Chess has been banned in Afghanistan indefinitely due to religious concerns, with the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue involved.
The interim administration of Afghanistan has officially banned chess, continuing its opposition to various forms of entertainment and sports in the country. According to the reports, the decision was made due to “religious considerations” and restrictions outlined by the Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. This move places chess-related activities in Afghanistan on hold indefinitely.
Officials from the Ministry of Sports, confirmed the suspension of chess activities on Sunday, May 11, explaining that until suitable answers are found regarding religious concerns, the sport would remain prohibited. According to the reports, no activities related to chess would be allowed to resume without resolving these issues.
The Ministry of Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice has taken further steps by dissolving the Afghanistan Chess Federation, labeling the game “haram” (forbidden) according to its interpretation of Islamic law. This decision follows a growing trend of restrictions on cultural, social, and sporting events since the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan.
In the days leading up to the announcement, several chess players and enthusiasts reportedly sought permission and financial support from the Ministry of Sports to continue their activities. However, they were met with the news of the ban, further complicating their efforts to engage in the game.
Chess, once a popular intellectual sport in Afghanistan, had enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, with the national federation operating under the Ministry of Sports. The Taliban’s recent stance reflects their broader strategy to limit cultural and recreational pursuits in the country, citing Islamic legal interpretations.
The ban on chess is another example of the Taliban’s increasing restrictions on freedoms in Afghanistan. These limitations extend beyond sports to include cultural and educational activities, profoundly impacting Afghanistan society. It remains uncertain how long these policies will last or whether international pressure could reverse some of these decisions.
https://www.khaama.com/chess-banned-in-afghanistan-due-to-religious-restrictions/https://www.barrons.com/news/taliban-govt-suspends-chess-in-afghanistan-over-gambling-e38dd617According to Ayatollah Sistani, playing chess is forbidden. The prohibition applies whether the game is played with traditional instruments or played digitally. In fact, even if one of the players is a computer, it should be avoided. So this is the answer to the question, “Is chess haram?”
Ayatollah Sistani’s ruling makes clear the importance of adhering to Islamic principles and avoiding activities that could lead to spiritual decline, even if those activities appear beneficial or entertaining on the surface.
https://imam-us.org/is-chess-haramThe question “Why is chess haram?” is another question a believer may have after asking “Is chess haram?” For this second question, we can look to the hadith that have helped Islamic scholars in their rulings. Chess, historically associated with gambling, has been mentioned in several hadiths as an activity to be avoided.
For example, in Al-Kafi, chess is directly equated with gambling (maysir), which is explicitly forbidden in Islam, “Chess is gambling, and backgammon is gambling” (See: Al-Kafi). Similarly, we read, “Backgammon, chess, and checkers are all the same. Whatever is used in gambling is maysir” (Al-Kafi). One might ask, “Is playing chess haram without gambling permissinle?” The answer remains “no,” as it is still considered haram. This provides a more comprehensive answer to “Is playing chess haram?”
The Quranic
>>45943because the magic sky man said so ok.
>>45944its basic communism maybe read marx next time
Not a fan of the taliban, but this just reminds me of the "Kim Jong Un made everyone have his haircut" type of articles… let's look into Khaama press, the source of this claim:
>Khaama press is an online news service covering events in Afghanistan. It was established in October 2010 in Kabul, Afghanistan, by Afghan journalist and entrepreneur Khushnood Nabizada. Khaama Press publishes content in three languages: English, Pashto, and Persian.
Already sounding like an NED cutout based on the fact that it popped up during the US occupation and the fact that it publishes things in English.
>Operating in a conflict-affected region, Khaama Press has faced several challenges, including threats to its journalists.
Locals don't seem to like it. What about the founder?
>Khushnood Nabizada (born in 1987) is an Afghan journalist, diplomat, peace campaigner, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and owner of Khaama Press, an Afghanistan-based news agency that reports specific political issues of the Afghanistan region.
>According to 'Who is who in Afghanistan', a database by CIA for Afghanistan, Nabizada graduated from Habibia High School in 2006. He obtained a bachelor's degree in business administration from Kardan University in 2012. And according to his LinkedIn profile, has obtained a Master's degree in Global Affairs and Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management by Arizona State University.
So a bourgeois individual who the CIA keeps tabs on who got university educated in bourgeois matters in a US university? Here's another bit written in his wikipedia article, hardly from a neutral perspective. Almost sounds autobiographical:
>Khushnood has gone through a lot of unforeseen challenges in his life. First, he had to flee from his village in 1996 due to war, then he fled again in 1998 to Pakistan as a terrorist group called Taliban…
"the hacker known as 4chan" type language
>took over the city he used to live in. He returns back to Afghanistan in 2003, works hard for life and eventually life took him again into a situation that he had to flee and get resettled in the United States of America. He narrates this story in a conversation at Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in July 2022.
Virginia? So close to CIA headquarters.
>>45957>I knew someone would do this, here is a source from a right wing newspaper in a NATO country????
Why would I care what 1st worlders in the NATO coalition say about Afghanistan after pillaging it for 20 years?
>>45959You essentially are going to keep denying it no matter what. It has quotes from government officials
What will it take? Me finding an Afghanistan state media article on it? I can do it if you want
>>45961That didn't happen.
And if it did, it wasn't that bad.
And if it was, that's not a big deal.
>>45962If you go back and read my replies to you carefully I never said the ban on chess didn't happen, I just questioned the potential motivations and relations of the source article in the OP.
Let's say everything you say is true and important…
what would you like done about it, when would you like it done, how would you like it done, and by who would you like it done? If you cannot answer this question you have nothing important to say.
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