Taliban urged to abstain from multiple marriages

What's going on?

The leaders of the Taliban issued a decree, urging followers to abstain from polygamy.

According to a BBC report, in many Pashtun tribes, it is a practice to pay a woman's family for her hand in marriage. Taliban leaders are facing increasing financial pressure to pay this 'bride price", depleting the movement's funds.

While most Taliban leaders have several wives, the group caution on the large amount of money spent on marriage ceremonies that can invite criticism from opponents.

The founder, Mullah Mohammad Omar, and his successor, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, both had three wives. The present Taliban chief, Mullah Hibatulah Akhundzada, has two wives.

The movement’s most senior official in Doha, Mulah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has three wives.

What was in the decree?

• Afghan Taliban leader in Afghanistan issued a decree asking the group’s commanders to abstain from taking multiple wives as it invites accusations of embezzlement.

• Taliban sources told BBC, the letter was being circulated to the officials and their subordinates of the group in Afghanistan and Pakistan after receiving complaints on the lavish spending on weddings.

• The decree cautions that huge amount of money spent on marriage ceremonies can invite criticism from the Taliban's rivals but does not ban second, third, or fourth marriages.

• In the decree, it is stated that “If all leadership and commanders avoid polygamy, they won’t need to get involved in corrupt and illegal practices”.

• The decree supports multiple marriages for men “who either have no children, have no male child from a previous marriage, who are marrying a widow, or who have family wealth to afford multiple wives”.

• However, a man who intends to marry multiple wives must obtain consent from his immediate superior prior to planning the marriage itself.

Polygamy in Pashtun communities

Polygamy is widespread in the Pashtun communities of Afghanistan and Pakistan. But women customarily had no power to voice their opinion in the choice of partner for marriage.

• A childless couple or a family without a male heir, is often described as the reason for the need of additional wives.

• Afghans face huge social pressure to spend extravagantly on their weddings. The groom is required to pay a hefty sum to the bride's family. If the wives are kept in separate houses, the groom must financially support several households.

• Polygamy is seen as a status symbol amongst the wealthy people. In the custom of "walwar" or bride price, the family of the bride is offered money in return for the marriage to proceed.

• Polygamy is still legal in Afghanistan, Pakistan and predominantly Muslim countries. Islam allows men to have up to four wives as long as they are given equally treatment.

Why now?

To overturn negative publicity that Taliban leaders were having extravagant weddings.

• There are also reports that Taliban commanders in Afghanistan have forcefully taken wives, drawing unwanted negative media attention as is it set to resume peace talks with the government.

• According to BBC, nearly two million Afghanis (ranging from $26,000 to more than $100,000) are paid for dowry either from the movement's funds or raised by other means.

• Government officials in Afghanistan have highlighted on the Taliban leaders’ luxurious lifestyles, while frontline fighters are paid lowly.