On June 5, 2023, a website that releases Islamic State (ISIS) material published a 382-page Dari-language book titled "The Obvious Misguidance In Secular Schools, A Review Of Misguidance In Afghanistan's Educational Curriculum" discussing the curriculum of Afghanistan's schools, and by referring to parts from some Dari and Pashtu books, it accused the Afghan Taliban rulers of permitting anti-Islamic teachings in the educational curriculum of Afghanistan. The book cites hadiths, Quran verses, and rulings by Islamic scholars to support its argument. It was prepared by one Abu Mohammad Peshayi and published by Al-Azaim Islamic Institution, which is linked to ISIS.
The book's cover.
In an Introduction, the book observes: "Jews and Christians use different methods and means to mislead Muslims in order to achieve their goals. These days one of the means and methods to mislead Muslims are secular schools. They have built schools in Islamic lands; their monthly salaries are also provided by Jews and Christians themselves; everyone can see the boards of these schools.
"It must have been written that such schools were built with the cooperation of America, Europe or other unbeliever and tyrannical countries, and it is an undeniable issue that the salaries of school teachers are paid by unbeliever organizations such as UNICEF, the World Bank, and others."
Some of the headings in the book are: "A Call To Patriotism And Nationalism"; "The Origin Of Patriotism And Nationalism"; "Nationalism – The Main Goal Of Mercenaries"; and "What Islam Says About Patriotism And Nationalism."
The book gives references in English and other languages from the Afghan schools' curriculum and other sources, discussing the history of Afghanistan, the Great Game between Russia and the British, and the policies of past Afghan governments. It discusses the school curriculum, the Afghan flag and geography, and the national anthem. The book declares all of these to be anti-Islamic and says children sent to such schools will be educated against Islam.
The book discusses jihad, including that against Jews, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Shi'ites, communists, democrats, and others.
Under the subheading "Schools and Invitation to Sufism," on page 51, the book discusses Sufism and various Sufi groups, and describes their beliefs and practices as anti-Islamic. It describes how Sufi Islamic scholars are mentioned respectfully in Afghan schoolbooks, whereas this book considers scholars like Jalal al-Din Muhammad Balkhi to have been apostates.
Under another subheading, "Invitation to Rafidha [rejectionist, a pejorative term for Shi'ites]," the book says that the mention of Shi'ism in Afghan schoolbooks, as well as the personalities of Shi'ites, the sayings of their scholars, and all articles about Shi'ites are against Islam.
Under the subtitle "Renewal and Glorification of Polytheism and Its Works," the book discusses the building of museums, the protection of historical sites, and the holding of traditional festivals such as Nowruz. It declares Afghanistan's pre-Islamic history and traditions to be idolatrous. The ISIS book also criticizes Afghanistan's claim that the country's national museum is part of UNESCO, saying UNESCO itself is an un-Islamic organization.
The other section titles are: "Secular Schools – Production Centers Of Vice And Debauchery"; "Encouragement Of Music"; "Encouragement Of Painting And Sculpture"; "Encouragement Of Dance"; and "Encouragement Of Theater And Cinema."
Under the subheading "Making Decision By Other Than What God Has Revealed," the book objects to the traditional system of jirga ("assembly of elders") of Afghanistan, to the Constitution introduced by the King Amanullah Khan in the 1920s, and to the Afghan parliament established in recent decades.
The book discusses feminism and objects to the argument that men and women are equal, as well as to the women's rights movement generally. Under the subtitle "Human Rights," the book says that the United Nations Universal Declaration Of Human Rights is against Islam. It criticizes Article 1, which declares; "All human beings are born free and are equal in terms of dignity and rights." The book reads: "'All human beings are born free': In this sentence, they have clearly rejected a great decree of God, which is the system of slaves, while the children of slaves are never born free, but are the property of their owner."
Under the subheading "Modeling Nationalists and Democrats," the book declares the national leaders of Afghanistan, as well as Pashtun intellectuals, writers, and political leaders, including 17-century Pashtun poet Khushal Khattak and Pashtun nationalist Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, to be apostates. This is because the territory-based idea of nationalism espoused by such figures contradicts the concept of a global Islamic Ummah.
Four other titles in the book are: "The Description And Modeling Of Christian Unbelievers"; "The Disruption By Teaching UN Rules"; "The Publication Of Atheism In Schools Of Unbelief"; and "Not Calling Tyrants And Apostates Non-Muslims."
Under the Subheading "Ruling on Secular Schools in Islam," the book declares: "Now that we know the goals of unbelievers in secular schools, and we know that in secular schools all kinds of disbelief, polytheism, atheism, and immorality are taught, and the blasphemous thoughts of democracy, patriotism, human rights, etc., all originate from these centers, in order to prevent the spread of unbelief, it is necessary to destroy these unbelief centers."
The book declares under the subheading "The Verdict Of The Teachers And Education Workers Of The Secular System Of The Taliban," that the Shari'a Council of Khorasan Province has issued a fatwa (Islamic religious decree) declaring that whoever promotes secular schools and curriculum is a polytheist.
The final two titles of the book are as follows: "Is The Caliphate State Against Islamic Education?"; "What Is A Scholarly Alternative School?"
These two chapters discuss the curriculum of the Islamic State (ISIS) and show pictures of the school curriculum books published by the Islamic State, including books on physics, mathematics, and chemistry.
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