Taliban supreme leader advises officials against multiple marriages

Decree instructs members of the Islamic Emirate to avoid two, three or four marriages

Afghan Taliban supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has issued an edict refraining officials of the interim government from marrying more than once.

“A new decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada instructed the members of the Islamic Emirate to avoid two, three or four marriages, which are not necessary and expensive,” read an official statement shared by Afghanistan’s ToloNews on Friday.

A new decree of the supreme leader of the Islamic Emirate Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada instructed the members of the Islamic Emirate to avoid two, three or four marriages, which are not necessary and expensive.#TOLOnews pic.twitter.com/8jMEctPJqR

— TOLOnews (@TOLOnews) May 20, 2022

In a similar decree in January last year, the Taliban before coming into power restrained leaders and commanders from taking multiple wives, saying the practice invited "criticism from our enemies".

Also read: US welcomes Taliban decree on women's consent to marriage

Voice of America quoting sources had reported that the directive was in response to “many complaints”. Some Taliban officials have approached their superiors for help in paying dowry.

“Up to 2 million Afghanis (nearly $26,000) are paid for dowry in some parts of Afghanistan and the Taliban officials would seek this money for their second marriage,” the source said.

In December 2021, the Taliban-led government released a decree on women's rights which said women should not be considered "property" and must consent to marriage.

"A woman is not a property, but a noble and free human being; no one can give her to anyone in exchange for peace... or to end animosity," the Taliban decree, released by spokesperson Zabihillah Muhajid, said.