'Islam is not just limited to some rituals': the sermon of Taliban Leader who defends the performance of execution becomes viral | Today news

Taliban leader said executions are part of Islam, days after four men died by gunfire in Afghanistan after being convicted of murder. The executions took place in sports stages on Friday, the highest number known that it was executed in one day since the Taliban came to power in 2021. Law groups and the UN condemned the murders. Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada has previously rejected the need for Western laws in Afghanistan. In a sound clip released by Taliban chief spokesman Zabihulah Mujahid on Sunday, Akhundzada said: “We must carry out disciplinary measures, perform prayers and worship. We must enter Islam completely. Islam is not limited to some rituals; Not a single command from Islam should be left unfulfilled, he said a Hajj instructors seminar during a 45-minute speech in southern Kandahar. God commanded people to pray and enforce His punishment, Akhundzada said, adding that the Taliban does not wage war for power or wealth, but rather to implement “Islamic law”. He rejected criticism of the executions. The Afghanistan High Court earlier ruled that the four men were guilty of murder. A death sentence was imposed after families of the suspected victims refused to grant the amnesty of the men. Akhundzada’s remarks come because the Taliban is seeking greater involvement in the international community, most recently the West. Last month, the United States lifted up the reviews of three senior Taliban figures, including the Home Secretary, who is also head of a powerful network that blamed the former Afghanistan government. The Taliban has released four Americans from detention this year and described these exemptions as the ‘normalization’ of ties between the US and Afghanistan. First published: 13 Apr 2025, 03:28 pm Ist