.”

Veteran lyricist and poet Javed Akhtar took to X, urging Indian muftis and mullahs to unequivocally denounce this measure. He highlighted that the Taliban's law permits wife beating “without any bone fracture” while penalizing women with three months’ imprisonment for visiting their parents without their husband's consent. His comments have sparked extensive debate on social media.

“This is being perpetrated in the name of religion, yet it is utterly intolerable,” Akhtar stated.

The reactions from Indian Muslim figures come amid widespread global condemnation of the Taliban’s stance on women, emphasizing the alarming exploitation of religion to rationalize violence.