Restrictions on Women’s Education in Afghanistan “Offensive and Self-Destructive”: CAIR

ATLANAT (Pajhwok): The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called a decision by Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government to ban women from higher education until further notice “offensive and self-destructive.”

The US largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization CAIR in a statement on Wednesday also reiterated its calls for Congress to support Afghan refugees by passing the Afghan Adjustment Act and for the Biden administration to release the full $7 billion in Afghan Central Bank funds back to the Afghan people, who are suffering from an ongoing economic and humanitarian crisis.

CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell said:  “Islam teaches that seeking knowledge is obligatory for every believer. That’s why education for both men and women has been a fact of Islamic civilization dating back to the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him. In fact, a Muslim woman in Morocco founded the very first university in the entire world.

“Afghan women and girls must be able to safely pursue their God-given right to knowledge. We encourage nations around the world, especially Muslim-majority countries, to implore the Taliban government in Afghanistan to reverse the offensive and self-destructive measures that have restricted access to education for Afghan women and girls.” He added.

“We also urge Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would help provide a pathway to citizenship for tens of thousands of newly arrived Afghan men, women and children. We urge President Biden to release the full $7 billion in Afghan Central Bank funds desperately needed by the Afghan people to help rebuild their country.” Mitchedll said. 

Mitchell noted that more than 1,400 years ago, Islamic law protected women’s fundamental rights by guaranteeing women the right to an education, the right to own a business, the right of inheritance, the right to choose a spouse, the right to a prenuptial agreement, the right to initiate divorce, the right to receive child support, the right to petition and criticize a government, among many other things.

The Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) wife Khadijah was a prosperous businesswoman. The first martyr in Islam was a woman, as was the first person to accept the Prophet’s message from God. The oldest university in the world was founded in Morocco by Fatima al-Fihri in 857 CE.

Earlier this year, CAIR called on Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government to reverse a decision that banned many girls from school after sixth grade until a “reopening plan” could be developed.

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