Saif-ul-Islam Khyber, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, has published statements from several “religious scholars” who describe Nowruz as a festival of the “age of ignorance” and consider celebrating it to be “impermissible.”
These “religious scholars” said that Jews and Christians celebrate Nowruz, and that its observance by Muslims could be considered a major sin.
Nowruz is one of the most important historical festivals of Afghanistan and is also celebrated in countries such as Iran, Pakistan, Central Asia, Iraq, and beyond. Nowruz has been registered by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity under the title “International Day of Nowruz.”
